Origin
Beltsville, MD
Evening in Beltsville on Sunday
Local time
7:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Beltsville, MD to Bethesda, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
13.2 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Beltsville, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Beltsville, MD to Bethesda, MD covers 13.2 miles and takes about 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Capital Beltway, Baltimore Avenue, Jones Bridge Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.19 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 8 mi | 9m |
| Baltimore Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Jones Bridge Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Arlington Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Edgemoor Lane | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Rockville Pike | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 8 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Beltsville, MD and Bethesda, MD.
1
Start on MD 212A
13 ft
·
4 sec
·
Powder Mill Road
2
Turn right onto US 1
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Baltimore Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 95 North, I 495 West: Silver Spring, Baltimore
4
Merge onto I 95; I 495
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
Capital Beltway
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
7.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 33
Toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
246 ft
·
8 sec
Toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South, Chevy Chase
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left onto MD 185
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Connecticut Avenue
Use the right lane.
9
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Jones Bridge Road
Use the right lane.
10
Turn left onto MD 355
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Rockville Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Continue on MD 355
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Wisconsin Avenue
12
Turn right onto Commerce Lane
340 ft
·
17 sec
·
Commerce Lane
13
Continue on Edgemoor Lane
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Edgemoor Lane
14
Turn left onto Arlington Road
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
Arlington Road
15
Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue
510 ft
·
22 sec
·
Bethesda Avenue
16
Turn left
44 ft
·
3 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 12.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
2.3 mi into trip
|
~3m 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
9.8 mi into trip
|
~13m 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
10.2 mi into trip
|
~14m 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,...
6
10.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
Jones Bridge Road
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
12.9 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
Arlington Road
Turn left onto Arlington Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.19 one way
$4.38 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.40 | $4.79 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.56 | $5.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.91 | $5.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4 | 0 | $1.39 | $0.63 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.85 | $0.84 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Bethesda, MD
Evening in Bethesda on Sunday
Local time
7:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°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
21m 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?
13.2 mi in 21m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 2.3 miles in near I 495 / Capital Beltway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 13.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 21m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.2 miles: 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 Beltsville, MD and Bethesda, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore, Silver Spring and Chevy Chase.
Baltimore
1.5 mi in
|
~2m
Silver Spring
2.3 mi in
|
~3m
|
via I 495
Chevy Chase
9.8 mi in
|
~13m
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 21m. Total distance: 13.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8 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 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 (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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