Origin
Reston, VA
Morning in Reston on Tuesday
Local time
11:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Reston, VA to Leesburg, 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
29m
Distance
17.2 mi
28 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Reston, VA
Eric Joseph
Leesburg, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 17.2-mile drive from Reston, VA to Leesburg, VA takes approximately 29 minutes and is perfect for a single-day adventure. You'll primarily navigate local roads like Leesburg Pike and Wiehle Avenue, with a highway share of about 4%, making it a more hands-on driving experience. With a modest fuel cost of around $3, this trip is budget-friendly. As you travel within the Southeast region, expect a drive that feels more like exploring local byways than a high-speed transit. This route is ideal for a quick excursion, allowing you to easily return on the same day without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Leesburg Pike | 11.8 mi | 17m |
| East Market Street | 3 mi | 6m |
| Wiehle Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Reston Parkway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Baron Cameron Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North Shore Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Washington Plaza North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Village Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Leesburg Pike
— 11.8 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Reston, VA and Leesburg, VA.
1
Start on Washington Plaza North
228 ft
·
19 sec
·
Washington Plaza North
2
Turn right onto SR 4726
516 ft
·
19 sec
·
North Shore Drive
3
Turn left onto Village Road
196 ft
·
11 sec
·
Village Road
4
Turn right onto SR 606
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Baron Cameron Avenue
5
Turn left onto SR 828
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Wiehle Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto SR 602
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Reston Parkway
Use the right lane.
7
Turn left onto VA 7
12 mi
·
17 min
·
Leesburg Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Continue on VA 7
3.0 mi
·
6 min
·
East Market Street
9
Arrive at destination
VA 7 BUS
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 2.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
SR 4726 / North Shore Drive
Turn right onto SR 4726 / North Shore Drive
Navigation decision point
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Village Road
Turn left onto Village Road
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
SR 828 / Wiehle Avenue
Turn left onto SR 828 / Wiehle Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
SR 602 / Reston Parkway
Turn right onto SR 602 / Reston Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
VA 7 / Leesburg Pike
Turn left onto VA 7 / Leesburg Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.69 one way
$5.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.94 | $5.88 |
| premium | $4.70 | $3.18 | $6.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.80 | $7.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.81 | $0.83 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.41 | $1.10 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Leesburg, VA
Morning in Leesburg on Tuesday
Local time
11:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°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
15 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
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 turn-heavy local drive on this route, characterized by its engagement rather than speed. While only 4% of the journey is on highways, the majority unfolds on city streets and local roads, including Leesburg Pike, East Market Street, and Wiehle Avenue. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.8 miles on Leesburg Pike. This means you'll be navigating traffic signals and intersections frequently, offering a more intimate feel of the communities you're passing through. The road's personality shifts as you move from one local area to the next, keeping your attention engaged.
Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.8 mi on Leesburg Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near SR 4726 / North Shore Drive.
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 29m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SR 4726 / North Shore Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Village Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (SR 828 / Wiehle Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
422 ft
227 ft
Total Climb
353 ft
Total Descent
360 ft
Highest Point
422 ft
~1.2 mi in
Elevation Range
195 ft
About the Cities
Arriving in Leesburg, VA
Full guide →Founded 1758
Leesburg is in Loudoun County, Virginia. During the War of 1812, Leesburg was used as a temporary capital of the United States when the British occupied Washington.
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 29m. Total distance: 17.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (4%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.8 miles on Leesburg Pike. 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 (SR 4726 / North Shore Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Village Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (SR 828 / Wiehle Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Leesburg, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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