Origin
Alexandria, VA
Afternoon in Alexandria on Sunday
Local time
12:15 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alexandria, VA to Dale City, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
23 mi
37 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alexandria, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Dale City, VA
Kelly
Trip Overview
This short 23-mile drive from Alexandria, VA, to Dale City, VA, will take you about 33 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. With 61% of the journey on highways, you'll spend most of your time on I-95 and the Capital Beltway (Local). The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $4, and there are no planned stops, so you can get there quickly. This route stays within the Southeast region of Virginia, offering a straightforward commute rather than a leisurely exploration. It's a practical choice if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 14.1 mi | 17m |
| Capital Beltway (Local) | 5 mi | 6m |
| Dale Boulevard | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Birchdale Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Washington Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Patrick Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Gibbon Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Saint Asaph Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 14.1 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria, VA and Dale City, 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 left at fork onto I 95
14 mi
·
17 min
·
I 95
Use the slight left lane.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 156B-A
Toward SR 784: Dale City, Rippon Landing, Rest Area
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 156B
Toward SR 784 West: Dale City
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
Toward Dale City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto SR 784
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Dale Boulevard
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto SR 1811
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Birchdale Avenue
17
Turn right onto Bayfield Drive
41 ft
·
1 sec
·
Bayfield Drive
18
Arrive at destination
Bayfield Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 21.2 — 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
20.7 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward SR 784: Dale City, Rippon Landing, Rest Area
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 156B-A
Toward SR 784: Dale City, Rippon Landing, Rest...
9
21 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight right at fork toward SR 784 West: Dale City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 156B
Toward SR 784 West: Dale City
7
21.2 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Dale City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Dale City
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.60 one way
$7.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.93 | $7.87 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.26 | $8.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.08 | $10.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.41 | $1.10 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.01 | $0.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.22 | $1.47 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Dale City, VA
Afternoon in Dale City on Sunday
Local time
12:15 PM
EDT
Current temp
85°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
16 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
33m 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 highway-focused experience for this trip, with 61% of the route utilizing major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 14.1 miles on I-95, providing a consistent pace. You'll navigate segments of the Capital Beltway (Local) before transitioning to Dale Boulevard. While primarily an interstate drive, the final portion on Dale Boulevard might offer a slight shift in scenery as you approach your destination. It's a route designed for speed and directness, with minimal deviations from major thoroughfares.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.1 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Capital Beltway (Local). 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 16 decision points packed into just 23 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
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 20.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
241 ft
19 ft
Total Climb
440 ft
Total Descent
246 ft
Highest Point
241 ft
~9.9 mi in
Elevation Range
222 ft
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.
Between Alexandria, VA and Dale City, VA, road signs point toward Rippon Landing and Rest Area.
Rippon Landing
20.7 mi in
|
~28m
Rest Area
20.7 mi in
|
~28m
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 33m. Total distance: 23 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.1 miles on I 95. 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 Dale City, 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 20.7 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 Dale City, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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