Origin
Middletown, VA
Afternoon in Middletown on Sunday
Local time
12:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Middletown, 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
1h 29m
Distance
75 mi
121 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 43m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 33m
3 PM
1h 35m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Middletown, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Arlington, VA
Dominik Gryzbon
Trip Overview
This 75-mile drive from Middletown, VA to Arlington, VA is a straightforward, highway-focused journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 29 minutes. With a projected fuel cost of $12, it's an economical option for a day trip, requiring no overnight stops. You'll spend most of your time on major interstates, specifically I-66 and I-81, with a brief segment on Main Street. The route is predominantly highway, making it a quick and efficient way to travel between these two points in the Southeast region of Virginia. Given its short duration and highway nature, this trip is ideal for a single-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 66 | 70.5 mi | 1h 20m |
| I 81 | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Wilson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Reliance Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Glebe Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Fairfax Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 66
— 70.5 mi, about 1h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Middletown, VA and Arlington, VA.
1
Start on US 11
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto SR 627
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Reliance Road
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
4
Merge onto I 81
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 81
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 66 East: Front Royal, Washington
6
Continue on I 66
43 mi
·
46 min
·
I 66
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 66
28 mi
·
34 min
·
I 66
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 71
Toward VA 120, VA 237
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on Fairfax Drive
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Fairfax Drive
10
Turn right onto VA 120
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
North Glebe Road
Use the right lane.
11
Turn slight left onto Wilson Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilson Boulevard
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
Wilson Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
38 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 37.5 miles from Middletown, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 66 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 70.5 miles.
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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 74.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
SR 627 / Reliance Road
Turn right onto SR 627 / Reliance Road
Navigation decision point
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 66 East: Front Royal, Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 66 East: Front Royal, Washington
6
46 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
I 66
Keep slight right at fork onto I 66
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
73.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 26m 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
74.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 26m in
|
VA 120 / North Glebe Road
Turn right onto VA 120 / North Glebe Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.73 one way
$23.46 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $12.82 | $25.65 |
| premium | $4.70 | $13.88 | $27.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.56 | $33.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.5 | 0 | $7.87 | $3.60 |
| Efficient EV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.56 | $3.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30 | 0 | $10.50 | $4.80 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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
Afternoon in Arlington on Sunday
Local time
12:12 PM
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
1h 29m 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 highway-dominated experience on this route, with 96% of the drive taking place on major roadways like I-66 and I-81. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 70.5 miles on I-66, meaning you'll have plenty of time on the open interstate. While the profile is generally highway-focused, there may be brief transitions, including a segment on Main Street, offering a slight change of pace before returning to the interstate. This drive prioritizes speed and efficiency over winding scenic byways.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.5 mi on I 66.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 66 and I 81. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near SR 627 / Reliance Road.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 29m drive. You will face about 8 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 (SR 627 / Reliance Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 46 miles (I 66): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Arlington, VA
Full guide →Arlington (along with the cities of Falls Church to the west and Alexandria to the south) forms part of the urban conglomeration around Washington, D.C. - inside the beltway. In Northern Virginia, and directly across the Potomac River from D.C. proper, Arlington is one of America's most densely populated regions. It has a land area 26 sq mi (67 km2) and a population of 230,000. Despite its density, Arlington mixes the best of both big city and suburban environments. Like the greater Washington area, Arlington has grown over the last several decades in part due to growth of the federal government.
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 1h 29m. Total distance: 75 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 70.5 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 (SR 627 / Reliance Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 46 miles (I 66): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park and 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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