Suffolk, VA to Blacksburg, VA is 265.3 miles and takes about 5h 52m via US 460, I 81, and Richmond Highway, with a fuel budget near $44 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Virginia, moving from the Southeast region towards the Appalachian foothills. The drive offers a mix of highway cruising and surface roads, suitable for a single-day excursion. Plan for a relatively straightforward trip with a clear destination in mind.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
132.6 miles from Suffolk, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 2m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 460
35 mi
42m
I 81
31.3 mi
37m
Richmond Highway
31.1 mi
38m
New Cox Road
23 mi
26m
East Lynchburg Salem Turnpike
16 mi
20m
West Lynchburg Salem Turnpike
14.6 mi
18m
General Mahone Highway
14.3 mi
19m
West Colonial Trail Highway
13.1 mi
16m
Longest stretch:
US 460
— 35 mi, about 42m
Traffic on I-95
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 25 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,359 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,674
Quietest
2 AM
~166 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Suffolk, VA and Blacksburg, VA.
1
Start on South Saratoga Street
165 ft·9 sec·South Saratoga Street
2
Turn left onto VA 337
0.8 mi·1 min·West Washington Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Turn right onto US 58 BUS
0.3 mi·46 sec·West Constance Road
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto SR 604
3.9 mi·6 min·Pitchkettle Road
5
At end of road, turn right onto SR 634
0.1 mi·15 sec·Kings Fork Road
6
Turn left onto Providence Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Providence Road
7
Turn left onto US 460
3.1 mi·5 min·Pruden Boulevard
8
Continue on US 460
9.9 mi·15 min·Windsor Boulevard
9
Continue on US 460
8.4 mi·11 min·General Mahone Boulevard
10
Continue on US 460
0.1 mi·9 sec·Mahone Highway
11
Continue on US 460
2.0 mi·2 min·General Mahone Highway
12
Continue on US 460
1.1 mi·2 min·South County Drive
13
Continue on US 460
6.2 mi·8 min·General Mahone Highway
14
Continue on US 460
1.4 mi·2 min·South County Drive
15
Continue on US 460
6.1 mi·8 min·General Mahone Highway
16
Continue on US 460
9.5 mi·14 min·County Drive
Use the left lane.
17
Turn left onto SR 630
1.9 mi·3 min·Rives Road
Use the left lane.
18
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward I 95 North
19
Merge onto I 95
3.7 mi·4 min·I 95
20
Take the exit onto US 460
0.6 mi·1 min·US 460
Toward I 85 South, US 460 West: Durham, BlackstoneUse the right lane.
21
Merge onto I 85; US 460
6.0 mi·7 min·Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
22
Take the exit onto US 460
0.2 mi·25 sec·US 460
Exit 61Toward US 460 West: Blackstone, LynchburgUse the slight right lane.
23
Continue on US 460
1.1 mi·1 min·Airport Street
24
Continue on US 460
23 mi·26 min·New Cox Road
25
Continue on US 460
4.3 mi·5 min·East Colonial Trail Highway
26
Continue on US 460
6.9 mi·7 min·East Colonial Trail Road
27
Continue on US 460
7.5 mi·11 min·East Colonial Trail
28
Merge onto US 360; US 460
1.5 mi·2 min·West Colonial Trail Highway
29
Keep slight right at fork onto US 460
12 mi·14 min·West Colonial Trail Highway
30
Keep slight left at fork onto US 460
29 mi·34 min·US 460
31
Keep slight right at fork onto US 460
31 mi·38 min·Richmond Highway
Toward US 460 West: Lynchburg
32
Continue on US 460
16 mi·20 min·East Lynchburg Salem Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
33
Continue on US 221; US 460
15 mi·18 min·West Lynchburg Salem Turnpike
34
Continue on US 221; US 460
5.5 mi·7 min·Blue Ridge Boulevard
35
Continue on US 221; US 460
0.3 mi·32 sec·Challenger Avenue Northeast
Use the straight lane.
36
Turn right onto US 220 Alt
5.0 mi·6 min·Cloverdale Road
37
Continue on US 220
0.2 mi·13 sec·Roanoke Road
38
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
39
Merge onto I 81
31 mi·37 min·I 81
Use the straight lane.
40
Take the exit
0.4 mi·55 sec
Exit 118C-B-AToward US 11, US 460: Christiansburg, BlacksburgUse the slight right lane.
41
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 118CToward US 11, US 460 East, US 460 Business: Christiansburg, Shawsville
42
Turn slight right
241 ft·6 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
43
Turn straight onto US 11; US 460 BUS
0.9 mi·1 min·Roanoke Street
44
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward US 460 WestUse the right lane.
