Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
13.3 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Beltsville, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Spanning just 13.3 miles, this quick trip from Bethesda to Beltsville is a straightforward journey through Maryland’s Northeast region. You can expect to reach your destination in about 22 minutes, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. With a fuel budget of roughly $2, it is an incredibly economical drive for commuters or locals heading across the county. Navigating this route involves a mix of local roads like Jones Bridge Road and Baltimore Avenue, supplemented by a segment of the Capital Beltway. Because of the short duration, you have total flexibility in your schedule, allowing you to easily manage the transit without complex planning.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 7.3 mi | 9m |
| Baltimore Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Jones Bridge Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Edgemoor Lane | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Arlington Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Rockville Pike | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and Beltsville, MD.
Start on this road
Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue
Turn left onto Arlington Road
Turn right onto Edgemoor Lane
Turn left onto MD 355
Continue on MD 355
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
Turn left onto MD 185
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto US 1
Turn left onto MD 212A
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 13.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward US 1: College Park, Laurel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward US 1 North: Laurel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Keep slight right at fork toward US 1 North: Laurel, Baltimore Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left onto MD 212A / Powder Mill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$2.20 one way
$4.41 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.41 | $4.83 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.58 | $5.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.94 | $5.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.7 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 | $1.40 | $0.64 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.16 | $0.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.86 | $0.85 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Bethesda on Sunday
Local time
5:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Evening in Beltsville on Sunday
Local time
5:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a turn-heavy local driving experience as you transition between suburban streets and major arteries. While you will spend time on the Capital Beltway, there is no high-speed highway-exclusive stretch, as the highway share is 0%. Your longest uninterrupted segment occurs on the Capital Beltway, lasting 7.3 miles before you head back toward local roads. The personality of this drive is defined by frequent transitions and technical maneuvers rather than long, monotonous highway cruising. You will feel the shift in pace as you move off the Beltway and navigate the local corridors that define the final approach to Beltsville.
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 2.8 miles in.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 13.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bethesda, MD and Beltsville, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring and Laurel.
Silver Spring
Laurel
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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 13.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m 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.
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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