How far is Culpeper, VA from Charlottesville, VA?

The driving distance from Culpeper, VA to Charlottesville, VA is about 46.5 miles (74.8 km), with a travel time of about 01h 01m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 40.3 miles (64.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 02m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
46.48 mi
01h 01m
Flight
40.23 mi
64.75 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Culpeper.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
40.23 mi
Kilometers
64.75 km
Flight Time
00h 04m

Driving Distance

Road route
46.48 mi
Kilometers
74.81 km
Drive Time
01h 01m

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 01h 01m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Charlottesville
Thu, Apr 23, 12:38 AM EDT
Return by in Culpeper
Thu, Apr 23, 1:40 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Culpeper
2026-04-22T23:37
Arrive Charlottesville
Thu, Apr 23, 12:38 AM EDT
Route Timing
01h 01m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:01 AM to 11:01 AM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:28 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Culpeper
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

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
Madison
VA

City in Madison County, Florida, United States

From Culpeper
22.7 mi
00h 30m
To Charlottesville
23.7 mi
00h 30m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Wednesday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 mph W
Destination
78°F
Wednesday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 10 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Culpeper and Charlottesville.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Culpeper and Charlottesville.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    29 m · 9 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto West Davis Street

    44 m · 8 sec · West Davis Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto South Main Street

    3260 ft · 2 min · South Main Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Madison Road

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Madison Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward US 29 South: Charlottesville, Madison

    1608 ft · 44 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto James Monroe Highway

    6.4 mi · 8 min · James Monroe Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on North Seminole Trail

    33.8 mi · 48 min · North Seminole Trail

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Hydraulic Road

    1022 ft · 32 sec · Hydraulic Road

  9. 9

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Hydraulic Road

    29 m · 3 sec · Hydraulic Road

  10. 10

    Exit the roundabout onto Hydraulic Road

    1252 ft · 33 sec · Hydraulic Road

  11. 11

    Turn left onto U.S. 250 Bypass

    1.5 mi · 3 min · U.S. 250 Bypass

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward Park Street

    147 m · 20 sec

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Park Street

    1 km · 2 min · Park Street

  14. 14

    Turn left onto East High Street

    96 m · 13 sec · East High Street

  15. 15

    Turn right onto 7th Street Northeast

    873 ft · 44 sec · 7th Street Northeast

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Culpeper and Charlottesville.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
16 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
34.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
North Seminole Trail
33.8 mi · 73%
James Monroe Highway
6.36 mi · 14%
U.S. 250 Bypass
1.48 mi · 3%
Madison Road
1.38 mi · 3%
Park Street
0.74 mi · 2%
South Main Street
0.62 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

North Seminole Trail

Continue on North Seminole Trail

33.8 mi · 00h 48m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 01m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.2 mi
40.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Madison
00h 30m from Culpeper
Leave By
4:28 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Culpeper and Chance Rain Showers near Charlottesville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Culpeper to Charlottesville?

The road trip is about 46.5 miles (74.8 km) and usually takes 01h 01m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Madison is a useful midpoint, sitting about 22.7 miles from Culpeper and 23.7 miles from Charlottesville.

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

The direct path is about 40.3 miles (64.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.2 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:28 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $6.50 one way or $12.99 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 14.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Culpeper and Chance Rain Showers near Charlottesville.

Stop Ideas Near Madison

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

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

RAIL

Culpeper station

25 mi away
109 South Commerce Street
RAIL

Charlottesville Union Station

44 mi away
810 West Main St
RAIL

Fredericksburg

70 mi away
200 Lafayette Blvd.
RAIL

Staunton station

76 mi away
1 Middlebrook Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Culpeper and Charlottesville. Straight-line distance: 40.23 mi (64.75 km).

Culpeper

#1 Culpeper

Town in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States

Population19,214
Coordinates38.4731800, -77.9966600
Altitude126
CountryUnited States
Charlottesville

#2 Charlottesville

The capital of Virginia.

Population46,950
Coordinates38.0293100, -78.4766800
Altitude142
CountryUnited States
Start: West Davis Street (-77.99657, 38.473427)
End: (-78.476567, 38.029526)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 75 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 32m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 09m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 55m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 46m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 39m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 34m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.64 gal
6.21 L · about $6.50
Round trip
$12.99
3.28 gal · 12.42 L
Estimated CO2
14.6 kg one way
Round trip: 29.1 kg / 64 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $6.50 $12.99
Mid-grade $4.43 $7.26 $14.53
Premium $4.78 $7.84 $15.67
Diesel $5.62 $9.22 $18.45

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Culpeper and Charlottesville. The current time is 23:37:56.

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.