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Trip from Alexandria, VA to Newington, VA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

19m

Distance

12.2 mi

20 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 18m ★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m

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

census designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States

Newington, VA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Alexandria, VA to Newington, VA is 12.2 miles and takes about 19 minutes via Capital Beltway (Local), I 95, and South Washington Street, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Virginia, offering a straightforward commute between two Southeast region locales. Given its brevity, it's an easy drive to fit into any schedule, requiring minimal planning. You'll encounter a mix of highway and local road driving, making it a practical option for a quick hop.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Capital Beltway (Local) 5 mi 6m
I 95 4.7 mi 5m
South Washington Street 0.3 mi <1m
South Patrick Street 0.2 mi <1m
Newington Road 0.2 mi <1m
Gibbon Street 0.2 mi <1m
Fairfax County Parkway 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 Newington, 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

4.7 mi · 5 min · I 95
Use the slight left lane.
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 56 sec
Exit 166A Toward VA 286 South: Fairfax County Parkway, Newington, Fort Belvoir Use the right lane.
13

Merge onto VA 286

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Fairfax County Parkway
14

Turn left onto SR 877

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Loisdale Road
Use the left lane.
15

Turn right onto SR 877

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Newington Road
Use the right lane.
16

Turn right

89 ft · 9 sec
17

Turn right

139 ft · 11 sec
18

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 11.8 — 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 95

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane.
8
11.3 mi into trip | ~17m in

Take the exit toward VA 286 South: Fairfax County Parkway, Newington, Fort Belvoir

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

Use the right lane. Exit 166A Toward VA 286 South: Fairfax County Parkway, Ne...
7
11.8 mi into trip | ~18m in | SR 877 / Loisdale Road

Turn left onto SR 877 / Loisdale Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.91 one way

$3.82 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 4 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $2.09 $4.17
premium $4.70 $2.26 $4.52
diesel $5.61 $2.69 $5.39

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 $1.28 $0.59
Efficient EV 3.1 0 $1.07 $0.49
EV Truck/SUV 4.9 0 $1.71 $0.78

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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Alexandria, VA

Morning in Alexandria on Tuesday

Local time

9:52 AM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Newington, VA

Morning in Newington on Tuesday

Local time

9:52 AM

EDT

Current temp

81°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

15 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.

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

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is a mixed bag, with about 40% of it on highways. You'll experience stretches on the Capital Beltway (Local) and I-95, offering a chance to pick up speed. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll navigate is approximately 5 miles on the Capital Beltway (Local). As you progress, the drive transitions from faster highway conditions to more local road segments, requiring adjustments to your driving pace. Expect a dynamic driving experience as you move between different types of thoroughfares.

40% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 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

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 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 12.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 19m.

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 95): 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.

Between Alexandria, VA and Newington, VA, road signs point toward Baltimore and Fort Belvoir.

Baltimore

0.9 mi in | ~3m

Fort Belvoir

11.3 mi in | ~17m

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 19m. Total distance: 12.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

19m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (40%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

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 Newington, 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 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Newington, 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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