Origin
Gainesville, VA
Late night in Gainesville on Sunday
Local time
3:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gainesville, 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
39m
Distance
29.9 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gainesville, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Arlington, VA
Dominik Gryzbon
Trip Overview
If you are traveling from Gainesville to Arlington, you are looking at a straightforward 29.9-mile journey that typically takes about 39 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, as it is short enough to complete without any planned stops. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $5, this drive is as economical as it is efficient. You will be traveling entirely within the Southeast region of Virginia. Because the route is so compact, you have total flexibility in your schedule, making it an easy commute or a quick visit between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 66 | 27.2 mi | 33m |
| Lee Highway | 0.6 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
— 27.2 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gainesville, VA and Arlington, VA.
1
Start on US 29
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
Lee Highway
2
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 66 East: Washington
Use the slight right lane.
3
Merge onto I 66
27 mi
·
33 min
·
I 66
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 71
Toward VA 120, VA 237
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on Fairfax Drive
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Fairfax Drive
6
Turn right onto VA 120
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
North Glebe Road
Use the right lane.
7
Turn slight left onto Wilson Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilson Boulevard
Use the left lane.
8
Arrive at destination
Wilson Boulevard
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 29.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the exit toward I 66 East: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 66 East: Washington
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 66
Merge onto I 66
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
28.7 mi into trip
|
~36m 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
29.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
VA 120 / North Glebe Road
Turn right onto VA 120 / North Glebe Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
29.4 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
Wilson Boulevard
Turn slight left onto Wilson Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.68 one way
$9.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.11 | $10.22 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.53 | $11.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.60 | $13.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 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 | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.62 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.91 |
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.
Destination
Arlington, VA
Late night in Arlington on Sunday
Local time
3:34 AM
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
27 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
39m 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?
This 39-minute excursion is heavily highway-focused, with 91% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your trip—27.2 miles—navigating the consistent flow of I-66. As you transition from the Gainesville area toward Arlington, the route relies on this primary interstate artery before eventually shifting toward Lee Highway and Wilson Boulevard. Expect a steady, interstate-heavy experience that prioritizes speed and directness over winding scenic backroads. While the highway stretch provides a predictable rhythm, the final segments through local roads offer a shift in pace as you arrive at your destination.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.2 mi on I 66.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 66 and Lee Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 39m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 66): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 29.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.2 miles on I 66. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 66): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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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