Origin
Baden, MD
Late night in Baden on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Baden, MD to Gaithersburg, 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 17m
Distance
55.2 mi
89 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 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Baden, MD
RDNE Stock project
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Trip Overview
This 55.2-mile drive from Baden, MD to Gaithersburg, MD will take approximately 1 hour and 17 minutes, making it a very manageable one-day trip. You'll primarily use the Capital Beltway and I-270, with some time on Branch Avenue. With only 20% of the drive on highways, expect a more local feel for much of the journey. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $9. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single day of travel, allowing for flexibility in your departure and arrival times. Both your origin and destination are within Maryland, in the Northeast region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 27.9 mi | 36m |
| I 270 | 10.9 mi | 14m |
| Branch Avenue | 7.9 mi | 10m |
| Brandywine Road | 6.7 mi | 11m |
| West Diamond Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Chestnut Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Meem Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Frederick Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 27.9 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Baden, MD and Gaithersburg, MD.
1
Start on MD 381
65 ft
·
1 sec
·
Aquasco Road
2
Continue on MD 381
6.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Brandywine Road
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
4
Merge onto MD 5
7.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Branch Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 95; I 495
18 mi
·
24 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
9.5 mi
·
12 min
·
Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
I 270
Exit 35
Toward I 270 North: Frederick
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
7.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 North
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward MD 117, MD 124 South: Clopper Road, West Diamond Avenue, Quince Orchard Road
11
Turn left onto MD 117
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Diamond Avenue
12
Turn left onto Meem Avenue
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Meem Avenue
13
Turn right onto Chestnut Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Chestnut Street
14
Turn right onto MD 355
251 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Frederick Avenue
15
Turn right
85 ft
·
6 sec
16
Arrive at destination
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 27.6 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 7 and 46.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
MD 5 / Branch Avenue
Merge onto MD 5 / Branch Avenue
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
14.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Coll...
8
33.6 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
I 495 / Capital Beltway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
8
43.1 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North: Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 35
Toward I 270 North: Frederick
7
46.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 270 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.15 one way
$18.30 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.02 | $20.05 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.71 | $21.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.19 | $24.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 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 | 16.6 | 0 | $5.80 | $2.65 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.83 | $2.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.1 | 0 | $7.73 | $3.53 |
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
Gaithersburg, MD
Late night in Gaithersburg on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Isolated Rain Showers
W 8 mph
23% 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
11 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 17m 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?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' suggesting a dynamic experience behind the wheel. While 20% of the journey is on highways, the majority will likely involve navigating local roads with frequent intersections and changes in speed. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be 27.9 miles on the Capital Beltway, offering a brief period of higher-speed travel before you transition back to more complex local routes. Prepare for a driving experience that requires attention to traffic signals and turns, rather than a straightforward interstate cruise.
Only 20% 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: 27.9 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7 miles in near MD 5 / Branch 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 55.2 miles you will encounter 13 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 7 miles (MD 5 / Branch Avenue): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.6 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Baden, MD and Gaithersburg, MD, road signs point toward College Park and Silver Spring.
College Park
14.9 mi in
|
~21m
Silver Spring
33.6 mi in
|
~47m
|
via I 495
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 55.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m 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 27.9 miles on Capital Beltway. 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 Gaithersburg, 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 7 miles (MD 5 / Branch Avenue): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.6 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield. 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 Gaithersburg, 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.
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