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

The driving distance from Colonial Heights, VA to Arlington, VA is about 365.3 miles (587.9 km), with a travel time of about 05h 32m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 314.9 miles (506.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 11h 04m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
365.29 mi
05h 32m
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 Colonial Heights.

Flight Distance

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

Driving Distance

Road route
365.29 mi
Kilometers
587.88 km
Drive Time
05h 32m

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 05h 32m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Arlington
Sun, Apr 19, 11:20 AM EDT
Return by in Colonial Heights
Sun, Apr 19, 4:52 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Colonial Heights
2026-04-19T05:48
Arrive Arlington
Sun, Apr 19, 11:20 AM EDT
Route Timing
05h 32m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:32 AM to 1:32 PM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
5:56 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Colonial Heights
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

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
Buena Vista
VA

Independent city in Virginia, United States

From Colonial Heights
182.4 mi
02h 46m
To Arlington
182.9 mi
02h 46m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
57°F
Sunday

Chance Rain Showers

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

Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
12 to 18 mph NW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Lee Highway

    154 m · 16 sec · Lee Highway

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Old Airport Road

    965 ft · 31 sec · Old Airport Road

  3. 3

    Take the ramp sharp left

    1362 ft · 33 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight right

    66.6 mi · 1 hr 11 min

  5. 5

    Continue straight

    7.1 mi · 8 min

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on I 81 North, US 11 North: Roanoke

    139.7 mi · 2 hr 34 min

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    1353 ft · 18 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight left

    78.9 mi · 1 hr 26 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 66 East: Front Royal, Washington

    1920 ft · 47 sec

  10. 10

    Continue straight

    42.8 mi · 46 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight right

    27.8 mi · 34 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward VA 120, VA 237

    1641 ft · 31 sec

  13. 13

    Continue on Fairfax Drive

    573 ft · 25 sec · Fairfax Drive

  14. 14

    Turn right onto North Glebe Road

    985 ft · 33 sec · North Glebe Road

  15. 15

    Turn slight left onto Wilson Boulevard

    2854 ft · 2 min · Wilson Boulevard

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Wilson Boulevard

Car Route Details

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

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
16 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 81 North
219 mi · 60%
Old Airport Road
74.2 mi · 20%
I 66 East
70.9 mi · 19%
Wilson Boulevard
0.54 mi
VA 120
0.31 mi
North Glebe Road
0.19 mi
Longest Stretch

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.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
05h 32m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
11h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+50.4 mi
314.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buena Vista
02h 46m from Colonial Heights
Leave By
5:56 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

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

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 365.3 miles (587.9 km) and usually takes 05h 32m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Buena Vista is a useful midpoint, sitting about 182.4 miles from Colonial Heights and 182.9 miles from Arlington.

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 50.4 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 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 5:56 AM EDT.

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

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 Colonial Heights and Arlington. Straight-line distance: 314.89 mi (506.76 km).

Colonial Heights

#1 Colonial Heights

Independent city in Virginia, United States

Population17,205
Coordinates36.6334400, -82.1204100
Altitude546
CountryUnited States
Arlington

#2 Arlington

A county in Virginia.

Population229,164
Coordinates38.8810100, -77.1042800
Altitude71
CountryUnited States
Start: Lee Highway (-82.120486, 36.633488)
End: Wilson Boulevard (-77.104347, 38.881084)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 588 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 10m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 07m
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
48.79 L · about $51.06
Round trip
$102.11
25.78 gal · 97.58 L
Estimated CO2
114.6 kg one way
Round trip: 229.1 kg / 505 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/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 Colonial Heights and Arlington. The current time is 05:48:21.

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.