Origin
Bethesda, MD
Late night in Bethesda on Sunday
Local time
12:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bethesda, MD to Fulton, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
19.6 mi
32 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Fulton, MD
RDNE Stock project
Trip Overview
Bethesda, MD to Fulton, MD is 19.6 miles and takes about 33 minutes via Columbia Pike and Capital Beltway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region and stays within Maryland, making it a straightforward local journey. Expect a drive characterized by frequent turns and local road segments rather than long highway stretches. Given its brief duration, this route is ideal for a quick, uncomplicated transfer between these two Maryland locations, perfect for a single-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Pike | 10 mi | 14m |
| Capital Beltway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| MD 216 | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Colesville Road | 1.2 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 |
Longest stretch:
Columbia Pike
— 10 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and Fulton, MD.
1
Start on this road
44 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue
510 ft
·
24 sec
·
Bethesda Avenue
3
Turn left onto Arlington Road
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
Arlington Road
4
Turn right onto Edgemoor Lane
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Edgemoor Lane
5
Turn left onto MD 355
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Wisconsin Avenue
6
Continue on MD 355
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Rockville Pike
7
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Jones Bridge Road
8
Turn left onto MD 185
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Connecticut Avenue
Use the left / slight left lanes.
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 495
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 30A
Toward US 29 North: Columbia
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Merge onto US 29
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Colesville Road
13
Continue on US 29
10.0 mi
·
14 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 13
Toward MD 216: Maple Lawn, Fulton, Laurel, Park and Ride
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
280 ft
·
7 sec
Toward MD 216: Fulton, Laurel
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16
Enter roundabout onto MD 216
23 ft
·
0 sec
·
MD 216
17
Continue on MD 216
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
MD 216
18
Enter roundabout onto MD 216
165 ft
·
3 sec
·
MD 216
19
Continue on MD 216
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
MD 216
20
Enter roundabout onto MD 216
123 ft
·
2 sec
·
MD 216
21
Continue on MD 216
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
MD 216
22
Enter roundabout onto MD 216
134 ft
·
2 sec
·
MD 216
23
Continue on MD 216
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
MD 216
24
Turn slight left onto Lime Kiln Road
153 ft
·
3 sec
·
Lime Kiln Road
25
Arrive at destination
Lime Kiln Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 18.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Arlington Road
Turn left onto Arlington Road
Navigation decision point
7
2.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
7
6.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward US 29 North: Columbia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 30A
Toward US 29 North: Columbia
8
17.8 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward MD 216: Maple Lawn, Fulton, Laurel, Park and Ride
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 13
Toward MD 216: Maple Lawn, Fulton, Laurel, Park...
9
18.1 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 216: Fulton, Laurel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 216: Fulton, Laurel
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.25 one way
$6.50 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.56 | $7.12 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.80 | $7.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.33 | $8.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.06 | $0.94 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Fulton, MD
Late night in Fulton on Sunday
Local time
12:18 AM
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
33m 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 route is best described as a turn-heavy local drive with a 7% highway share. You'll experience frequent changes in direction, weaving through local roads for much of the journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10 miles on Columbia Pike, offering a brief period of more consistent travel. The roads will shift between suburban thoroughfares and potentially busier local streets, demanding your attention for navigation and traffic awareness.
Only 7% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10 mi on Columbia Pike.
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 0.1 miles in near Arlington Road.
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 15 decision points packed into just 19.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Arlington Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Bethesda, MD and Fulton, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring, Laurel and Park And Ride.
Silver Spring
2.8 mi in
|
~7m
Laurel
17.8 mi in
|
~30m
Park And Ride
17.8 mi in
|
~30m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 19.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m 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 10 miles on Columbia Pike. 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 Fulton, 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 0.1 miles (Arlington Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fulton, 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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