How far is Stephens City, VA from Arlington, VA?

The driving distance from Stephens City, VA to Arlington, VA is about 78.8 miles (126.8 km), with a travel time of about 01h 19m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 61.5 miles (98.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 38m 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
78.81 mi
01h 19m
Flight
61.43 mi
98.87 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Stephens City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
61.43 mi
Kilometers
98.87 km
Flight Time
00h 07m

Driving Distance

Road route
78.81 mi
Kilometers
126.84 km
Drive Time
01h 19m

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 19m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Arlington
Tue, May 12, 8:38 PM EDT
Return by in Stephens City
Tue, May 12, 9:58 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Stephens City
2026-05-12T19:19
Arrive Arlington
Tue, May 12, 8:38 PM EDT
Route Timing
01h 19m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:19 AM to 11:19 AM EDT

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

Leave by
3:52 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Stephens City
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
The Plains
VA

Town in Virginia, United States

From Stephens City
39.3 mi
00h 39m
To Arlington
39.5 mi
00h 39m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
73°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 7 mph E
Destination
71°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Stephens City and Arlington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Stephens City and Arlington.

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    42 m · 12 sec · Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Fairfax Street

    640 ft · 22 sec · Fairfax Street

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight right

    1774 ft · 23 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left

    6.1 mi · 7 min

  5. 5

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

    3068 ft · 1 min

  6. 6

    Continue straight

    42.8 mi · 46 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight right

    27.8 mi · 34 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward VA 120, VA 237

    1641 ft · 31 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on Fairfax Drive

    573 ft · 25 sec · Fairfax Drive

  10. 10

    Turn right onto North Glebe Road

    985 ft · 33 sec · North Glebe Road

  11. 11

    Turn slight left onto Wilson Boulevard

    2854 ft · 2 min · Wilson Boulevard

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Wilson Boulevard

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Stephens City and Arlington.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
12 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
15.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 66 East
71.1 mi · 90%
Fairfax Street
6.56 mi · 8%
Wilson Boulevard
0.54 mi · 1%
VA 120
0.31 mi
North Glebe Road
0.19 mi
Fairfax Drive
0.11 mi
Longest Stretch

I 66 East

Continue straight

42.8 mi · 00h 46m

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 19m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+17.3 mi
61.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
The Plains
00h 39m from Stephens City
Leave By
3:52 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Stephens City and Sunny near Arlington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Stephens City to Arlington?

The road trip is about 78.8 miles (126.8 km) and usually takes 01h 19m 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?

The Plains is a useful midpoint, sitting about 39.3 miles from Stephens City and 39.5 miles from Arlington.

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

The direct path is about 61.5 miles (98.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 17.3 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 3:52 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $11.01 one way or $22.02 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 24.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Stephens City and Sunny near Arlington.

Stop Ideas Near The Plains

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

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

RAIL

Manassas station

29 mi away
9431 West Street
RAIL

Burke Centre

42 mi away
10399 Premier Court
RAIL

Culpeper station

47 mi away
109 South Commerce Street
RAIL

Lorton station

51 mi away
8006 Lorton Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Stephens City and Arlington. Straight-line distance: 61.43 mi (98.87 km).

Stephens City

#1 Stephens City

Town in Frederick County in northwestern Virginia, USA

Population2,106
Coordinates39.0834400, -78.2180600
Altitude233
CountryUnited States
Arlington

#2 Arlington

A county in Virginia.

Population229,164
Coordinates38.8810100, -77.1042800
Altitude71
CountryUnited States
Start: Main Street (-78.218043, 39.083431)
End: Wilson Boulevard (-77.104347, 38.881084)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 127 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 37m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 58m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 34m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 07m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 58m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.78 gal
10.53 L · about $11.01
Round trip
$22.02
5.56 gal · 21.06 L
Estimated CO2
24.7 kg one way
Round trip: 49.4 kg / 109 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $11.01 $22.02
Mid-grade $4.43 $12.31 $24.63
Premium $4.78 $13.28 $26.57
Diesel $5.62 $15.63 $31.27

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 · May 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Stephens City and Arlington. The current time is 19:19:15.

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.