Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
17.3 mi
28 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington, VA
Dominik Gryzbon
Fairfax Station, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Arlington, VA to Fairfax Station, VA is 17.3 miles and takes about 30m via Custis Memorial Parkway and Ox Road, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Virginia, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. Given its brief distance and focused highway profile, this is a straightforward drive ideal for a quick commute or a short excursion. You'll primarily be on well-maintained parkways and main roads, making it an easy navigation experience. Plan for about half an hour of travel time, plus any potential delays.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Custis Memorial Parkway | 10.5 mi | 13m |
| Ox Road | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Chain Bridge Road | 2.5 mi | 6m |
| Wilson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Glebe Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Fairfax Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, VA and Fairfax Station, VA.
Start on Wilson Boulevard
Turn slight right onto VA 120
Turn left onto Fairfax Drive
Continue on this road
Merge onto I 66
Keep slight left at fork onto I 66
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn left onto VA 123
Continue on VA 123
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 12.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Fairfax Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 66 / Custis Memorial Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward VA 123: Fairfax, Vienna
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward VA 123 South: Fairfax
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto VA 123 / Chain Bridge Road
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$2.71 one way
$5.41 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.96 | $5.92 |
| premium | $4.70 | $3.20 | $6.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.82 | $7.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.11 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Arlington on Tuesday
Local time
5:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
94°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Fairfax Station on Tuesday
Local time
5:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route is largely highway-focused, with 61% of the drive utilizing higher-speed roads. You'll experience a significant stretch of 10.5 miles on the Custis Memorial Parkway, offering a consistent pace. The journey transitions to Ox Road and Chain Bridge Road, which may offer a slight change in character as you approach your destination. Expect a relatively smooth ride for the majority of the trip, with a predictable driving experience as you cover the 17.3 miles.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Custis Memorial Parkway and Ox Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Fairfax Drive.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 7 decision points packed into just 17.3 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: at 0.7 miles (Fairfax Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (I 66 / Custis Memorial Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 11.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Arlington, VA to Fairfax Station, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Vienna along the way.
Vienna
Arlington (along with the cities of Falls Church to the west and Alexandria to the south) forms part of the urban conglomeration around Washington, D.C. - inside the beltway. In Northern Virginia, and directly across the Potomac River from D.C. proper, Arlington is one of America's most densely populated regions. It has a land area 26 sq mi (67 km2) and a population of 230,000. Despite its density, Arlington mixes the best of both big city and suburban environments. Like the greater Washington area, Arlington has grown over the last several decades in part due to growth of the federal government.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 17.3 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 (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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