Origin
Beltsville, MD
Late night in Beltsville on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Beltsville, MD to Silver Spring, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14m
Distance
8.8 mi
14 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 14m
8 AM
0h 17m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 15m
5 PM
0h 17m
8 PM
0h 13m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Beltsville, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Silver Spring, MD
www.kaboompics.com
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Beltsville to Silver Spring, you are in for a quick 8.8-mile journey that typically takes about 14 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, as it covers a short distance within the Northeast region of Maryland. You will not need to worry about high travel expenses, as the fuel cost is estimated at just $1. Because the transit time is so minimal, there is no requirement for an overnight stay or complex planning. It is a straightforward, practical connection between two local hubs that keeps your logistics simple and efficient.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| Colesville Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Baltimore Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Georgia Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Powder Mill Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 4.8 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Beltsville, MD and Silver Spring, 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
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 30
Toward US 29 South: Silver Spring
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto US 29
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Colesville Road
8
Turn left onto US 29
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Georgia Avenue
9
Continue on US 29
93 ft
·
9 sec
·
Georgia Avenue
10
Turn right
158 ft
·
13 sec
11
Turn right
85 ft
·
6 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 8.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 1 / Baltimore Avenue
Turn right onto US 1 / Baltimore Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 North, I 495 West: Silver Spring, Baltimore
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 North, I 495 West: Silver Spring, B...
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
7
6.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward US 29 South: Silver Spring
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 30
Toward US 29 South: Silver Spring
5
8.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.46 one way
$2.92 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.60 | $3.20 |
| premium | $4.93 | $1.71 | $3.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.94 | $3.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.92 | $0.42 |
| Efficient EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.77 | $0.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.23 | $0.56 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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
Silver Spring, MD
Late night in Silver Spring on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
3 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
14m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel rather than settling into a long highway cruise. While you will navigate a 4.8-mile stretch on the Capital Beltway, the route does not rely on extended high-speed travel, maintaining a 0% highway share for the remainder of the trip. You will transition between Baltimore Avenue and Colesville Road, making for a varied experience compared to a monotonous interstate trek. The road's personality is defined by these local segments, requiring you to stay attentive as you maneuver through the turns. It is a utilitarian drive that favors local accessibility over long, uninterrupted highway miles.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.8 mi on Capital Beltway.
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 early in the drive near US 1 / Baltimore Avenue.
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 8.8 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: near the start (US 1 / Baltimore Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 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.
On the drive from Beltsville, MD to Silver Spring, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore along the way.
Baltimore
1.5 mi in
|
~2m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 8.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m 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 4.8 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 Silver Spring, 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 (US 1 / Baltimore Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): 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 Silver Spring, 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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