Origin
Vienna, VA
Morning in Vienna on Tuesday
Local time
9:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Vienna, VA to Arlington, 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
19m
Distance
11.7 mi
19 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 18m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Vienna, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Arlington, VA
Dominik Gryzbon
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Vienna to Arlington, expect a quick, straightforward 11.7-mile journey that typically takes about 19 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, as it covers a short distance within the same region of Virginia. You will spend roughly 73% of your time on highways, making this a highly efficient transit option. With an estimated fuel cost of just $2, it is an incredibly budget-friendly drive. Whether you are commuting or heading out for an errand, the simplicity of this trip makes it a reliable choice for your daily travel needs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 66 | 8.6 mi | 11m |
| Courthouse Road Southwest | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Nutley Street Southwest | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Wilson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Nutley Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Glebe Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Maple Avenue West | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Fairfax Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 66
— 8.6 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Vienna, VA and Arlington, VA.
1
Start on VA 123
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Maple Avenue West
2
Turn left onto Courthouse Road Southwest
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Courthouse Road Southwest
3
Turn left onto VA 243
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Nutley Street Southwest
Use the left lane.
4
Keep slight left at fork onto VA 243
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Nutley Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 66 East: Washington
6
Merge onto I 66
8.6 mi
·
11 min
·
I 66
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 71
Toward VA 120, VA 237
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on Fairfax Drive
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Fairfax Drive
9
Turn right onto VA 120
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
North Glebe Road
Use the right lane.
10
Turn slight left onto Wilson Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilson Boulevard
Use the left lane.
11
Arrive at destination
Wilson Boulevard
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 11 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
VA 243 / Nutley Street Southwest
Turn left onto VA 243 / Nutley Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
1.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
VA 243 / Nutley Street
Keep slight left at fork onto VA 243 / Nutley Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 66
Merge onto I 66
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
10.6 mi into trip
|
~16m 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
11 mi into trip
|
~17m 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
$1.83 one way
$3.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.00 | $4.00 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.17 | $4.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.58 | $5.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.23 | $0.56 |
| Efficient EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.02 | $0.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Morning in Arlington on Tuesday
Local time
9:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°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
16 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
19m 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?
This drive is defined by a highway-focused profile, centering on a significant 8.6-mile stretch along I-66. You will transition from local thoroughfares like Nutley Street Southwest and Courthouse Road Southwest directly onto the interstate, which accounts for the majority of your time behind the wheel. The experience is primarily about high-speed transit rather than winding, scenic backroads. Because the interstate portion makes up such a large percentage of the total mileage, you should be prepared for typical highway traffic patterns. It is a functional, no-frills route designed to get you from point A to point B as quickly as possible.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.6 mi on I 66.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 66 and Courthouse Road Southwest. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near VA 243 / Nutley Street Southwest.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 11.7 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 0.9 miles (VA 243 / Nutley Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (VA 243 / Nutley Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2 miles (I 66): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 19m. Total distance: 11.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.6 miles on I 66. 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 Arlington, VA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 0.9 miles (VA 243 / Nutley Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (VA 243 / Nutley Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2 miles (I 66): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — 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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