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Trip from Alexandria, VA to Bristow, VA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

59m

Distance

41.4 mi

67 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 55m ★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m

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

Downtown Alexandria, VA, VA

Alexandria, VA

Wikimedia Commons

unincorporated community of Prince William County, Virginia, United States

Bristow, VA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning a quick transition from Alexandria to Bristow, you can expect a straightforward 41.4-mile journey. This trip typically takes about 59 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion that doesn't require an overnight stay. You will navigate primarily through local surface streets like King Street, South Saint Asaph Street, and Duke Street rather than relying on high-speed interstates. With a fuel budget of just $7, the trip is highly economical for most vehicles. Since both locations are situated within the Southeast region of Virginia, the drive offers a consistent regional feel throughout the transit.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 66 17 mi 20m
Capital Beltway 8.8 mi 10m
Capital Beltway (Local) 5 mi 6m
Sudley Road 2.8 mi 5m
Godwin Drive 2.1 mi 3m
Nokesville Road 2 mi 3m
Bristow Road 0.9 mi 1m
South Washington Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 66 — 17 mi, about 20m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria, VA and Bristow, 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

5.7 mi · 7 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight lane.
14

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 49B Toward I 66 West: Vienna, Front Royal Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Merge onto I 66

17 mi · 20 min · I 66
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Exit 47B-A Toward VA 234 North, VA 234 Business: Manassas, Manassas National Battlefield Park Use the slight right lane.
17

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Exit 47B Toward VA 234 North Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Turn straight onto VA 234

366 ft · 13 sec · Sudley Road
19

Continue on VA 234 BUS

2.7 mi · 5 min · Sudley Road
Use the left lane.
20

Turn right onto Godwin Drive

2.1 mi · 3 min · Godwin Drive
21

Turn right onto VA 28

2.0 mi · 3 min · Nokesville Road
22

Turn left onto SR 619

0.9 mi · 1 min · Bristow Road
Use the straight lane.
23

Arrive at destination

SR 619

Where to Stop

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

independent city in Virginia, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Fairfax, VA

21 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

Linton Hall, VA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Fairfax, VA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.7 miles from Alexandria, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 19

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 33.5 — 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
8
15.4 mi into trip | ~22m in

Take the exit toward I 66 West: Vienna, Front Royal

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. Exit 49B Toward I 66 West: Vienna, Front Royal
8
33.3 mi into trip | ~44m in

Take the exit toward VA 234 North, VA 234 Business: Manassas, Manassas National Battlefield Park

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 47B-A Toward VA 234 North, VA 234 Business: Manassas,...
9
33.5 mi into trip | ~45m in

Keep slight right at fork toward VA 234 North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 47B Toward VA 234 North

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.47 one way

$12.95 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $7.08 $14.16
premium $4.70 $7.66 $15.32
diesel $5.61 $9.14 $18.28

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.4 0 $4.35 $1.99
Efficient EV 10.4 0 $3.62 $1.66
EV Truck/SUV 16.6 0 $5.80 $2.65

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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

Alexandria, VA

Evening in Alexandria on Sunday

Local time

6:23 PM

EDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bristow, VA

Evening in Bristow on Sunday

Local time

6:23 PM

EDT

Current temp

79°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

10 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

59m 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 as you transition from Alexandria’s urban environment toward Bristow. Because this route involves zero highway driving, you will remain on local arteries for the entire duration of the trip. This setup creates a more engaged experience behind the wheel, requiring you to stay alert through numerous intersections and turns. Without any long, uninterrupted stretches of highway, the journey maintains a steady, moderate pace from start to finish. You should prepare for a drive that prioritizes navigation through city and suburban corridors over open-road cruising.

41% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17 mi on I 66.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 around 0.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 19 decision points packed into just 41.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.

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

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Alexandria, VA and Bristow, VA, road signs point toward Front Royal and Manassas National Battlefield Park.

Front Royal

15.4 mi in | ~22m

Manassas National Battlefield Park

33.3 mi in | ~44m

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 59m. Total distance: 41.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

59m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 17 miles on I 66. 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 Bristow, 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 15.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bristow, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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