Spanning 88.6 miles, this trip from Lorton to Richmond serves as a straightforward journey through the Southeast region of Virginia. You can expect to spend about 1 hour and 41 minutes on the road, making this an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. Budget roughly $14 for fuel to cover the distance, which is manageable without the need for an overnight stay. Since the route takes you from one point in the Southeast to another, the transition is seamless and familiar. Because it is a shorter drive, you have the flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule rather than worrying about mid-trip fatigue.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.8 miles from Lorton, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 52m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
55.7 mi
1h 2m
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
29.4 mi
34m
Hermitage Road
1.1 mi
2m
North Meadow Street
0.2 mi
<1m
North Arthur Ashe Boulevard
0.2 mi
<1m
Robin Hood Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Monument Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Sanger Street
0.1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 55.7 mi, about 1h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lorton, VA and Richmond, VA.
1
Start on SR 747
308 ft·41 sec·Sanger Street
2
Continue on SR 747
417 ft·22 sec·Sanger Street
3
Turn right onto SR 642
519 ft·17 sec·Lorton Road
Use the right lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward I 95 South: RichmondUse the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 95
29 mi·34 min·Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
56 mi·1 hr 2 min·I 95
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·40 sec
Exit 78Toward VA 161: Arthur Ashe BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto VA 161
0.2 mi·28 sec·North Arthur Ashe Boulevard
9
Turn left onto Robin Hood Road
0.2 mi·30 sec·Robin Hood Road
10
Turn right onto Hermitage Road
1.1 mi·2 min·Hermitage Road
11
Continue on North Meadow Street
0.2 mi·34 sec·North Meadow Street
12
Turn left onto Monument Avenue
0.1 mi·26 sec·Monument Avenue
13
Enter roundabout onto Marcus-David Peters Circle
81 ft·2 sec·Marcus-David Peters Circle
14
Arrive at destination
Marcus-David Peters Circle
Trip Plan
Given the 1 hour and 41 minute duration, you can easily complete this trip in one sitting without needing scheduled stops. If you want to avoid peak traffic congestion on I-95 South, try to plan your departure for mid-morning or early afternoon. Since the entire trip costs approximately $14 in fuel, filling up before you leave Lorton should be sufficient for the duration of the drive. Keep in mind that because this is a turn-heavy route, it is wise to keep your GPS active even after you merge onto the interstate to ensure you stay on track. Enjoy the convenience of a short drive that allows for a quick arrival in Richmond.
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 43.8 miles from Lorton, VA, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.7 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 19 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.8 miles or 52m 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 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Richmond, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lorton, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lorton, VA
This is one driving day of about 87.6 miles and 1h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Lorton, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 95 for about 55.7 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 85.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip|~1m in|SR 642 / Lorton Road
Turn right onto SR 642 / Lorton Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 South: Richmond
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 95 South: Richmond
5
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|I 95 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 95 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
29.9 mi into trip|~36m in|I 95
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
85.6 mi into trip|~1h 38m in
Take the exit toward VA 161: Arthur Ashe Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 78
Toward VA 161: Arthur Ashe Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.70 one way
$27.40 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg31 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$14.98
$29.96
premium
$4.70
$16.21
$32.43
diesel
$5.61
$19.34
$38.68
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26.3
0
$9.20
$4.20
Efficient EV
21.9
0
$7.66
$3.50
EV Truck/SUV
35
0
$12.26
$5.61
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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 20, 2026
Origin
Lorton, VA
Morning
in Lorton on Tuesday
Local time
8:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Richmond, VA
Morning
in Richmond on Tuesday
Local time
8:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Fredericksburg, VA
44 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
3 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
1h 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that transitions from local roads like Sanger Street and Lorton Road onto I-95 South. While the route involves navigating local infrastructure initially, the majority of the time is spent on the interstate. There is no significant highway percentage to note, as the path relies on a blend of local navigation and major thoroughfares. You will not face any exceptionally long, uninterrupted stretches, as the road character demands your attention through various turns. Being behind the wheel here requires a bit more focus than a simple highway cruise due to the necessary local maneuvering.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 55.7 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near SR 642 / Lorton Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 44m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (SR 642 / Lorton Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (I 95 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Richmond is the capital of Virginia. Richmond has a population of 227,000 (2020) and the adjacent counties of Henrico and Chesterfield combine to create a local population of more than 1.3 million people.
The longest stretch is about 55.7 miles on I 95. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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.
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 (SR 642 / Lorton Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (I 95 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Richmond, VA before heading back.
