This 217.4-mile drive from Chesapeake to Belmont, Virginia, is a manageable one-day trip, estimated to take around 4 hours and 22 minutes. You'll primarily be on major highways, with I-95 and I-64 forming the backbone of your journey. The estimated fuel cost for this route is about $34, making it a budget-friendly option. Given its compact nature and highway focus, this route is well-suited for a single day of travel, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stop. Both your origin and destination are within the Southeast region of the US.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
108.7 miles from Chesapeake, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
82.3 mi
1h 33m
I 64
61.1 mi
1h 7m
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
11.9 mi
12m
Dulles Toll Road
11.3 mi
15m
Capital Beltway
10.5 mi
12m
Hampton Roads Beltway
9.6 mi
12m
Dulles Greenway
7.9 mi
9m
Granby Street
4 mi
9m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 82.3 mi, about 1h 33m
Traffic on I-95
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 52 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,046 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,734
Quietest
2 AM
~462 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chesapeake, VA and Belmont, VA.
1
Start on D Street
412 ft·20 sec·D Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto US 460; VA 166
0.3 mi·29 sec·Poindexter Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·18 sec
Toward I 464 North
4
Merge onto I 464
1.2 mi·1 min·I 464
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 6BToward I 264 East: Waterside Drive, Saint Paul Boulevard, Downtown, NorfolkUse the slight left lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto US 460 ALT
0.2 mi·26 sec·US 460 ALT
Exit 9Toward Waterside Drive, St Paul's BoulevardUse the slight left lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 460 ALT
0.3 mi·53 sec·US 460 ALT
Toward Saint Paul's BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto US 460 ALT
0.6 mi·1 min·Saint Pauls Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on US 460
1.2 mi·2 min·Monticello Avenue
10
Turn left onto US 460
486 ft·13 sec·Church Street
11
Continue on US 460
4.0 mi·9 min·Granby Street
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward I 64
13
Merge onto I 64
3.8 mi·5 min·Hampton Roads Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 64; US 60
3.5 mi·4 min·Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
15
Continue on I 64; US 60
5.9 mi·7 min·Hampton Roads Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64
61 mi·1 hr 7 min·I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.5 mi·32 sec
Exit 200Toward I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NCUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork
1.3 mi·2 min
Toward I 295 North: WashingtonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto I 295
12 mi·12 min·Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
20
Take the exit
2.4 mi·2 min
Exit 43AToward I 95 North: WashingtonUse the slight left lane.
21
Merge onto I 95
46 mi·49 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95; US 17
1.6 mi·1 min·I 95; US 17
23
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi·1 min
24
Merge onto I 95
35 mi·41 min·I 95
Use the slight left lane.
25
Keep slight right at fork onto I 395
0.6 mi·52 sec·Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Exit 170A; 170BToward I 395 North, I 495 North: Washington, Tysons CornerUse the straight / slight left lanes.
26
Take the exit
1.4 mi·1 min
Exit 170BToward I 495 North: Tysons CornerUse the slight right lane.
27
Merge onto I 495
1.0 mi·1 min·Capital Beltway
28
Keep slight right at fork onto I 495
9.5 mi·11 min·Capital Beltway
Use the straight lane.
29
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
Exit 45Toward VA 267 Toll West: Reston, Herndon, Dulles AirportUse the slight left lane.
30
Merge onto VA 267
1.1 mi·1 min·Dulles Toll Road
31
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·22 sec
32
Merge onto VA 267
10 mi·13 min·Dulles Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Continue on VA 267
7.9 mi·9 min·Dulles Greenway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Exit 4Toward VA 659: Belmont Ridge RoadUse the slight right lane.
35
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward VA 659 NorthUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
36
Turn straight onto SR 659
2.0 mi·3 min·Belmont Ridge Road
Use the left lane.
37
Arrive at destination
SR 659
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 4-hour, 22-minute drive, consider an early morning departure from Chesapeake to bypass potential rush hour traffic. With only one recommended stop and a longest stretch of 82.3 miles, you can easily complete this journey in a single day. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially on I-95, and plan your refueling stops accordingly. The $34 fuel cost is an estimate, so actual spending may vary based on current prices and your vehicle's efficiency.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 108.7 miles from Chesapeake, VA, or about 2h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 82.3 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 48 miles or 1h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 108.7 miles or 2h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Belmont, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Chesapeake, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Chesapeake, VA
This is one driving day of about 217.4 miles and 4h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Chesapeake, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 95 for about 82.3 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 29
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 182.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
1.8 mi into trip|~2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 264 East: Waterside Drive, Saint Paul Boulevard, Downtown, Norfolk
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 6B
Toward I 264 East: Waterside Drive, Saint Paul...
