Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
35 mi
56 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
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
Nokesville, VA
Deane Bayas
The drive from Arlington, VA to Nokesville, VA covers 35 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Custis Memorial Parkway, Nokesville Road, Sudley Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.2 miles on Custis Memorial Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.36 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Custis Memorial Parkway | 23.2 mi | 29m |
| Nokesville Road | 5 mi | 8m |
| Sudley Road | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Godwin Drive | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Wilson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Fitzwater Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Glebe Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Fairfax Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 6 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~3,072 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~175 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, VA and Nokesville, 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 right at fork
Turn straight onto VA 234
Continue on VA 234 BUS
Turn right onto Godwin Drive
Turn right onto VA 28
Turn left onto SR 652
Turn left onto SR 772
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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.
A short stop after about 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 17.5 miles from Arlington, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 34.8 — 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. Lane positioning matters here
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
Keep slight right at fork toward VA 234 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto SR 652 / Fitzwater Drive
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$5.36 one way
$10.73 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $5.89 | $11.77 |
| premium | $4.64 | $6.39 | $12.78 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $7.72 | $15.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.06 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.90 | $2.24 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Evening in Arlington on Friday
Local time
5:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Partly Cloudy
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued August 26 at 3:00AM EDT by NWS Charleston WV
Destination
Evening in Nokesville on Friday
Local time
5:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued August 26 at 3:00AM EDT by NWS Charleston WV
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.
35 mi in 52m, mostly highway — 23.2 mi of that is on Custis Memorial Parkway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Custis Memorial Parkway and Nokesville 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 10 decision points packed into just 35 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
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. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
361 ft
Total Descent
366 ft
Highest Point
438 ft
~15 mi in
Elevation Range
266 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Arlington, VA to Nokesville, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Manassas National Battlefield Park along the way.
Manassas National Battlefield Park
Founded 1801
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.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 35 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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