Trip from Vienna, VA to Arlington, VA

Drive Time

19m

Distance

11.7 mi

19 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

Downtown Arlington, VA, VA

Photo: Dominik Gryzbon

Trip Overview

The drive from Vienna, VA to Arlington, VA covers 11.7 miles and takes about 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Courthouse Road Southwest, Nutley Street Southwest, Nutley Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.82 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

5.8 miles from Vienna, VA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 9m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 19m drive with frequent turns across 11.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Courthouse Road Southwest is one of the defining roads on this drive.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Courthouse Road Southwest Unavailable Refreshing
Nutley Street Southwest Unavailable Refreshing
Nutley Street Unavailable Refreshing
I 66 East Unavailable Refreshing
VA 120 Unavailable Refreshing
Fairfax Drive Unavailable Refreshing
North Glebe Road Unavailable Refreshing
Wilson Boulevard Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Courthouse Road Southwest — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Vienna, VA and Arlington, VA.

1

Start on Maple Avenue West

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Maple Avenue West
2

Turn left onto Courthouse Road Southwest

0.7 mi · 1 min · Courthouse Road Southwest
3

Turn left onto Nutley Street Southwest

0.7 mi · 1 min · Nutley Street Southwest
4

Keep slight left to continue on Nutley Street

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Nutley Street
5

Take the ramp straight toward I 66 East: Washington

0.2 mi · 23 sec · I 66 East: Washington
6

Merge slight left

8.6 mi · 11 min
7

Take the exit slight right toward VA 120, VA 237

0.3 mi · 31 sec · VA 120, VA 237
8

Continue on Fairfax Drive

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Fairfax Drive
9

Turn right onto North Glebe Road

0.2 mi · 33 sec · North Glebe Road
10

Turn slight left onto Wilson Boulevard

0.5 mi · 1 min · Wilson Boulevard
11

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 5.8 miles from Vienna, VA, or about 9m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 11.7 miles or 19m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 5.8 miles or 9m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 16m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arlington, VA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Vienna, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Vienna, VA

This is one driving day of about 11.7 miles and 19m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Vienna, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 5.8 mi from Vienna, VA · 9m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Washington, DC

6 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Washington, DC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Washington, DC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 5.8 miles from Vienna, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Arlington, VA

The final approach into Arlington, VA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Arlington, VA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.82 one way

$3.65 round trip

$3.96/gal 25.4 MPG avg 4 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $2.04 $4.08
premium $4.78 $2.20 $4.40
diesel $5.62 $2.59 $5.18

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$2

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$27–$52

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.1 kg one way.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 3.5 0 $1.23 $0.56
Efficient EV 2.9 0 $1.02 $0.47
EV Truck/SUV 4.7 0 $1.64 $0.75

Gas CO2

4 kg

EV CO2

1 kg (75% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Local time and weather at both ends of the drive

Current conditions at both ends of the drive. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.

Forecast data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

Vienna, VA

Morning in Vienna on Saturday

Local time

11:38 AM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Forecast unavailable right now

EDT Live mapsof forecast

Destination

Arlington, VA

Morning in Arlington on Saturday

Local time

11:38 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Forecast unavailable right now

EDT Live mapsof forecast

Along the Route

68°F

Washington, DC

6 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

3 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

19m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Vienna, VA to Arlington, VA covers 11.7 miles and takes about 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Courthouse Road Southwest, Nutley Street Southwest, Nutley Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 5.8 miles from Vienna, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.82 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Vienna, VA or browse trips ending in Arlington, VA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse VA road trips.

Explore maps for Vienna, VA or Arlington, VA on MapSof.net.