How far is Richmond, VA from Chester, VA?

The driving distance from Richmond, VA to Chester, VA is about 16.2 miles (26.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 13.7 miles (22 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 52m 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
16.21 mi
00h 26m
Flight
13.65 mi
21.96 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Richmond.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
13.65 mi
Kilometers
21.96 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
16.21 mi
Kilometers
26.09 km
Drive Time
00h 26m

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 26m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chester
Thu, Sep 24, 10:28 PM EDT
Return by in Richmond
Thu, Sep 24, 10:55 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Richmond
2026-09-24T22:02
Arrive Chester
Thu, Sep 24, 10:28 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 26m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:26 AM to 7:26 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:38 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Richmond
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
Bensley
VA

Census designated place

From Richmond
8.1 mi
00h 13m
To Chester
8.1 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
56°F
Overnight

Cloudy

Starts
Thu, Sep 24 1:00 AM EDT
Wind
13 mph NE
Destination
56°F
Overnight

Cloudy

Starts
Thu, Sep 24 5:00 AM EDT
Wind
13 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Richmond and Chester.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Richmond and Chester.

  1. 1

    Start on Marcus-David Peters Circle

    43 m · 4 sec · Marcus-David Peters Circle

  2. 2

    Exit the rotary onto Monument Avenue

    803 ft · 23 sec · Monument Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn slight right onto West Franklin Street

    3219 ft · 2 min · West Franklin Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto North Belvidere Street

    1933 ft · 1 min · North Belvidere Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto East Byrd Street

    928 ft · 31 sec · East Byrd Street

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight left toward VA 195 East

    967 ft · 24 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Downtown Expressway

    1.3 km · 1 min · Downtown Expressway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on I 95 South: Petersburg

    1039 ft · 16 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike

    9.1 mi · 11 min · Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward SR 613: Willis Road

    746 ft · 22 sec

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Willis Road

    1991 ft · 47 sec · Willis Road

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Route 1

    1626 ft · 36 sec · Route 1

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Kingsdale Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · Kingsdale Road

  14. 14

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Chester Road

    2.9 mi · 5 min · Chester Road

  15. 15

    Continue on Winfree Street

    82 m · 12 sec · Winfree Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Winfree Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Richmond and Chester.

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
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
98.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
9.1 mi · 56%
Chester Road
2.89 mi · 18%
Kingsdale Road
0.85 mi · 5%
Downtown Expressway
0.79 mi · 5%
West Franklin Street
0.61 mi · 4%
Willis Road
0.38 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike

Merge slight left onto Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike

9.1 mi · 00h 12m

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 26m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.5 mi
13.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Bensley
00h 13m from Richmond
Leave By
7:38 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Cloudy leaving Richmond and Cloudy near Chester.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Richmond to Chester?

The road trip is about 16.2 miles (26.1 km) and usually takes 00h 26m 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?

Bensley is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.1 miles from Richmond and 8.1 miles from Chester.

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

The direct path is about 13.7 miles (22 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.5 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:38 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.41 one way or $4.82 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Cloudy around Richmond and Cloudy near Chester.

Stop Ideas Near Bensley

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 Bensley and the surrounding midpoint area.
Town Hall
Food stop 7.7 mi away

Town Hall

Richmond , VA
3123 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221
Rating 4.9/5 13 reviews Restaurant
Old City Hall
Scenic stop 6.1 mi away

Old City Hall

Richmond , VA
1001 E Broad St, Richmond, VA 23219, United States
Rating 4.4/5 32 reviews Tourist attraction,Land surveyor,Historical landmark
City of Richmond Virginia (City Hall)
Meeting point 6.2 mi away

City of Richmond Virginia (City Hall)

Richmond , VA
900 E Broad St, Richmond, VA 23219
Rating 2.9/5 40 reviews City government office,Police department,Tax assessor
City Hall
Nearby stop 6.2 mi away

City Hall

Richmond , VA
900 E Broad St, Richmond, VA 23219
Rating 3.9/5 85 reviews Bike sharing station

Transit and Meeting Points

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

RAIL

Richmond Main Street Station

10 mi away
1500 East Main Street
RAIL

Richmond Staples Mill Road station

19 mi away
7519 Staples Mill Road
RAIL

Petersburg station

23 mi away
3516 South Street
RAIL

Ashland

35 mi away
112 North Railroad Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Richmond and Chester. Straight-line distance: 13.65 mi (21.96 km).

Richmond

#1 Richmond

The capital of Virginia.

Population232,226
Coordinates37.5537600, -77.4602600
Altitude64
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Chester

Chester is a place in Virginia, United States.

Population0
Coordinates37.3568200, -77.4416500
Altitude53
CountryUnited States
Start: Richmond (-77.46026, 37.55376)
End: Chester (-77.44165, 37.35682)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 26 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 32m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 24m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 19m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 16m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 13m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 12m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.57 gal
2.17 L · about $2.41
Round trip
$4.82
1.14 gal · 4.34 L
Estimated CO2
5.1 kg one way
Round trip: 10.1 kg / 22 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.23 $2.41 $4.82
Mid-grade $4.72 $2.69 $5.38
Premium $5.10 $2.90 $5.81
Diesel $6.39 $3.64 $7.28

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 · Sep 24, 2026

There is no time difference between Richmond and Chester. The current time is 22:02:31.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.