Connecting Charlottesville to Colonial Heights is a straightforward 90.1-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 50 minutes. Because this drive is designed as a single-day trip, you can easily complete it in one go without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily utilize I-64 and the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike to navigate between these two Southeast Virginia locations. Budgeting around $14 for fuel will cover the trip, making this an economical option for your travel plans. Whether you are heading out for business or a change of scenery, the simplicity of the route allows for a stress-free experience. Since the drive is short, you have the flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45 miles from Charlottesville, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 54m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 64
65.5 mi
1h 13m
Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
17.3 mi
21m
Richmond Road
1.9 mi
3m
Route 1
1.6 mi
2m
East High Street
0.9 mi
2m
Boulevard
0.8 mi
1m
Woods Edge Road
0.8 mi
1m
East Ellerslie Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 64
— 65.5 mi, about 1h 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charlottesville, VA and Colonial Heights, VA.
1
Start on this road
233 ft·18 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto US 250 BUS
246 ft·10 sec·East Market Street
3
Turn left onto US 250 BUS; VA 20
0.1 mi·31 sec·9th Street Northeast
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on US 250 BUS; VA 20
0.9 mi·2 min·East High Street
5
Turn right onto US 250; VA 20
315 ft·7 sec·Long Street
6
Continue on US 250; VA 20
1.9 mi·3 min·Richmond Road
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward I 64 East
8
Merge onto I 64
65 mi·1 hr 13 min·I 64
Use the straight lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
17 mi·21 min·Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
Exit 58BToward SR 620 West: Woods Edge RoadUse the slight right lane.
11
Turn straight onto SR 620
0.8 mi·1 min·Woods Edge Road
12
Turn left onto US 1; US 301
1.6 mi·2 min·Route 1
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on US 1; US 301; VA 144
0.8 mi·1 min·Boulevard
Use the right lane.
14
Turn left onto East Ellerslie Avenue
0.3 mi·37 sec·East Ellerslie Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right
257 ft·18 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 1 hour and 50 minute duration, you can comfortably depart at almost any time of day without worrying about long-haul fatigue. Since there are no mandatory stops programmed into this 90.1-mile route, feel free to adjust your pace to suit your personal comfort level. Be mindful that the majority of your time is spent on high-traffic corridors like I-64, so checking local traffic reports before you pull out of your driveway is a smart move. Because the entire trip requires only about $14 in fuel, you might consider topping off your tank in Charlottesville to avoid any mid-trip fuel stops. This short distance provides the perfect opportunity to reach your destination quickly while maintaining complete control over your itinerary.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 45 miles from Charlottesville, VA, or about 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 65.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 20 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45 miles or 54m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Colonial Heights, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Charlottesville, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Charlottesville, VA
This is one driving day of about 90.1 miles and 1h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Charlottesville, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 64 for about 65.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 89.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|US 250 BUS; VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast
Turn left onto US 250 BUS; VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.4 mi into trip|~8m in|I 64
Merge onto I 64
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
68.9 mi into trip|~1h 21m in|I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
86.2 mi into trip|~1h 43m in
Take the exit toward SR 620 West: Woods Edge Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 58B
Toward SR 620 West: Woods Edge Road
5
89.7 mi into trip|~1h 49m in|East Ellerslie Avenue
Turn left onto East Ellerslie Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.05 one way
$28.10 round trip
$3.96/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.43
$15.71
$31.42
premium
$4.78
$16.95
$33.90
diesel
$5.62
$19.95
$39.90
Estimated Tolls: $1.21
Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
(17.3 mi)$1.21
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 31.5 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27
0
$9.46
$4.32
Efficient EV
22.5
0
$7.88
$3.60
EV Truck/SUV
36
0
$12.61
$5.77
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Charlottesville, VA
Late night
in Charlottesville on Sunday
Local time
12:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Colonial Heights, VA
Late night
in Colonial Heights on Sunday
Local time
12:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Ashland, VA
45 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
14 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 50m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Petersburg National Battlefield
National Battlefield
Two hundred ninety-two days, eight offensives, over 70,000 casualties, U. S. Colored Troops, and the decline of Gen. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. U.S. forces c...
7 mi from route
~16 min detour
Free
near mile 90.1
Park Closure: Eastern Front Tour Road south of Route 36 - Closed
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as roughly 94% of this route consists of high-speed transit. You will spend the bulk of your time on the interstate, including a significant 65.5-mile stretch on I-64 that serves as the longest uninterrupted portion of the drive. The transition onto the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike keeps the pace steady as you move toward your destination. While the road lacks the technical turns of mountain passes or rural backroads, the consistency of the highway makes for predictable travel. You will find that the road surface remains largely consistent, allowing you to settle into a comfortable rhythm behind the wheel.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 65.5 mi on I 64.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 64 and Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 250 BUS; VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 90.1 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 250 BUS; VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 68.9 miles (I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
503 ft29 ft
Total Climb
314 ft
Total Descent
717 ft
Highest Point
503 ft
~15 mi in
Elevation Range
474 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 50m. Total distance: 90.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 65.5 miles on I 64. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.21 in tolls one way, starting with Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Colonial Heights, 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 0.1 miles (US 250 BUS; VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 68.9 miles (I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Petersburg National Battlefield. 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 Colonial Heights, VA before heading back.
