Origin
McLean, VA
Late night in McLean on Tuesday
Local time
5:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from McLean, VA to Fairfax Station, VA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
15.5 mi
25 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McLean, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Fairfax Station, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
McLean, VA to Fairfax Station, VA is 15.5 miles and takes about 28 minutes via I 66 and Ox Road, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Southeast region, primarily in Virginia. Expect a local, turn-heavy drive that’s more about navigating suburban roads than covering vast distances. It’s a straightforward local transit, perfect for a quick errand or connecting two nearby points without much hassle. Given its brevity, it’s ideal for a same-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 66 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| Ox Road | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Chain Bridge Road | 2.5 mi | 6m |
| Capital Beltway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Dolley Madison Boulevard | 2 mi | 4m |
| Old Dominion Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Elm Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Beverly Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 66
— 4.4 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McLean, VA and Fairfax Station, VA.
1
Start on Elm Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Elm Street
2
Turn left onto Beverly Road
365 ft
·
15 sec
·
Beverly Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto VA 309
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Old Dominion Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto VA 123
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Dolley Madison Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 495 South
6
Merge onto I 495
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Capital Beltway
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 49
Toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 49
Toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Merge onto I 66
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
I 66
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 60
Toward VA 123: Fairfax, Vienna
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
518 ft
·
14 sec
Toward VA 123 South: Fairfax
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto VA 123
2.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Chain Bridge Road
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on VA 123
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Ox Road
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
VA 123
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 10.2 — 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
|
~0m in
|
Beverly Road
Turn left onto Beverly Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
4.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal
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 49
Toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal
9
5.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 49
Toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal
8
10 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward VA 123: Fairfax, Vienna
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 60
Toward VA 123: Fairfax, Vienna
8
10.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward VA 123 South: Fairfax
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward VA 123 South: Fairfax
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.42 one way
$4.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.65 | $5.30 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.87 | $5.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.42 | $6.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.63 | $0.74 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.36 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.17 | $0.99 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Fairfax Station, VA
Late night in Fairfax Station on Tuesday
Local time
5:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
17 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
28m 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 characterized as a "Turn-heavy local drive," with only 28% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.4 miles on I 66, offering a brief period of faster travel. Beyond that, expect a series of turns and local road navigation, particularly on Ox Road and Chain Bridge Road. The driving experience shifts frequently between highway speeds and more deliberate, signal-controlled movements through populated areas. It's a route that requires your attention for navigation rather than settling into a long, monotonous cruise.
Only 28% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.4 mi on I 66.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 Beverly Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 11 decision points packed into just 15.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.3 miles: 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between McLean, VA and Fairfax Station, VA, road signs point toward Front Royal and Vienna.
Front Royal
4.9 mi in
|
~9m
Vienna
10 mi in
|
~16m
About the Cities
Starting in McLean, VA
Full guide →McLean is a Northern Virginia suburb of Washington, D.C. located in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the southern United States of America.
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 28m. Total distance: 15.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m 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 4.4 miles on I 66. 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 Fairfax Station, 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 (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Fairfax Station, 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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