How far is Alexandria, VA from Appalachia, VA?

The driving distance from Alexandria, VA to Appalachia, VA is about 425.6 miles (684.9 km), with a travel time of about 08h 19m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 339.1 miles (545.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 16h 39m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
425.6 mi
08h 19m
Flight
339.15 mi
545.81 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Alexandria.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
339.15 mi
Kilometers
545.81 km
Flight Time
00h 40m

Driving Distance

Road route
425.6 mi
Kilometers
684.94 km
Drive Time
08h 19m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 08h 19m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Appalachia
Fri, Apr 17, 6:50 AM EDT
Return by in Alexandria
Fri, Apr 17, 3:10 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Alexandria
2026-04-16T22:30
Arrive Appalachia
Fri, Apr 17, 6:50 AM EDT
Route Timing
08h 19m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:20 PM to 3:50 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
7:20 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Alexandria
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Buchanan
VA

Town in Virginia, United States

From Alexandria
212.6 mi
04h 09m
To Appalachia
212.9 mi
04h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
92°F
Thursday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 14 mph SW
Destination
81°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Alexandria and Appalachia.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria and Appalachia.

  1. 1

    Start on South Washington Street

    23 m · 7 sec · South Washington Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto King Street

    96 m · 15 sec · King Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto South Saint Asaph Street

    842 ft · 41 sec · South Saint Asaph Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Duke Street

    102 m · 19 sec · Duke Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto South Washington Street

    1260 ft · 51 sec · South Washington Street

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Gibbon Street

    923 ft · 38 sec · Gibbon Street

  7. 7

    Turn left onto South Patrick Street

    1157 ft · 34 sec · South Patrick Street

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South, I 495 West, I 95 North, I 495 East: Richmond, Baltimore

    133 m · 11 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 95 South, I 495 West

    3238 ft · 1 min

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway (Local)

    5 mi · 6 min · Capital Beltway (Local)

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on Capital Beltway

    1.1 km · 48 sec · Capital Beltway

  12. 12

    Continue on Capital Beltway

    2.4 mi · 3 min · Capital Beltway

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on Capital Beltway

    5.7 mi · 7 min · Capital Beltway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward I 66 West: Vienna, Front Royal

    1.4 km · 2 min

  15. 15

    Merge slight left

    64.2 mi · 1 hr 12 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on I 81 South: Roanoke

    1 km · 1 min

  17. 17

    Merge slight right onto I 81 South: Roanoke

    108.7 mi · 1 hr 58 min

  18. 18

    Keep slight left

    117.1 mi · 2 hr 10 min

  19. 19

    Continue straight

    1.3 mi · 1 min

  20. 20

    Keep slight left

    55.8 mi · 1 hr

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right toward US 58 Alternate, VA 75: Abingdon, South Holston Dam

    890 ft · 25 sec

  22. 22

    Turn right onto Cummings Street

    1.3 km · 2 min · Cummings Street

  23. 23

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Valley Street Northwest

    1323 ft · 49 sec · Valley Street Northwest

  24. 24

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Russell Road Northwest

    1.5 km · 2 min · Russell Road Northwest

  25. 25

    Turn slight right onto Porterfield Highway

    10.3 mi · 15 min · Porterfield Highway

  26. 26

    Continue on US 19

    1.9 mi · 3 min · US 19

  27. 27

    Turn left onto US Highway 58

    14.7 mi · 21 min · US Highway 58

  28. 28

    Continue on Trail of the Lonesome Pine

    106 m · 7 sec · Trail of the Lonesome Pine

  29. 29

    Continue on Castlewood Drive

    12.5 mi · 18 min · Castlewood Drive

  30. 30

    Continue on Norton Coeburn Road

    6.5 mi · 9 min · Norton Coeburn Road

  31. 31

    Turn left onto Kentucky Avenue Southwest

    3 mi · 5 min · Kentucky Avenue Southwest

  32. 32

    Turn right onto 11th Street Southwest

    573 ft · 25 sec · 11th Street Southwest

  33. 33

    Turn left onto Main Avenue Southwest

    1.1 mi · 3 min · Main Avenue Southwest

  34. 34

    Turn right onto Junction Road

    1027 ft · 33 sec · Junction Road

  35. 35

    Turn left onto Kent Junction Road

    7.8 mi · 12 min · Kent Junction Road

  36. 36

    Continue on East Main Street

    1 mi · 2 min · East Main Street

  37. 37

    Continue on West Main Street

    149 m · 14 sec · West Main Street

  38. 38

    Turn straight onto East Main Street

    32 m · 5 sec · East Main Street

  39. 39

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Alexandria and Appalachia.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
39 steps
17 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 81 South
284 mi · 67%
I 66 West
65.1 mi · 15%
US Highway 58
14.7 mi · 3%
Castlewood Drive
12.5 mi · 3%
Porterfield Highway
10.3 mi · 2%
Capital Beltway
8.78 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 81 South

Keep slight left

117 mi · 02h 10m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
08h 19m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
16h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+86.5 mi
339.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buchanan
04h 09m from Alexandria
Leave By
7:20 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Alexandria and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Appalachia.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Alexandria to Appalachia?

The road trip is about 425.6 miles (684.9 km) and usually takes 08h 19m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Buchanan is a useful midpoint, sitting about 212.6 miles from Alexandria and 212.9 miles from Appalachia.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 339.1 miles (545.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 86.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $59.49 one way or $118.99 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 133.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Alexandria and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Appalachia.

Stop Ideas Near Buchanan

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Buchanan, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Buchanan.

RAIL

Clifton Forge

35 mi away
400 Ridgeway Street
BUS

Roanoke

36 mi away
710 Williamson Road NE
RAIL

Kemper Street station

48 mi away
825 Kemper St
RAIL

White Sulphur Springs

62 mi away
315 West Main Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Alexandria and Appalachia. Straight-line distance: 339.15 mi (545.81 km).

Alexandria

#1 Alexandria

A city in Virginia.

Population158,726
Coordinates38.8048400, -77.0469200
Altitude12
CountryUnited States
Appalachia

#2 Appalachia

Town in Virginia

Population1,523
Coordinates36.9067600, -82.7818300
Altitude502
CountryUnited States
Start: Alexandria (-77.04692, 38.80484)
End: Appalachia (-82.78183, 36.90676)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 685 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)14h 10m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)10h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)08h 30m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)07h 05m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 04m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
15.02 gal
56.85 L · about $59.49
Round trip
$118.99
30.04 gal · 113.7 L
Estimated CO2
133.5 kg one way
Round trip: 267 kg / 589 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $59.49 $118.99
Mid-grade $4.43 $66.52 $133.05
Premium $4.78 $71.77 $143.53
Diesel $5.62 $84.47 $168.94

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Virginia · Apr 17, 2026

There is no time difference between Alexandria and Appalachia. The current time is 22:30:25.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.