Origin
Arlington, VA
Morning in Arlington on Tuesday
Local time
6:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington, VA to Lorton, VA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
16.5 mi
27 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington, VA
Dominik Gryzbon
Lorton, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Arlington to Lorton, this 16.5-mile journey is a straightforward trip that easily fits into a single day. You can expect to spend about 26 minutes behind the wheel, making it a quick transit rather than a multi-day excursion. Budgeting approximately $3 for fuel should be sufficient for this short distance within Northern Virginia. Since both the origin and destination are located in the Southeast region of the state, the drive remains consistent in its local character. It is an ideal route for those needing a practical, no-fuss connection between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway | 12.6 mi | 15m |
| North Glebe Road | 2.4 mi | 6m |
| North Oakland Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North Pershing Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Lorton Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Sanger Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Wilson Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
— 12.6 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, VA and Lorton, VA.
1
Start on Wilson Boulevard
90 ft
·
8 sec
·
Wilson Boulevard
2
Turn right onto North Oakland Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Oakland Street
3
Turn right onto North Pershing Drive
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Pershing Drive
4
Turn left onto VA 120
2.4 mi
·
6 min
·
North Glebe Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 395 South: Richmond
6
Keep slight left at fork
315 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 395 South: Richmond, Quaker Lane
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 395 South: Richmond
Use the slight left lane.
8
Merge onto I 395
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 395
6.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Exit 1A
Toward I 95 South: Richmond
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 163
Toward SR 642: Lorton, Gunston Hall, Pohick Bay Park
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto SR 642
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Lorton Road
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto SR 747
199 ft
·
16 sec
·
Sanger Street
Use the left lane.
13
Arrive at destination
SR 747
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 3.3 and 16.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 395 South: Richmond, Quaker Lane
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 395 South: Richmond, Quaker Lane
8
3.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 395 South: Richmond
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 395 South: Richmond
5
3.5 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 395 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 395 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
16.1 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward SR 642: Lorton, Gunston Hall, Pohick Bay 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 163
Toward SR 642: Lorton, Gunston Hall, Pohick Bay...
6
16.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
SR 642 / Lorton Road
Turn right onto SR 642 / Lorton Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.58 one way
$5.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.82 | $5.64 |
| premium | $4.70 | $3.05 | $6.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.64 | $7.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.8 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 | 0 | $1.73 | $0.79 |
| Efficient EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.44 | $0.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.31 | $1.06 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Lorton, VA
Morning in Lorton on Tuesday
Local time
6:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
2 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
26m 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 navigate your way out of Arlington and toward Lorton. You will rely on North Oakland Street, North Pershing Drive, and North Glebe Road to reach your destination. Because this route has a 0% highway share, you won't encounter any high-speed interstate stretches, focusing instead on local navigation. The path requires your full attention due to the frequent turns rather than long, uninterrupted segments. It is a functional, hands-on driving experience that keeps you engaged with the local road network throughout the entire 26-minute duration.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.6 mi on Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 3.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 16.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (I 395 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Arlington, VA
Full guide →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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 16.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.6 miles on Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway. 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 Lorton, 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 3.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (I 395 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lorton, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Lorton, VA
More trips to Lorton, VA
Explore more options from Arlington, VA or browse trips ending in Lorton, VA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse VA road trips.