Origin
Bristow, VA
Afternoon in Bristow on Sunday
Local time
2:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bristow, VA to Arlington, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
32.2 mi
52 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bristow, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Arlington, VA
Dominik Gryzbon
Trip Overview
If you are traveling from Bristow to Arlington, you are looking at a 34.3-mile trip that typically takes about 44 minutes. This route is best suited as a quick day trip rather than an overnight excursion, allowing you to easily complete the journey in a single day. You will traverse the Southeast region of Virginia, moving from a more suburban setting toward the urban core. Budgeting roughly $5 for fuel should be sufficient to cover the distance comfortably. Because this is a relatively short drive, you have the flexibility to make the trip whenever your schedule allows without needing extensive logistical planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 66 | 23.2 mi | 28m |
| Sudley Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Godwin Drive | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Nokesville Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| Bristow Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Wilson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Glebe Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Fairfax Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 66
— 23.2 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bristow, VA and Arlington, VA.
1
Start on SR 619
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Bristow Road
2
Turn right onto VA 28
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Nokesville Road
3
Turn left onto Godwin Drive
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Godwin Drive
Use the left lane.
4
At end of road, turn left onto VA 234 BUS
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Sudley Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 66 East, I 66 Toll East Express Lanes: Washington
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 66 East: Washington
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 66
23 mi
·
28 min
·
I 66
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 71
Toward VA 120, VA 237
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on Fairfax Drive
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Fairfax Drive
10
Turn right onto VA 120
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
North Glebe Road
Use the right lane.
11
Turn slight left onto Wilson Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilson Boulevard
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
Wilson Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.1 miles from Bristow, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 4.9 and 31.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4.9 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
VA 234 BUS / Sudley Road
At end of road, turn left onto VA 234 BUS / Sudley Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
7.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the ramp toward I 66 East, I 66 Toll East Express Lanes: Washington
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 66 East, I 66 Toll East Express Lanes:...
8
7.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 66 East: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 66 East: Washington
8
31 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward VA 120, VA 237
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.
Exit 71
Toward VA 120, VA 237
6
31.4 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
VA 120 / North Glebe Road
Turn right onto VA 120 / North Glebe Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.04 one way
$10.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.51 | $11.01 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.96 | $11.92 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.11 | $14.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.38 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.82 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.51 | $2.06 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Arlington, VA
Afternoon in Arlington on Sunday
Local time
2:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
83°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
4 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
46m 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 rather than a straightforward highway cruise, as this route features zero highway miles. You will rely on a mix of Nokesville Road, Godwin Drive, and Sudley Road to navigate your way toward your destination. Since the drive is entirely local, you should prepare for constant shifts in traffic patterns and frequent intersections. The absence of long, uninterrupted stretches means you will need to stay focused on the road ahead throughout the entire 44-minute journey. This path offers a hands-on driving experience that requires more active steering than a standard interstate commute.
72% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.2 mi on I 66.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 66 and Sudley Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.9 miles in near VA 234 BUS / Sudley Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 32.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.9 miles (VA 234 BUS / Sudley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving 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 46m. Total distance: 32.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.2 miles on I 66. 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 Arlington, 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 4.9 miles (VA 234 BUS / Sudley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Arlington, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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