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Trip from Woodbridge, VA to Arlington, VA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

30m

Distance

21.4 mi

34 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 28m ★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

census-designated place in Prince William County, Virginia, United States

Woodbridge, VA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Arlington, VA, VA

Arlington, VA

Dominik Gryzbon

Trip Overview

Woodbridge, VA to Arlington, VA is 21.4 miles and takes about 30m via Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive that keeps you within the Southeast region, moving from Woodbridge in VA to Arlington, also in VA. Given its brief duration, it's ideal for a same-day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. Consider this route for its efficiency in covering a relatively short distance with minimal fuss.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 21.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

30m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

This drive offers a mixed profile, with 39% of the journey taking place on highways. You'll spend a significant stretch, 8.7 miles uninterrupted, on the Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway, which is part of I-95. Expect the character of the road to shift from potentially more urban or suburban approaches to the efficiency of interstate travel. While not entirely a highway grind, the primary arteries like I-95 and Washington Boulevard mean you'll experience periods of consistent, faster-paced driving.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 8.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 1 / Richmond Highway.

Driving Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 21.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 1 / Richmond Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles (I 395 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 1 / Richmond Highway

Turn left onto US 1 / Richmond Highway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
9
9.5 mi into trip | ~12m in | I 395 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 395 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway toward I 395 North, I 495 North: Washington, Tysons Corner

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Exit 170A; 170B Toward I 395 North, I 495 North: Washington, Ty...
8
18.2 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the exit toward VA 27: Washington Boulevard, Columbia Pike

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 8A Toward VA 27: Washington Boulevard, Columbia Pi...
8
18.6 mi into trip | ~23m in

Keep slight left at fork toward VA 27 West: Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Washington Boulevard, Columbia Pike

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward VA 27 West: Joint Base Myer-Henderson Ha...
6
18.9 mi into trip | ~24m in | VA 27 / Washington Boulevard

Merge onto VA 27 / Washington Boulevard toward Columbia Pike

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Columbia Pike

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Woodbridge, VA to Arlington, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Tysons Corner along the way.

Tysons Corner

9.5 mi in | ~12m | via I 395

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway 8.7 mi 10m
I 95 8.3 mi 9m
Washington Boulevard 1.8 mi 3m
Wilson Boulevard 0.4 mi 1m
Gordon Boulevard 0.4 mi <1m
Richmond Highway 0.3 mi <1m
10th Street North 0.3 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway — 8.7 mi, about 10m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on this road

22 ft · 7 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto US 1

0.3 mi · 44 sec · Richmond Highway
Use the left lane.
3

Turn left onto VA 123

0.4 mi · 46 sec · Gordon Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 57 sec
Toward I 95 North Use the slight right lane.
5

Merge onto I 95

8.3 mi · 9 min · I 95
Use the straight lane.
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 395

0.6 mi · 52 sec · Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Exit 170A; 170B Toward I 395 North, I 495 North: Washington, Tysons Corner Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7

Continue on I 395

8.1 mi · 9 min · Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Exit 170A Toward I 395 North: Washington Use the straight lane.
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Exit 8A Toward VA 27: Washington Boulevard, Columbia Pike Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 45 sec
Toward VA 27 West: Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Washington Boulevard, Columbia Pike Use the slight left lane.
10

Merge onto VA 27

1.8 mi · 3 min · Washington Boulevard
Toward Columbia Pike Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Turn left onto VA 237

0.3 mi · 1 min · 10th Street North
12

Turn slight left

137 ft · 8 sec
13

Turn left onto Wilson Boulevard

0.4 mi · 1 min · Wilson Boulevard
14

Arrive at destination

Wilson Boulevard

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.35 one way

$6.69 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $3.66 $7.32
premium $4.70 $3.96 $7.92
diesel $5.61 $4.72 $9.45

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 57% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.4 0 $2.25 $1.03
Efficient EV 5.4 0 $1.87 $0.86
EV Truck/SUV 8.6 0 $3.00 $1.37

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (57% 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

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Woodbridge, VA

Afternoon in Woodbridge on Friday

Local time

2:14 PM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Arlington, VA

Afternoon in Arlington on Friday

Local time

2:14 PM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

30m 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.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Woodbridge, VA to Arlington, VA covers 21.4 miles and takes about 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway, I 95, Washington Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 10.7 miles from Woodbridge, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.35 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.

This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 21.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 1 / Richmond Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles (I 395 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

On the drive from Woodbridge, VA to Arlington, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Tysons Corner along the way.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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