Origin
Bethesda, MD
Morning in Bethesda on Tuesday
Local time
6:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bethesda, MD to South Gate, 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
56m
Distance
38 mi
61 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
South Gate, MD
Robert So
Trip Overview
This 38-mile drive from Bethesda, MD to South Gate, MD is a manageable day trip, taking approximately 56 minutes to complete. The route primarily utilizes major highways, including I-95 and the Capital Beltway, with about 62% of the journey on these faster roads. With an estimated fuel cost of just $6, this trip is very budget-friendly. Given its short duration and highway focus, you won't need to split this drive or plan for an overnight stay. It's a straightforward transit through the Northeast region, connecting two points within Maryland.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 15.1 mi | 17m |
| MD 100 | 7.4 mi | 10m |
| Capital Beltway | 6.5 mi | 8m |
| Jones Bridge Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| I 97 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Crain Highway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Phirne Road | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 15.1 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and South Gate, 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
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 27
Toward I 95 North: Baltimore
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 95 North: Baltimore, New York
13
Merge onto I 95
15 mi
·
17 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 43A
Toward MD 100 East: Glen Burnie
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto MD 100
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
MD 100
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 13A-B
Toward I 97: Annapolis, Baltimore
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 13A
Toward I 97 South: Annapolis, Bay Bridge
Use the slight right lane.
18
Merge onto I 97
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 97
19
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 12
Toward MD 3 Business: Glen Burnie, New Cut Road
Use the slight right lane.
20
Keep slight left at fork
245 ft
·
7 sec
Toward MD 3 Business: Glen Burnie, Veterans Highway
21
Turn left onto MD 3 Business
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Crain Highway
22
Turn right onto Phirne Road
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Phirne Road
23
Turn left onto Nolfield Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Nolfield Drive
24
Arrive at destination
Nolfield Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19 miles from Bethesda, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 195 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 35.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
9.6 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North: Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 95 North: Baltimore
8
34.1 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward I 97: Annapolis, Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13A-B
Toward I 97: Annapolis, Baltimore
9
34.4 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 97 South: Annapolis, Bay Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13A
Toward I 97 South: Annapolis, Bay Bridge
8
35.9 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward MD 3 Business: Glen Burnie, New Cut Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 12
Toward MD 3 Business: Glen Burnie, New Cut Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.30 one way
$12.60 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.90 | $13.80 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.37 | $14.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.39 | $16.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.99 | $1.82 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.32 | $2.43 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
South Gate, MD
Morning in South Gate on Tuesday
Local time
6:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
19 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
56m 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 highway-focused drive for the majority of this 38-mile journey. With 62% of the route on high-speed roads like I-95 and the Capital Beltway, you'll experience efficient travel for most of the trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 15.1 miles on I-95, offering a period of consistent cruising. While the roads are primarily interstates, the transitions between MD 100 and I-95 will introduce slight variations in the driving experience. Overall, it's a practical and direct transit with minimal detours.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.1 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and MD 100. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 19 decision points packed into just 38 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
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 9.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Bethesda, MD and South Gate, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring, New York and Baltimore.
Silver Spring
2.8 mi in
|
~7m
New York
9.9 mi in
|
~16m
Baltimore
34.1 mi in
|
~47m
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 56m. Total distance: 38 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.1 miles on I 95. 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 South Gate, 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 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at South Gate, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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