Origin
Baden, MD
Late night in Baden on Sunday
Local time
1:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Baden, MD to Baltimore, 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 19m
Distance
54 mi
87 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Baden, MD
RDNE Stock project
Trip Overview
This straightforward 54-mile drive from Baden, MD to Baltimore, MD takes about 1 hour and 19 minutes. Primarily utilizing Crain Highway and I-97, it's a convenient option for a single-day trip, so no overnight stays are necessary. With an estimated fuel cost of $9, this route offers an economical journey. The drive features a turn-heavy local feel for much of its length, making it a practical choice for those looking for a direct path between these two Maryland locations within the Northeast region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Crain Highway | 12.6 mi | 17m |
| South East Crain Highway | 10.8 mi | 15m |
| I 97 | 10 mi | 11m |
| Robert Crain Highway | 7.1 mi | 11m |
| Brandywine Road | 6 mi | 9m |
| Baltimore-Washington Parkway | 4 mi | 5m |
| Baltimore Beltway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Russell Street | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Crain Highway
— 12.6 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Baden, MD and Baltimore, MD.
1
Start on MD 381
65 ft
·
1 sec
·
Aquasco Road
2
Continue on MD 381
6.0 mi
·
9 min
·
Brandywine Road
3
Turn right onto US 301
13 mi
·
17 min
·
Crain Highway
4
Continue on US 301
11 mi
·
15 min
·
South East Crain Highway
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on MD 3; MD 450
7.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Robert Crain Highway
6
Merge onto I 97
8.9 mi
·
10 min
·
I 97
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto I 97
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 97
Exit 17A
Toward I 695 West: Baltimore, Towson
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 695
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Baltimore Beltway
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 7B
Toward MD 295 North: North Baltimore
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto MD 295
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on MD 295
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Russell Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on MD 295
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Paca Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto West Baltimore Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Baltimore Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn left
281 ft
·
25 sec
15
At end of road, turn left onto East Fayette Street
212 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Fayette Street
16
Arrive at destination
East Fayette Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 miles from Baden, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 36.6 and 54 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
36.6 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
I 97
Merge onto I 97
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
45.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
I 97
Take the exit onto I 97 toward I 695 West: Baltimore, Towson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 17A
Toward I 695 West: Baltimore, Towson
7
47.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward MD 295 North: North Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 7B
Toward MD 295 North: North Baltimore
5
48.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
MD 295 / Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Merge onto MD 295 / Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
54 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
East Fayette Street
At end of road, turn left onto East Fayette Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.95 one way
$17.91 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.81 | $19.61 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.47 | $20.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.92 | $23.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 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 | 16.2 | 0 | $5.67 | $2.59 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.56 | $3.46 |
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
Baltimore, MD
Late night in Baltimore on Sunday
Local time
1:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Isolated Rain Showers
NW 10 mph
15% chance
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
5 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 19m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a journey with a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, meaning you'll encounter more frequent intersections and traffic signals than a pure highway experience. Only 26% of this route is on the highway, with the longest uninterrupted stretch being 12.6 miles on Crain Highway. As you progress, the character of the road will shift from local byways to segments of I-97, offering a mix of driving conditions. This varied terrain keeps the driving engaging without being overly taxing over the 54 miles.
Only 26% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.6 mi on Crain Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 36.6 miles in near I 97.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54 miles you will encounter 8 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: at 36.6 miles (I 97): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.6 miles (I 97): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Baden, MD to Baltimore, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Towson along the way.
Towson
45.6 mi in
|
~1h 4m
|
via I 97
About the Cities
Arriving in Baltimore, MD
Full guide →“Bodymore, Murderland” · Founded 1729
Slices of American history are around every corner in Baltimore. Maryland's largest city is a gritty old seaport town that's perhaps most famous as the site of Fort McHenry, where, at the height of the War of 1812, the sight of a tattered but defiant American flag flying over the harbor, despite a furious British bombardment, inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that was later adapted into the U.S. national anthem "Star-Spangled Banner". Nowadays, Baltimore's nonstop nightlife, temperate climate, tradition of hospitality (they don't call this place "Charm City" for nothing), and cultural attractions — not to mention its prime location on the juncture of Chesapeake Bay — made it one of the major tourist destinations of the Mid-Atlantic region.
Top landmarks
- • Johns Hopkins Hospital — hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- • Walters Art Museum — art museum in Baltimore, Maryland, US
- • Baltimore Museum of Art — art museum in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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 19m. Total distance: 54 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.6 miles on Crain Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Baltimore, 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: at 36.6 miles (I 97): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.6 miles (I 97): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Baltimore, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Baltimore, MD
More from Baden, MD
More trips to Baltimore, MD
Explore more options from Baden, MD or browse trips ending in Baltimore, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.