Origin
Annapolis, MD
Night in Annapolis on Saturday
Local time
10:53 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Annapolis, MD to Bel Air, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
55.5 mi
89 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Annapolis, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Bel Air, MD
Captured Hal ⁰
Trip Overview
Annapolis to Bel Air is 55.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 13 minutes via I 97 and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip is a straightforward journey within Maryland's Northeast region, offering a mixed driving experience. Expect a good portion of your travel to be on major highways, so it's a functional route for getting from point A to point B. Given its short duration, this trip is ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. Plan for a practical drive that gets you to your destination efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 97 | 17.9 mi | 20m |
| Express Toll Lanes | 8.5 mi | 9m |
| John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway | 7.3 mi | 8m |
| Harbor Tunnel Thruway | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Harbor Tunnel Throughway | 2 mi | 2m |
| John Hanson Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Baltimore Harbor Tunnel | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 97
— 17.9 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Annapolis, MD and Bel Air, MD.
1
Start on School Street
137 ft
·
6 sec
·
School Street
2
Enter roundabout onto MD 450
77 ft
·
1 sec
·
College Avenue
3
Continue on MD 450
343 ft
·
7 sec
·
College Avenue
4
Turn left onto MD 70
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Bladen Street
5
Continue on MD 70
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Roscoe Rowe Boulevard
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
7
Continue on US 50; US 301; MD 2
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
John Hanson Highway
8
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 21
Toward I 97 North: Baltimore
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 97 North: Baltimore
10
Continue on I 97
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 97
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 97
12 mi
·
13 min
·
I 97
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto Harbor Tunnel Throughway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Throughway
13
Continue on I 895
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 895
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
15
Continue on I 895
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 895
8.5 mi
·
9 min
·
Express Toll Lanes
Use the slight left lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork
297 ft
·
3 sec
18
Merge onto I 95
7.3 mi
·
8 min
·
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 77A
Toward MD 24: Bel Air, Edgewood
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward MD 24 North: Bel Air
Use the slight left lane.
21
Turn left onto MD 24
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the left lane.
22
Turn right onto Marketplace Drive
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Marketplace Drive
23
Continue on South Atwood Road
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Atwood Road
24
Turn right onto US 1 Business
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
Baltimore Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
25
Continue on US 1 Business
363 ft
·
17 sec
·
Fulford Avenue
26
Turn left onto US 1 Business; MD 924
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
South Main Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
27
Turn right onto Courtland Place
109 ft
·
4 sec
·
Courtland Place
28
Arrive at destination
Courtland Place
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.8 miles from Annapolis, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 55.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MD 450 / College Avenue
Enter roundabout onto MD 450 / College Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 97 North: Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 21
Toward I 97 North: Baltimore
8
48.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward MD 24: Bel Air, Edgewood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 77A
Toward MD 24: Bel Air, Edgewood
7
49 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 24 North: Bel Air
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward MD 24 North: Bel Air
7
55.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
US 1 Business; MD 924 / South Main Street
Turn left onto US 1 Business; MD 924 / South Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.20 one way
$18.40 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.08 | $20.15 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.76 | $21.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.25 | $24.51 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.41
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
(5.9 mi)
$0.41
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$0
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.83 | $2.66 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.77 | $3.55 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Bel Air, MD
Night in Bel Air on Saturday
Local time
10:53 PM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 13m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a mixed driving profile, with 32% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches on I 97, including the Express Toll Lanes, and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. The longest continuous section without a major change in road type is 17.9 miles on I 97. The drive progresses from more urban-influenced roads around Annapolis to a more highway-centric experience as you head north. Be prepared for the distinct feel of interstate travel for a significant portion of this trip.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.9 mi on I 97.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MD 450 / College Avenue.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.5 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (MD 450 / College Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Annapolis, MD to Bel Air, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Edgewood along the way.
Edgewood
48.7 mi in
|
~1h 1m
About the Cities
Starting in Annapolis, MD
Full guide →Annapolis is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland. Annapolis was a thriving, wealthy town in the 1600s and 1700s. Many of the houses and other buildings from the 1800s remain, leaving a thriving, vibrant historic district with shops and restaurants along the waterfront. Brick-lined streets and quaint shops add to the feel. You could easily spend a day walking around the town's downtown harbor area shopping and eating. There is also a lively nighttime scene.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 55.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.9 miles on I 97. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.41 in tolls one way, starting with Harbor Tunnel Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Bel Air, MD before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (MD 450 / College Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bel Air, MD before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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