Traveling from Norfolk to Ashland covers 105 miles and typically takes about 2 hours and 9 minutes of driving time. Since this route is well-suited for a single day, you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations. You can expect to spend approximately $17 on fuel for the journey, making it a relatively budget-friendly excursion within the Southeast region. The path relies on local roads like VA 337, Tidewater Drive, and the Hampton Roads Beltway rather than long stretches of open highway. Because there are no designated stops required, you have the flexibility to complete the trip in one efficient push.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
52.5 miles from Norfolk, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 8m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 64
61.1 mi
1h 7m
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
11.9 mi
12m
Hampton Roads Beltway
11.4 mi
15m
I 95
6.1 mi
6m
Tidewater Drive
4.6 mi
10m
Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
3.5 mi
4m
England Street
0.9 mi
2m
East City Hall Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 64
— 61.1 mi, about 1h 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Norfolk, VA and Ashland, VA.
1
Start on East City Hall Avenue
0.4 mi·42 sec·East City Hall Avenue
2
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·28 sec
Toward VA 337: Tidewater Drive
3
Merge onto VA 337
4.6 mi·10 min·Tidewater Drive
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left
0.2 mi·28 sec
5
Merge onto I 64
5.6 mi·7 min·Hampton Roads Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 64; US 60
3.5 mi·4 min·Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
7
Continue on I 64; US 60
5.9 mi·7 min·Hampton Roads Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64
61 mi·1 hr 7 min·I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi·32 sec
Exit 200Toward I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NCUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
1.3 mi·2 min
Toward I 295 North: WashingtonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 295
12 mi·12 min·Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
12
Take the exit
2.4 mi·2 min
Exit 43AToward I 95 North: WashingtonUse the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto I 95
6.1 mi·6 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward VA 54 West: AshlandUse the slight right lane.
15
Continue on VA 54
0.3 mi·25 sec·East Patrick Henry Road
16
Continue on VA 54
0.9 mi·2 min·England Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
17
Turn sharp right
68 ft·5 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Planning your departure is straightforward since the 105-mile trip is short enough to tackle at your convenience. Because the drive is turn-heavy, I recommend checking your navigation settings before leaving to ensure you are comfortable with the specific local roads selected. Since you won't be relying on high-speed highways, factor in a bit of extra time for potential traffic on the Hampton Roads Beltway. You can easily manage the entire 2-hour and 9-minute duration in one go, but keeping your fuel tank topped off before leaving Norfolk ensures you won't have to hunt for stations along the way. Use the lack of mandatory stops to your advantage by choosing your own pace throughout this manageable trip.
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 52.5 miles from Norfolk, VA, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 61.1 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 23 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 52.5 miles or 1h 8m 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 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ashland, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Norfolk, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Norfolk, VA
This is one driving day of about 105 miles and 2h 9m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Norfolk, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 64 for about 61.1 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 20.2 and 103.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
20.2 mi into trip|~32m in|I 64
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
81.3 mi into trip|~1h 39m in
Take the exit toward I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NC
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 200
Toward I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NC
7
81.8 mi into trip|~1h 40m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 295 North: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 295 North: Washington
7
95 mi into trip|~1h 55m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 43A
Toward I 95 North: Washington
6
103.5 mi into trip|~2h 5m in
Take the exit toward VA 54 West: Ashland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward VA 54 West: Ashland
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.42 one way
$32.84 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$17.95
$35.91
premium
$4.70
$19.43
$38.87
diesel
$5.61
$23.18
$46.37
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.5
0
$11.02
$5.04
Efficient EV
26.3
0
$9.19
$4.20
EV Truck/SUV
42
0
$14.70
$6.72
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 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
Norfolk, VA
Morning
in Norfolk on Tuesday
Local time
6:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Ashland, VA
Morning
in Ashland on Tuesday
Local time
6:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
73°F
Williamsburg, VA
53 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
21 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
2h 9m 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 driving experience that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. With a 0% highway share, this route trades high-speed cruising for a more localized pace through the Virginia landscape. You will navigate a series of varied turns, requiring your full attention as you transition between urban and suburban road segments. The journey lacks long, uninterrupted highway stretches, meaning the road feel is consistently technical rather than monotonous. It is an ideal route for drivers who prefer navigating through the heart of the region rather than sticking to major interstate arteries.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 61.1 mi on I 64.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 64 and Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 20.2 miles in near I 64.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 105 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 20.2 miles (I 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 81.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 81.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Norfolk, VA to Ashland, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Rocky Mount along the way.
Norfolk is in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. It is a port city with a large Navy and shipping presence. But it is also known as a major cultural center, with world-class museums, opera, symphony, ballet and a vibrant arts community. The downtown area has experienced a major resurgence, with gourmet restaurants, shopping and attractions. Norfolk is one of the top cruise ports in the country.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 9m. Total distance: 105 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 61.1 miles on I 64. 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 Ashland, VA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 20.2 miles (I 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 81.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 81.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ashland, VA before heading back.
