Skip to main content

Trip from Chesapeake, VA to Newport News, VA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

44m

Distance

27.8 mi

45 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 41m ★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 42m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Chesapeake, VA, VA

Chesapeake, VA

Wikimedia Commons

independent city in Virginia, United States

Newport News, VA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Spanning just 27.8 miles, this quick trip between Chesapeake and Newport News is an ideal day outing. You can expect to reach your destination in roughly 44 minutes, making it a highly efficient transit across the Southeast region of Virginia. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, the journey is incredibly wallet-friendly for solo travelers or small groups. Because of the short distance, there is no need for an overnight stay; you can easily complete the round trip in a single afternoon. The route utilizes a mix of the Hampton Roads Beltway, I-64, and Granby Street to navigate between these two points. It is a straightforward, practical drive that prioritizes speed and accessibility over a slow-paced scenic tour.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Hampton Roads Beltway 9.6 mi 12m
I 64 4.3 mi 5m
Granby Street 4 mi 9m
Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel 3.5 mi 4m
Monticello Avenue 1.2 mi 2m
I 464 1.2 mi 1m
Saint Pauls Boulevard 0.6 mi 1m
US 460 ALT 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Hampton Roads Beltway — 9.6 mi, about 12m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chesapeake, VA and Newport News, 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 6B Toward I 264 East: Waterside Drive, Saint Paul Boulevard, Downtown, Norfolk Use the slight left lane.
6

Keep slight left at fork onto US 460 ALT

0.2 mi · 26 sec · US 460 ALT
Exit 9 Toward Waterside Drive, St Paul's Boulevard Use 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 Boulevard Use 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

4.3 mi · 5 min · I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 36 sec
Exit 258A Toward US 17 South: J Clyde Morris Boulevard Use the right lane.
18

Merge onto US 17

0.1 mi · 13 sec · J Clyde Morris Boulevard
19

Continue on US 17

0.3 mi · 30 sec · J Clyde Morris Boulevard
20

Turn right onto Diligence Drive

0.5 mi · 1 min · Diligence Drive
21

At end of road, turn right onto Thimble Shoals Boulevard

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Thimble Shoals Boulevard
22

Turn left

413 ft · 33 sec
23

At end of road, turn right

82 ft · 6 sec
24

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 26.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 460; VA 166 / Poindexter Street

At end of road, turn right onto US 460; VA 166 / Poindexter Street

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

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
7
26.5 mi into trip | ~41m in

Take the exit toward US 17 South: J Clyde Morris Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 258A Toward US 17 South: J Clyde Morris Boulevard

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.35 one way

$8.69 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $4.75 $9.51
premium $4.70 $5.15 $10.29
diesel $5.61 $6.14 $12.28

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.3 0 $2.92 $1.33
Efficient EV 7 0 $2.43 $1.11
EV Truck/SUV 11.1 0 $3.89 $1.78

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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 18, 2026

Origin

Chesapeake, VA

Morning in Chesapeake on Sunday

Local time

6:16 AM

EDT

Current temp

85°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Newport News, VA

Morning in Newport News on Sunday

Local time

6:16 AM

EDT

Current temp

62°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

23 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

44m 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 that demands your full attention as you transition between different road types. While about 21% of your journey takes place on highways, the experience feels more like navigating urban infrastructure than cruising on an open interstate. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 9.6-mile segment on the Hampton Roads Beltway, which provides the most consistent pace of the trip. Outside of that stretch, the route requires frequent adjustments as you weave through local streets and highway interchanges. You will find that the personality of the road shifts quickly, moving from the wider lanes of the beltway to the more technical, turn-heavy sections closer to your destination.

Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.6 mi on Hampton Roads Beltway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 0.1 miles in near US 460; VA 166 / Poindexter Street.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 27.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 460; VA 166 / Poindexter Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; 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.

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 Newport News, VA, road signs point toward Downtown and Norfolk.

Downtown

1.8 mi in | ~2m

Norfolk

1.8 mi in | ~2m

About the Cities

Starting in Chesapeake, VA

Full guide →

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.

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 44m. Total distance: 27.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

44m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 9.6 miles on Hampton Roads Beltway. 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 Newport News, 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 460; VA 166 / Poindexter Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; 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.

Yes — Fort Monroe National Monument and Colonial National Historical Park. 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 Newport News, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Chesapeake, VA or browse trips ending in Newport News, VA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse VA road trips.