How far is Bristol, VA from Portsmouth, VA?
The driving distance from Bristol, VA to Portsmouth, VA is about 385.8 miles (620.9 km), with a travel time of about 06h 31m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 326.6 miles (525.6 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 03m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
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.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
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 31m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
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.
Census designated place
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Bristol and Portsmouth.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bristol and Portsmouth.
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1
Start on Sullins Street
23 m · 5 sec · Sullins Street
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2
Turn right onto Commonwealth Avenue
1.1 mi · 1 min · Commonwealth Avenue
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3
Continue straight
1.1 mi · 2 min
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4
Keep slight right to continue on I 81 North: Roanoke
1959 ft · 30 sec
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5
Merge slight left
70 mi · 1 hr 15 min
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6
Continue straight
7.1 mi · 8 min
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7
Keep slight left to continue on I 81 North, US 11 North: Roanoke
139.7 mi · 2 hr 34 min
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8
Continue straight
1353 ft · 18 sec
-
9
Keep slight right to continue on I 64 East: Richmond
90 mi · 1 hr 38 min
-
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 295 North: Washington, Norfolk
1.2 mi · 2 min
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11
Continue on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
22.9 mi · 25 min · Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
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12
Take the exit slight right toward I 64 East: Norfolk, Virginia Beach
1.3 mi · 3 min
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13
Merge slight left
62.7 mi · 1 hr 10 min
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14
Take the exit slight right toward I 664 South: Downtown Newport News, Suffolk, Chesapeake
2600 ft · 37 sec
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15
Merge slight left onto Hampton Roads Beltway
6.1 mi · 8 min · Hampton Roads Beltway
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16
Continue on Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel
4.3 mi · 5 min · Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel
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17
Continue on Hampton Roads Beltway
1.1 mi · 1 min · Hampton Roads Beltway
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18
Take the exit slight right toward VA 135 South: College Drive, Churchland
1575 ft · 39 sec
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19
Continue on College Drive
1.4 mi · 2 min · College Drive
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20
Take the ramp slight left toward VA 164 East: Downtown Portsmouth
1797 ft · 34 sec
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21
Merge slight left onto Western Freeway
5.8 mi · 8 min · Western Freeway
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22
Merge slight left onto Martin Luther King Freeway
1.1 km · 46 sec · Martin Luther King Freeway
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23
Take the exit slight right toward VA 141 South: Downtown Portsmouth
1461 ft · 36 sec
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24
Turn straight onto London Boulevard
1.2 mi · 2 min · London Boulevard
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25
Turn right onto Effingham Street
552 ft · 11 sec · Effingham Street
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26
Turn left onto High Street
2679 ft · 1 min · High Street
-
27
Continue on High Street
61 m · 21 sec · High Street
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28
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · High Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Bristol and Portsmouth.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
I 81 North
Keep slight left to continue on I 81 North, US 11 North: Roanoke
140 mi · 02h 34m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
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.
Sunny leaving Bristol and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Portsmouth.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Bristol to Portsmouth?
The road trip is about 385.8 miles (620.9 km) and usually takes 06h 31m 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?
Stuarts Draft is a useful midpoint, sitting about 210.1 miles from Bristol and 175.8 miles from Portsmouth.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 326.6 miles (525.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 59.2 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 $53.95 one way or $107.90 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 121 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around Bristol and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Portsmouth.
Stop Ideas Near Stuarts Draft
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Stuarts Draft.
Staunton station
Charlottesville Union Station
Kemper Street station
Clifton Forge
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Bristol and Portsmouth. Straight-line distance: 326.6 mi (525.61 km).
#1 Bristol
Independent city in Virginia, United States
| Population | 17,329 |
| Coordinates | 36.5964900, -82.1884700 |
| Altitude | 512 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Portsmouth
The most populous city in Portsmouth, Virginia.
| Population | 95,094 |
| Coordinates | 36.8354300, -76.2982700 |
| Altitude | 3 |
| Country | United States |
End: High Street (-76.29827, 36.835429)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 621 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 12h 51m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 09h 38m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 07h 42m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 06h 25m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 05h 30m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 04h 48m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $3.96 | $53.95 | $107.90 |
| Mid-grade | $4.43 | $60.32 | $120.65 |
| Premium | $4.78 | $65.08 | $130.15 |
| Diesel | $5.62 | $76.60 | $153.20 |
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 25, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.