Origin
Harrisonburg, VA
Late night in Harrisonburg on Friday
Local time
3:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Harrisonburg, VA to Waynesboro, VA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
34.3 mi
55 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Harrisonburg, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Waynesboro, VA
Eric Joseph
Trip Overview
Harrisonburg to Waynesboro is 34.3 miles and takes about 46m via I 81, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Virginia, connecting two points in the Southeast region. The drive is mostly highway, making it a straightforward and quick connection between these two cities. Given the minimal distance and duration, it's an ideal leg for a larger trip or a simple point-to-point drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 20 mi | 22m |
| Hermitage Road | 8.3 mi | 11m |
| Ivy Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Woodrow Wilson Parkway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South High Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| West Broad Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Port Republic Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Maryland Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 20 mi, about 22m
Traffic on I-81
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 39 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,842 veh/hr typical · worst 2,360
Quietest
2 AM
~245 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 105 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 Harrisonburg, VA and Waynesboro, VA.
1
Start on US 11; US 33
114 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 33
260 ft
·
7 sec
·
Court Square
3
Continue on US 33
169 ft
·
5 sec
·
Court Square
4
Turn right onto US 33
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
West Market Street
5
Turn left onto VA 42
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South High Street
6
Turn left onto Maryland Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Maryland Avenue
7
Continue on VA 253
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Port Republic Road
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
9
Merge onto I 81
20 mi
·
22 min
·
I 81
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward VA 262
11
Keep slight left at fork
273 ft
·
8 sec
12
Turn left onto VA 262
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Woodrow Wilson Parkway
13
Continue on VA 254
8.3 mi
·
11 min
·
Hermitage Road
14
Continue on VA 254
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Ivy Street
15
Turn right onto VA 254
493 ft
·
9 sec
·
King Avenue
16
Continue on VA 254
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Poplar Avenue
17
Turn left onto US 250; US 340 TRK
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Broad Street
18
Turn right onto North Wayne Avenue
523 ft
·
16 sec
·
North Wayne Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
South Wayne Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.1 miles from Harrisonburg, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 33 / Court Square
Turn left onto US 33 / Court Square
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 33 / West Market Street
Turn right onto US 33 / West Market Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Maryland Avenue
Turn left onto Maryland Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
22.2 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward VA 262
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward VA 262
5
22.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.26 one way
$10.51 round trip
$3.89/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $5.77 | $11.54 |
| premium | $4.64 | $6.26 | $12.52 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $7.56 | $15.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.60 | $1.65 |
| Efficient EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.00 | $1.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.80 | $2.20 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Waynesboro, VA
Late night in Waynesboro on Friday
Local time
3:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
89°F
Verona, VA
17 mi in
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
28 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?
This route is mostly highway, with 61% of the drive on I 81. You'll experience a longest stretch of 20 miles on I 81 before transitioning to surface roads like Hermitage Road and Ivy Street. Expect a significant highway feel for the majority of your travel time. The transition from the interstate to local roads will likely involve a change in traffic density and speed.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20 mi on I 81.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and Hermitage Road. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 33 / Court Square.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 34.3 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: near the start (US 33 / Court Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 33 / West Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (Maryland Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,374 ft
1,145 ft
Total Climb
254 ft
Total Descent
284 ft
Highest Point
1,374 ft
~31.8 mi in
Elevation Range
229 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Harrisonburg, VA
Full guide →Founded 1779
Harrisonburg is a city of 52,000 people (2020) in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. The city is a major financial and retail center for eight counties in Virginia, and even draws people from parts of neighboring West Virginia. There is a traditionally strong agricultural base, but there has been tremendous growth in retail and industry sectors.
Top landmarks
- • Rockingham County Courthouse — courthouse in Virginia, United States
- • Newtown Cemetery — cemetery in Harrisonburg, Virginia
Arriving in Waynesboro, VA
Full guide →Founded 1798
Waynesboro is a city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia.
Top landmarks
- • Blue Ridge Tunnel — railway tunnel in Virginia - Crozet's tunnel
- • Fishburne Military School — private, military boarding school in Waynesboro, Virginia, United States
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: 34.3 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 (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20 miles on I 81. 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: near the start (US 33 / Court Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 33 / West Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (Maryland Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Waynesboro, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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