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Trip from Baltimore Highlands, MD to Bethesda, MD

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

54m

Distance

37.4 mi

60 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 50m ★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Baltimore Highlands, MD, MD

Baltimore Highlands, MD

Styves Exantus

unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

Bethesda, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Baltimore Highlands, MD to Bethesda, MD is 37.4 miles and takes about 54 minutes via I 95, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily within the Northeast region, connecting two points in Maryland. You'll be navigating major highways for most of this drive, making it a practical option when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently. Consider this route for its directness and minimal time commitment, ideal for a quick transfer or an early start to your day.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 95 21.2 mi 24m
Capital Beltway 6.4 mi 8m
Baltimore Beltway 2 mi 2m
Jones Bridge Road 1.1 mi 2m
Nursery Road 1 mi 2m
Wisconsin Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
Annapolis Road 0.5 mi 1m
Connecticut Avenue 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 95 — 21.2 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Baltimore Highlands, MD and Bethesda, MD.

1

Start on Washington Street

0.2 mi · 29 sec · Washington Street
2

At end of road, turn right onto Delaware Avenue

0.2 mi · 46 sec · Delaware Avenue
3

At end of road, turn left onto MD 648

0.5 mi · 1 min · Annapolis Road
4

Continue on MD 648

0.3 mi · 42 sec · Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard
5

Turn right onto MD 168

1.0 mi · 2 min · Nursery Road
6

Turn right onto Fairview Avenue

498 ft · 22 sec · Fairview Avenue
Use the right lane.
7

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward I 695 North Use the left lane.
8

Merge onto I 695

2.0 mi · 2 min · Baltimore Beltway
Use the straight lane.
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 55 sec
Exit 11B Toward I 95 South: Washington Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto I 95

21 mi · 24 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 27 Toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, College Park Use the slight right lane.
12

Keep slight right at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda
13

Merge onto I 495

6.4 mi · 8 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 54 sec
Exit 33 Toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight left at fork

246 ft · 8 sec
Toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South, Chevy Chase Use the left lane.
16

Turn left onto MD 185

0.5 mi · 50 sec · Connecticut Avenue
Use the right lane.
17

Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road

1.1 mi · 2 min · Jones Bridge Road
Use the right lane.
18

Turn left onto MD 355

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Rockville Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
19

Continue on MD 355

0.6 mi · 1 min · Wisconsin Avenue
20

Turn right onto Commerce Lane

340 ft · 17 sec · Commerce Lane
21

Continue on Edgemoor Lane

0.2 mi · 41 sec · Edgemoor Lane
22

Turn left onto Arlington Road

0.3 mi · 55 sec · Arlington Road
23

Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue

510 ft · 22 sec · Bethesda Avenue
24

Turn left

44 ft · 3 sec
25

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Laurel, MD

19 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

Chevy Chase, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Laurel, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18.7 miles from Baltimore Highlands, 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 20

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 34.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
2.3 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the ramp toward I 695 North

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 695 North
7
4.4 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the exit toward I 95 South: Washington

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 11B Toward I 95 South: Washington
8
26.1 mi into trip | ~34m in

Take the exit toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, 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. Exit 27 Toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, Col...
8
33.9 mi into trip | ~45m in

Take the exit toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase

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 33 Toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase
8
34.3 mi into trip | ~46m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South, Chevy Chase

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left lane. Toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South,...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.20 one way

$12.40 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $6.79 $13.58
premium $4.93 $7.25 $14.51
diesel $5.61 $8.26 $16.51

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 13.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.2 0 $3.93 $1.80
Efficient EV 9.4 0 $3.27 $1.50
EV Truck/SUV 15 0 $5.24 $2.39

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (69% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Baltimore Highlands, MD

Morning in Baltimore Highlands on Tuesday

Local time

6:57 AM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bethesda, MD

Morning in Bethesda on Tuesday

Local time

6:57 AM

EDT

Current temp

68°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

19 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

54m 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 journey features a mixed drive profile, with 57% of it on the highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 21.2 miles on I 95, offering a period of consistent speed. You'll transition between the Baltimore Beltway and I 95 before merging onto the Capital Beltway. Expect a predominantly high-speed environment for much of the trip, punctuated by the expected traffic flow of major interstates in a populated corridor.

57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.2 mi on I 95.

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 around 2.3 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 20 decision points packed into just 37.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.1 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.

Between Baltimore Highlands, MD and Bethesda, MD, road signs point toward College Park and Chevy Chase.

College Park

26.1 mi in | ~34m

Chevy Chase

33.9 mi in | ~45m

About the Cities

Arriving in Bethesda, MD

Full guide →

Bethesda is in Montgomery County, Maryland, 1½ miles northwest of Washington, D.C. Wealthy and well-educated, Bethesda is best known for its numerous restaurants and as the headquarters of the National Institutes of Health.

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 54m. Total distance: 37.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

54m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 21.2 miles on I 95. 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 Bethesda, 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 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Bethesda, 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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