How far is Arlington, VA from Colonial Heights, VA?

The driving distance from Arlington, VA to Colonial Heights, VA is about 365.4 miles (588 km), with a travel time of about 06h 46m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 314.9 miles (506.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 33m 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
365.35 mi
06h 46m
Flight
314.89 mi
506.76 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Arlington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
314.89 mi
Kilometers
506.76 km
Flight Time
00h 38m

Driving Distance

Road route
365.35 mi
Kilometers
587.97 km
Drive Time
06h 46m

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 06h 46m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Colonial Heights
Sun, Apr 19, 2:00 PM EDT
Return by in Arlington
Sun, Apr 19, 8:47 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Arlington
2026-04-19T07:14
Arrive Colonial Heights
Sun, Apr 19, 2:00 PM EDT
Route Timing
06h 46m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:47 PM to 2:17 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
10:26 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Arlington
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Buena Vista
VA

Independent city in Virginia, United States

From Arlington
182.5 mi
03h 23m
To Colonial Heights
182.8 mi
03h 23m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
57°F
Sunday

Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
12 to 18 mph NW
Destination
57°F
Sunday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
15 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Arlington and Colonial Heights.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Arlington and Colonial Heights.

  1. 1

    Start on Wilson Boulevard

    2828 ft · 2 min · Wilson Boulevard

  2. 2

    Turn slight right onto North Glebe Road

    936 ft · 31 sec · North Glebe Road

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Fairfax Drive

    667 ft · 28 sec · Fairfax Drive

  4. 4

    Continue on I 66 Toll West

    2423 ft · 1 min

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Custis Memorial Parkway

    3.3 mi · 4 min · Custis Memorial Parkway

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on Custis Memorial Parkway

    67.1 mi · 1 hr 16 min · Custis Memorial Parkway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on I 81 South: Roanoke

    1 km · 1 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight right onto I 81 South: Roanoke

    108.7 mi · 1 hr 58 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left

    117.1 mi · 2 hr 10 min

  10. 10

    Continue straight

    1.3 mi · 1 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight left

    65.3 mi · 1 hr 10 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward Old Airport Road, Bonham Road

    1857 ft · 52 sec

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Old Airport Road

    659 ft · 16 sec · Old Airport Road

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Lee Highway

    154 m · 12 sec · Lee Highway

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Lee Highway

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Arlington and Colonial Heights.

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
15 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
2 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 81 South
293 mi · 80%
Custis Memorial Parkway
70.4 mi · 19%
Wilson Boulevard
0.54 mi
Old Airport Road
0.48 mi
I 66 Toll West
0.46 mi
North Glebe Road
0.18 mi
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
06h 46m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 34m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+50.5 mi
314.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buena Vista
03h 23m from Arlington
Leave By
10:26 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Rain Showers leaving Arlington and Chance Rain Showers near Colonial Heights.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Arlington to Colonial Heights?

The road trip is about 365.4 miles (588 km) and usually takes 06h 46m 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?

Buena Vista is a useful midpoint, sitting about 182.5 miles from Arlington and 182.8 miles from Colonial Heights.

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

The direct path is about 314.9 miles (506.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 50.5 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 $51.06 one way or $102.11 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 114.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers around Arlington and Chance Rain Showers near Colonial Heights.

Stop Ideas Near Buena Vista

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Buena Vista, 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 Buena Vista.

RAIL

Kemper Street station

40 mi away
825 Kemper St
RAIL

Clifton Forge

43 mi away
400 Ridgeway Street
RAIL

Staunton station

52 mi away
1 Middlebrook Avenue
BUS

Roanoke

72 mi away
710 Williamson Road NE

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Arlington and Colonial Heights. Straight-line distance: 314.89 mi (506.76 km).

Arlington

#1 Arlington

A county in Virginia.

Population229,164
Coordinates38.8810100, -77.1042800
Altitude71
CountryUnited States
Colonial Heights

#2 Colonial Heights

Independent city in Virginia, United States

Population17,205
Coordinates36.6334400, -82.1204100
Altitude546
CountryUnited States
Start: Arlington (-77.10428, 38.88101)
End: Colonial Heights (-82.12041, 36.63344)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 588 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 10m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 08m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 18m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 05m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 13m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 33m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.89 gal
48.8 L · about $51.06
Round trip
$102.11
25.78 gal · 97.6 L
Estimated CO2
114.6 kg one way
Round trip: 229.1 kg / 505 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $51.06 $102.11
Mid-grade $4.43 $57.09 $114.18
Premium $4.78 $61.59 $123.18
Diesel $5.62 $72.49 $144.99

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Arlington and Colonial Heights. The current time is 07:14:19.

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.