How far is Leesburg, VA from Sterling, VA?

The driving distance from Leesburg, VA to Sterling, VA is about 11.9 miles (19.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 21m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 10.5 miles (16.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 42m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
11.93 mi
00h 21m
Flight
10.47 mi
16.85 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Leesburg.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
10.47 mi
Kilometers
16.85 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
11.93 mi
Kilometers
19.2 km
Drive Time
00h 21m

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 00h 21m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Sterling
Thu, Apr 23, 4:20 AM EDT
Return by in Leesburg
Thu, Apr 23, 4:42 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Leesburg
2026-04-23T03:59
Arrive Sterling
Thu, Apr 23, 4:20 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 21m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:21 AM to 7:21 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:48 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Leesburg
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
Herndon
VA

Town in Virginia, United States

From Leesburg
6 mi
00h 10m
To Sterling
6 mi
00h 10m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph N
Destination
77°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Leesburg and Sterling.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Leesburg and Sterling.

  1. 1

    Start on East Market Street

    73 m · 8 sec · East Market Street

  2. 2

    Continue on East Market Street

    3 mi · 6 min · East Market Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Leesburg Pike

    5.5 mi · 7 min · Leesburg Pike

  4. 4

    Keep slight left to continue on Leesburg Pike

    2742 ft · 43 sec · Leesburg Pike

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward VA 1582 South: Dulles Town Center

    2187 ft · 53 sec

  6. 6

    Turn straight onto Atlantic Boulevard

    2.4 mi · 5 min · Atlantic Boulevard

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Sterling Station Way

    59 m · 12 sec · Sterling Station Way

  8. 8

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Ruritan Road

    136 m · 27 sec · Ruritan Road

  9. 9

    Turn left onto Ruritan Circle

    35 m · 5 sec · Ruritan Circle

  10. 10

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Ruritan Circle

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Leesburg and Sterling.

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
10 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
1
0 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
84 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Leesburg Pike
6.01 mi · 50%
East Market Street
3.01 mi · 25%
Atlantic Boulevard
2.36 mi · 20%
VA 1582 South
0.41 mi · 3%
Ruritan Road
0.08 mi · 1%
Sterling Station Way
0.04 mi
Longest Stretch

Leesburg Pike

Continue on Leesburg Pike

5.49 mi · 00h 07m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 21m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.4 mi
10.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Herndon
00h 10m from Leesburg
Leave By
7:48 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Leesburg and Sunny near Sterling.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Leesburg to Sterling?

The road trip is about 11.9 miles (19.2 km) and usually takes 00h 21m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Herndon is a useful midpoint, sitting about 6 miles from Leesburg and 6 miles from Sterling.

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

The direct path is about 10.5 miles (16.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.4 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:48 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.66 one way or $3.33 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Leesburg and Sunny near Sterling.

Stop Ideas Near Herndon

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Herndon and the surrounding midpoint area.
Herndon Old Town Hall
Scenic stop 8.1 mi away

Herndon Old Town Hall

Herndon , VA
730 Station St, Herndon, VA 20170
Rating 4.5/5 45 reviews Historical landmark
Leesburg Town Hall
Meeting point 6.1 mi away

Leesburg Town Hall

Leesburg , VA
25 W Market St, Leesburg, VA 20176
Rating 4.3/5 6 reviews City Hall
Town Hall Pool
Nearby stop 10.8 mi away

Town Hall Pool

Chantilly , VA
43055 Center St, Chantilly, VA 20152
Rating 4.4/5 20 reviews Public swimming pool
Town Hall Garage
Scenic stop 6 mi away

Town Hall Garage

Leesburg , VA
VA-7 BUS, Leesburg, VA 20176
Rating 3.8/5 6 reviews Parking garage

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Herndon.

RAIL

Burke Centre

21 mi away
10399 Premier Court
RAIL

Rockville station

24 mi away
251 Hungerford Drive at Park Rd.
RAIL

Manassas station

26 mi away
9431 West Street
RAIL

Lorton station

33 mi away
8006 Lorton Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Leesburg and Sterling. Straight-line distance: 10.47 mi (16.85 km).

Leesburg

#1 Leesburg

Historic town within and the county seat of Loudoun County, Virginia, United States

Population54,488
Coordinates39.1156600, -77.5636000
Altitude104
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Sterling

Census-designated place in Loudoun County, Virginia, US

Population27,822
Coordinates39.0062200, -77.4286000
Altitude89
CountryUnited States
Start: Leesburg (-77.5636, 39.11566)
End: Sterling (-77.4286, 39.00622)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 19 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 23m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 14m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 10m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.42 gal
1.59 L · about $1.66
Round trip
$3.33
0.84 gal · 3.18 L
Estimated CO2
3.7 kg one way
Round trip: 7.5 kg / 17 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $1.66 $3.33
Mid-grade $4.43 $1.86 $3.72
Premium $4.78 $2.01 $4.01
Diesel $5.62 $2.36 $4.72

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 Leesburg and Sterling. The current time is 03:59:45.

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.