Origin
Bethesda, MD
Morning in Bethesda on Tuesday
Local time
8:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bethesda, MD to Riverside, MD
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
20.6 mi
33 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 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, MD
Sjuan Dogjani
Trip Overview
Bethesda to Riverside is 20.6 miles and takes about 34 minutes via Columbia Pike, Capital Beltway, and Colesville Road, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward trip entirely within Maryland's Northeast region. Given its brief duration and surface road profile, it's ideal for a quick errand or a simple hop between nearby towns. You won't encounter any major highway driving, making it a relaxed option for getting from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Pike | 12.2 mi | 17m |
| Capital Beltway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Colesville Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Jones Bridge Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Rivers Edge Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Edgemoor Lane | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Columbia Pike
— 12.2 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and Riverside, 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
12 mi
·
17 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
337 ft
·
11 sec
Toward Rivers Edge
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on Rivers Edge Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Rivers Edge Road
16
Turn left onto Rivers View Court
390 ft
·
17 sec
·
Rivers View Court
17
Arrive at destination
Rivers View Court
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 20.1 — 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
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Edgemoor Lane
Turn right onto Edgemoor Lane
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
6
20.1 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward Rivers Edge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward Rivers Edge
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.42 one way
$6.83 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.74 | $7.48 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.00 | $7.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.55 | $9.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.2 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 | 6.2 | 0 | $2.16 | $0.99 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.80 | $0.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.88 | $1.32 |
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
Riverside, MD
Morning in Riverside on Tuesday
Local time
8:13 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
7 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
34m 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 almost entirely surface roads, with a 0% highway share. You'll spend the bulk of your time on Columbia Pike, with the longest continuous stretch measuring 12.2 miles. Expect traffic signals and intersections as you navigate through developed areas. The route involves merging onto and off of the Capital Beltway for a short period before returning to surface streets.
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: 12.2 mi on Columbia Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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
7/10
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 20.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Arlington Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Edgemoor Lane): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: 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 Bethesda, MD to Riverside, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Silver Spring along the way.
Silver Spring
2.8 mi in
|
~7m
About the Cities
Starting 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 34m. Total distance: 20.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m 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 12.2 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 Riverside, 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 0.4 miles (Edgemoor Lane): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: 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 Riverside, 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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