How far is Alexandria, VA from Pennington Gap, VA?

The driving distance from Alexandria, VA to Pennington Gap, VA is about 436.3 miles (702.2 km), with a travel time of about 08h 20m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 355.8 miles (572.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 16h 41m 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
436.36 mi
08h 20m
Flight
355.77 mi
572.55 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
355.77 mi
Kilometers
572.55 km
Flight Time
00h 42m

Driving Distance

Road route
436.36 mi
Kilometers
702.25 km
Drive Time
08h 20m

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 20m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Pennington Gap
Mon, May 18, 2:13 AM EDT
Return by in Alexandria
Mon, May 18, 10:33 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Alexandria
2026-05-17T17:52
Arrive Pennington Gap
Mon, May 18, 2:13 AM EDT
Route Timing
08h 20m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:21 PM to 3:51 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
7:18 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
218 mi
04h 10m
To Pennington Gap
218.3 mi
04h 10m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
90°F
Today

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, May 17 8:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph W
Destination
86°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 mph

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria and Pennington Gap.

  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

    73.9 mi · 1 hr 19 min

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right toward US 11W South: Kingsport

    1616 ft · 46 sec

  22. 22

    Merge slight left

    9.5 mi · 11 min

  23. 23

    Turn right onto Ollis Bowers Hill Road

    109 m · 22 sec · Ollis Bowers Hill Road

  24. 24

    Turn left onto Bloomingdale Pike

    5.1 mi · 9 min · Bloomingdale Pike

  25. 25

    Turn right onto North John B Dennis Highway

    778 ft · 14 sec · North John B Dennis Highway

  26. 26

    Continue on Wadlow Gap Highway

    4.7 mi · 5 min · Wadlow Gap Highway

  27. 27

    Turn right onto Main Street

    1352 ft · 27 sec · Main Street

  28. 28

    Continue on US Highway 23

    11.4 mi · 15 min · US Highway 23

  29. 29

    Continue on Orby Cantrell Highway

    2 mi · 3 min · Orby Cantrell Highway

  30. 30

    Continue on US Highway 23

    4.2 mi · 5 min · US Highway 23

  31. 31

    Turn left onto Duff Patt Highway

    4.7 mi · 7 min · Duff Patt Highway

  32. 32

    Continue on Wilderness Road

    6 mi · 8 min · Wilderness Road

  33. 33

    Turn right

    5.2 mi · 8 min

  34. 34

    Turn left onto East Morgan Avenue

    1.2 km · 2 min · East Morgan Avenue

  35. 35

    Turn left onto Joslyn Avenue

    29 m · 4 sec · Joslyn Avenue

  36. 36

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Joslyn Avenue

Car Route Details

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

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
36 steps
14 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
4 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 81 South
302 mi · 69%
I 66 West
65.1 mi · 15%
US Highway 23
15.6 mi · 4%
US 11W South
9.8 mi · 2%
Capital Beltway
8.78 mi · 2%
Wilderness Road
5.99 mi · 1%
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 20m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
16h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+80.5 mi
355.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buchanan
04h 10m from Alexandria
Leave By
7:18 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Alexandria and Sunny near Pennington Gap.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Alexandria to Pennington Gap?

The road trip is about 436.3 miles (702.2 km) and usually takes 08h 20m 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 218 miles from Alexandria and 218.3 miles from Pennington Gap.

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

The direct path is about 355.8 miles (572.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 80.5 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 $61.00 one way or $122.00 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 136.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

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 Pennington Gap. Straight-line distance: 355.77 mi (572.55 km).

Alexandria

#1 Alexandria

A city in Virginia.

Population158,726
Coordinates38.8048400, -77.0469200
Altitude12
CountryUnited States
Pennington Gap

#2 Pennington Gap

Town of the United States

Population1,708
Coordinates36.7584200, -83.0271100
Altitude423
CountryUnited States
Start: Alexandria (-77.04692, 38.80484)
End: Pennington Gap (-83.02711, 36.75842)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 702 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)14h 32m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)10h 54m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)08h 43m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)07h 16m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 14m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 26m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
15.4 gal
58.29 L · about $61.00
Round trip
$122.00
30.8 gal · 116.58 L
Estimated CO2
136.9 kg one way
Round trip: 273.7 kg / 603 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $61.00 $122.00
Mid-grade $4.43 $68.21 $136.41
Premium $4.78 $73.58 $147.16
Diesel $5.62 $86.61 $173.22

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 · May 17, 2026

There is no time difference between Alexandria and Pennington Gap. The current time is 17:52:22.

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.