45
Merge onto US 460
4.9 mi·5 min·US 460
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
46
Take the exit
0.1 mi·19 sec
Exit 5A-BToward US 460 Business: Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Smart Road
47
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 5BToward US 460 Business West: Blacksburg, South Main Street
48
Turn straight onto US 460 BUS
2.6 mi·6 min·South Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
49
Arrive at destination
US 460 BUS
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 52m drive time and 265.3 miles, leaving Suffolk, VA in the morning is your best bet to arrive in Blacksburg, VA with time to spare. With only one recommended stop, you can choose to make it a quick break or a more leisurely lunch. Pay attention to your fuel gauge, especially as you move between highway and surface road sections; the $44 fuel cost is an estimate based on average prices. The longest stretch without a major highway is 35 miles on US 460, so keep that in mind for planning your refueling or rest stops.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 132.6 miles from Suffolk, VA, or about 3h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 35 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 58 miles or 1h 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 132.6 miles or 3h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Blacksburg, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Suffolk, 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 Suffolk, VA
This is one driving day of about 265.3 miles and 5h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Suffolk, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 460 for about 35 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 27
5 decision points cluster between mile 59.2 and 262.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
59.2 mi into trip|~1h 30m in|US 460
Take the exit onto US 460 toward I 85 South, US 460 West: Durham, Blackstone
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 85 South, US 460 West: Durham, Blackst...
8
65.8 mi into trip|~1h 38m in|US 460
Take the exit onto US 460 toward US 460 West: Blackstone, Lynchburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 61
Toward US 460 West: Blackstone, Lynchburg
8
255.1 mi into trip|~5h 34m in
Take the exit toward US 11, US 460: Christiansburg, Blacksburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 118C-B-A
Toward US 11, US 460: Christiansburg, Blacksbur...
7
255.5 mi into trip|~5h 34m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 11, US 460 East, US 460 Business: Christiansburg, Shawsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 118C
Toward US 11, US 460 East, US 460 Business: Chr...
7
262.1 mi into trip|~5h 44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 460 Business West: Blacksburg, South Main Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 5B
Toward US 460 Business West: Blacksburg, South...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.17 one way
$78.34 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg93 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.12
$43.04
$86.09
premium
$4.49
$46.92
$93.84
diesel
$4.80
$50.09
$100.19
Estimated Tolls: $2.56
East Lynchburg Salem Turnpike
(16 mi)$1.12
West Lynchburg Salem Turnpike
(14.6 mi)$1.02
Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
(6 mi)$0.42
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Tolls
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 92.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
79.6
0
$27.86
$12.73
Efficient EV
66.3
0
$23.21
$10.61
EV Truck/SUV
106.1
1
$37.14
$16.98
Gas CO2
93 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Suffolk, VA
Late night
in Suffolk on Sunday
Local time
2:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Patchy Smoke
S 3 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 2:31AM EDT until July 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 2:16AM EDT until July 18 at 7:00PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
Destination
Blacksburg, VA
Late night
in Blacksburg on Sunday
Local time
2:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Patchy Fog
0 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 2:31AM EDT until July 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 2:16AM EDT until July 18 at 7:00PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
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
7 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
5h 52m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Petersburg National Battlefield
National Battlefield
Two hundred ninety-two days, eight offensives, over 70,000 casualties, U. S. Colored Troops, and the decline of Gen. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. U.S. forces c...
1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Free
near mile 64
Park Closure: Eastern Front Tour Road south of Route 36 - Closed
On April 9, 1865, the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia in the McLean House in the village of Appomattox Court House, Virginia signaled the effective end of the nation's largest war. Question...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 155.5
Booker T. Washington was born a slave in April 1856 on the 207-acre farm of James Burroughs. After the Civil War, Washington became the first principal of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School. Later...
17 mi from route
~44 min detour
Free
near mile 219.6
Fort Monroe's story spans from prehistory to the 2000s. Kecoughtan Indians occupied Old Point Comfort before the arrival of English colonists. The first enslaved Africans arrived in 1619. Those escapi...
On May 13, 1607, Jamestown was established as the first permanent English settlement in North America. Three cultures came together – European, Virginia Indian and African–to create a new society that...
27 mi from route
~67 min detour
$15
near mile 27.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 40% of your time on highways, with the remaining 60% on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a main highway is 35 miles on US 460. Expect to transition between faster highway speeds and more deliberate cruising on surface roads, particularly as you approach your destination. The route features a mixed profile, meaning you won't be on interstate the entire time.
40% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
49 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35 mi on US 460.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 59.2 miles in near US 460.
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 27 significant decision points across 265.3 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 59.2 miles (US 460): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 65.8 miles (US 460): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 255.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,073 ft25 ft
Total Climb
2,099 ft
Total Descent
76 ft
Highest Point
2,073 ft
~265.3 mi in
Elevation Range
2,048 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Suffolk, VA and Blacksburg, VA, road signs point toward Blackstone and Lynchburg.
Blacksburg is a moderate-sized town in Southwest Virginia and is home of Virginia Tech (full name: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University).
Top landmarks
•Blacksburg Historic District — historic district in Virginia, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 52m. Total distance: 265.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 35 miles on US 460. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.56 in tolls one way, starting with East Lynchburg Salem Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 7 rest areas or service plazas 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.
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 Blacksburg, 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 7 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 59.2 miles (US 460): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 65.8 miles (US 460): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 255.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Petersburg National Battlefield, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park and Booker T Washington National Monument (5 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.9 hours each way, a round trip means 11.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Blacksburg, VA before the return drive.
