Origin
Alexandria, VA
Late night in Alexandria on Sunday
Local time
5:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alexandria, VA to Annandale, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
12.3 mi
20 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 19m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alexandria, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Annandale, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Alexandria to Annandale, you are in for a quick 12.3-mile trip that typically takes about 20 minutes. This route is entirely local, meaning you won't have to worry about highway driving or complex navigation. Because the duration is so brief, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion. Budgeting about $2 for fuel should be more than enough to cover the distance, making this an extremely affordable commute. Both locations sit within the Southeast region of Virginia, keeping the cultural and geographic transition seamless. It is a straightforward, no-fuss connection between two familiar Northern Virginia hubs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway (Local) | 5 mi | 6m |
| Capital Beltway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Ravensworth Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| South Washington Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Patrick Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Gibbon Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Braddock Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Saint Asaph Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway (Local)
— 5 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria, VA and Annandale, VA.
1
Start on VA 400
75 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Washington Street
2
Turn right onto King Street
314 ft
·
14 sec
·
King Street
3
Turn right onto South Saint Asaph Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Saint Asaph Street
4
Turn right onto Duke Street
334 ft
·
18 sec
·
Duke Street
5
Turn left onto VA 400
0.2 mi
·
50 sec
·
South Washington Street
6
Turn right onto Gibbon Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Gibbon Street
7
Turn left onto US 1
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
South Patrick Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
438 ft
·
10 sec
Toward I 95 South, I 495 West, I 95 North, I 495 East: Richmond, Baltimore
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 South, I 495 West
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 95; I 495
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Capital Beltway (Local)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 495
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on I 495
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Capital Beltway
Exit 170A
Toward I 495 North: Tysons Corner
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 495
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
·
Capital Beltway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 54B-A
Toward SR 620: Braddock Road
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 54B
Toward SR 620 East: Braddock Road
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn straight onto SR 620
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Braddock Road
17
Turn left onto SR 649
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Ravensworth Road
Use the left lane.
18
Enter roundabout onto SR 649
76 ft
·
4 sec
·
Ravensworth Road
19
Continue on SR 649
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Ravensworth Road
20
Turn right onto VA 236
136 ft
·
3 sec
·
Little River Turnpike
21
Arrive at destination
VA 236
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 10.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
0.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, I 495 West, I 95 North, I 495 East: Richmond, Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, I 495 West, I 95 North, I 49...
8
1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South, I 495 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 South, I 495 West
6
6.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 495 / Capital Beltway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
10.1 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward SR 620: Braddock Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 54B-A
Toward SR 620: Braddock Road
9
10.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight right at fork toward SR 620 East: Braddock Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 54B
Toward SR 620 East: Braddock Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.92 one way
$3.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.10 | $4.21 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.28 | $4.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.72 | $5.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.29 | $0.59 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.08 | $0.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
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
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Annandale, VA
Late night in Annandale on Sunday
Local time
5:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°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
14 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
20m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate experience. You will navigate through city streets using King Street, South Saint Asaph Street, and Gibbon Street to make your way toward your destination. Since there is zero highway share on this 12.3-mile trek, you should anticipate frequent stops and slower speeds typical of residential and commercial corridors. Without any long, uninterrupted stretches, the road requires your full attention as you maneuver through local traffic patterns. The personality of this drive is functional and grounded, prioritizing steady navigation through the local street grid over cruising.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5 mi on Capital Beltway (Local).
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in.
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 17 decision points packed into just 12.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 20m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.6 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Alexandria, VA to Annandale, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore along the way.
Baltimore
0.9 mi in
|
~3m
About the Cities
Starting in Alexandria, VA
Full guide →Alexandria is a city in Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C., in the United States.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 12.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5 miles on Capital Beltway (Local). The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Annandale, VA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.6 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Annandale, VA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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