9
2.5 mi into trip|~3m in|US 460 ALT
Keep slight left at fork onto US 460 ALT toward Waterside Drive, St Paul's Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 9
Toward Waterside Drive, St Paul's Boulevard
8
2.7 mi into trip|~4m in|US 460 ALT
Keep slight left at fork onto US 460 ALT toward Saint Paul's Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Saint Paul's Boulevard
8
83.3 mi into trip|~1h 43m in
Take the exit toward I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NC
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 200
Toward I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NC
9
182.7 mi into trip|~3h 36m in|I 395 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 395 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway toward I 395 North, I 495 North: Washington, Tysons Corner
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 170A; 170B
Toward I 395 North, I 495 North: Washington, Ty...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.10 one way
$64.19 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.12
$35.27
$70.54
premium
$4.49
$38.45
$76.89
diesel
$4.80
$41.05
$82.10
Estimated Tolls: $4.23
Dulles Toll Road
(11.3 mi)$2.26
Dulles Greenway
(7.9 mi)$1.97
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
$32
Tolls
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 76.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65.2
0
$22.83
$10.44
Efficient EV
54.4
0
$19.02
$8.70
EV Truck/SUV
87
1
$30.44
$13.91
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Chesapeake, VA
Morning
in Chesapeake on Sunday
Local time
6:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 14 mph50% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued July 18 at 5:54PM EDT until July 18 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Blacksburg VA
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 18 at 5:53PM EDT until July 18 at 6:30PM EDT by NWS Blacksburg VA
Destination
Belmont, VA
Morning
in Belmont on Sunday
Local time
6:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
93°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 10 mph47% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued July 18 at 5:54PM EDT until July 18 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Blacksburg VA
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 18 at 5:53PM EDT until July 18 at 6:30PM EDT by NWS Blacksburg VA
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
15 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
4h 22m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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.
Fort Monroe National Monument
National Monument
Fort Monroe's story spans from prehistory to the 2000s. Kecoughtan Indians occupied Old Point Comfort before the arrival of English colonists. The first enslaved Africans arrived in 1619. Those escapi...
2 mi from route
~4 min detour
Free
near mile 15
Park Closure: Road Closure and Fishing Pier Impact
On May 13, 1607, Jamestown was established as the first permanent English settlement in North America. Three cultures came together – European, Virginia Indian and African–to create a new society that...
The Potomac River corridor is rich in both history and recreation, offering a chance to both explore your heritage and choose your adventure along the way. Start your journey here!
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 217.4
At the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers, on the ancestral home of the Tuscarora and Shawnee people, lies Harpers Ferry. Here you can explore John Brown's Raid against slavery. Find your...
21 mi from route
~54 min detour
$20
near mile 217.4
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...
26 mi from route
~64 min detour
Free
near mile 82.5
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 drive for this trip, with 67% of your travel on interstates. The majority of your time will be spent on I-95, where you'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch of 82.3 miles. While much of the route maintains a consistent highway pace, be prepared for the potential of traffic, especially as you navigate through more populated areas. The Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway also contributes to the interstate character of this journey.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
37 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 82.3 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and I 64. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 29 significant decision points across 217.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.5 miles (US 460 ALT): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles (US 460 ALT): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
381 ft11 ft
Total Climb
605 ft
Total Descent
311 ft
Highest Point
381 ft
~201.9 mi in
Elevation Range
370 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Chesapeake, VA and Belmont, VA, road signs point toward Rocky Mount, Tysons Corner, Herndon and Dulles Airport.
Chesapeake is a town of 245,000 people (2019) in the Hampton Roads region of Eastern Virginia. Chesapeake is a diverse city in which a few urban areas are located; it also has many square miles of protected farmland, forests, and wetlands, including a substantial portion of the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
Top landmarks
•Dismal Swamp Canal — canal in Virginia, United States of America
•Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal — canal in Chesapeake, Virginia
•South Norfolk Historic District — historic district in Virginia, United States
Central Virginia, also known as the Piedmont, is the largest region of the state of Virginia and contains the state capital, Richmond. It is marked on the east by the Fall Line, and on the west by the Appalachian Mountains. The southern part of this region, bordering on North Carolina, is generally referred to in the state as "Southside Virginia".
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 22m. Total distance: 217.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 82.3 miles on I 95. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $4.23 in tolls one way, starting with Dulles Toll Road. 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.
Yes — we found about 18 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Belmont, VA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 18 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.5 miles (US 460 ALT): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles (US 460 ALT): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Fort Monroe National Monument, Colonial National Historical Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (5 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Belmont, VA, but most travelers stay overnight.
