Origin
Tappahannock, VA
Morning in Tappahannock on Tuesday
Local time
7:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tappahannock, VA to Richmond, 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
1h 7m
Distance
46.3 mi
75 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tappahannock, VA
Nguyễn Hiếu
Trip Overview
Tappahannock to Richmond is 46.3 miles and takes about 1h 7m via US 360, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive connecting two points in Virginia's Southeast region. Expect mostly highway driving, making it an efficient option for a quick trip between these cities. The route is short enough that you can easily complete it in a single day, allowing for flexibility in your departure time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 360 | 36.2 mi | 48m |
| Mechanicsville Turnpike | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Tappahannock Boulevard | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| I 64 | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Mechanicsville Bypass | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North Lombardy Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Brook Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Admiral Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 360
— 36.2 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tappahannock, VA and Richmond, VA.
1
Start on US 17; US 360
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Tappahannock Boulevard
2
Keep slight right at fork onto US 360
36 mi
·
48 min
·
US 360
3
Continue on US 360
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Mechanicsville Bypass
4
Continue on US 360
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Mechanicsville Turnpike
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 64 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 64
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
I 64
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 76A
Toward US 1, US 301: Chamberlayne Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto Chamberlayne Avenue
314 ft
·
10 sec
·
Chamberlayne Avenue
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on Brook Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Brook Road
10
Turn left onto Admiral Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Admiral Street
Use the left lane.
11
Enter roundabout onto North Lombardy Street
138 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Lombardy Street
12
Continue on North Lombardy Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Lombardy Street
13
Turn slight right onto Monument Avenue
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Monument Avenue
14
Enter roundabout onto Marcus-David Peters Circle
463 ft
·
13 sec
·
Marcus-David Peters Circle
15
Arrive at destination
Marcus-David Peters Circle
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.2 miles from Tappahannock, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 42.4 and 45.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
42.4 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward I 64 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 64 West
8
44.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward US 1, US 301: Chamberlayne Avenue
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 76A
Toward US 1, US 301: Chamberlayne Avenue
6
44.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
Chamberlayne Avenue
Turn right onto Chamberlayne Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
45.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
Admiral Street
Turn left onto Admiral Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
45.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
North Lombardy Street
Enter roundabout onto North Lombardy Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.24 one way
$14.48 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.92 | $15.83 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.57 | $17.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.22 | $20.44 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.23
Mechanicsville Turnpike
(3.2 mi)
$0.23
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$0
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
| Efficient EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.48 | $2.96 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Richmond, VA
Morning in Richmond on Tuesday
Local time
7:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Partly Cloudy
S 10 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 12:07AM EDT by NWS Blacksburg VA
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 2:23PM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
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
9 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
1h 7m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily on highways, with 89% of the route on divided roads. You'll experience the longest continuous stretch of highway at 36.2 miles on US 360. The transition to surface roads, likely Mechanicsville Turnpike and Tappahannock Boulevard, will occur in the final section of your drive. You'll notice a high volume of exits and merging traffic as you approach the Richmond area.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.2 mi on US 360.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 360 and Mechanicsville Turnpike. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 42.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.3 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 42.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.6 miles (Chamberlayne Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
213 ft
22 ft
Total Climb
431 ft
Total Descent
241 ft
Highest Point
213 ft
~46.3 mi in
Elevation Range
190 ft
About the Cities
Arriving in Richmond, VA
Full guide →Richmond is the capital of Virginia. Richmond has a population of 227,000 (2020) and the adjacent counties of Henrico and Chesterfield combine to create a local population of more than 1.3 million people.
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 7m. Total distance: 46.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.2 miles on US 360. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.23 in tolls one way, starting with Mechanicsville 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. 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 42.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.6 miles (Chamberlayne Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — George Washington Birthplace National Monument and Petersburg National Battlefield. 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 Richmond, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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