SR 46 begins at the North Carolina state line south of the community of Valentines.

The state highway meets US 58 (Governor Harrison Parkway) at a diamond interchange and begins to run concurrently with US 58 Business.

The state highway veers northwest onto Windsor Street while passing along the edge of St. Paul's College.

[1][3] SR 46's name again becomes Christanna Highway as it heads northwest toward the hamlet of Cochran west of Alberta.

In Cochran, the state highway intersects US 1 (Boydton Plank Road) adjacent to the Christanna campus of Southside Virginia Community College and has a partial interchange with I-85 that allows access in the direction of South Hill.