Origin
Bowie, MD
Late night in Bowie on Sunday
Local time
3:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bowie, MD to Baltimore, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
28.9 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bowie, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition between Bowie and Baltimore, this 28.9-mile trip is an ideal candidate for a single-day journey. You can expect to spend about 43 minutes behind the wheel, making it a highly efficient connection within the Northeast region. With a fuel budget of just $5, it is an economical route that requires no overnight stops. Navigating this path involves a mix of roads, including the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, I-97, and Robert Crain Highway. Given the short duration, you have plenty of flexibility in your schedule, whether you are heading out for business or a casual visit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 97 | 10 mi | 11m |
| Robert Crain Highway | 7.1 mi | 11m |
| Baltimore-Washington Parkway | 4 mi | 5m |
| North East Crain Highway | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Baltimore Beltway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Russell Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Collington Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West Baltimore Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 97
— 10 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bowie, MD and Baltimore, MD.
1
Start on this road
110 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
259 ft
·
20 sec
3
Turn left onto Evergreen Parkway
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Evergreen Parkway
4
Turn right onto MD 197
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Collington Road
5
Turn left onto US 301
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North East Crain Highway
6
Continue on MD 3; MD 450
7.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Robert Crain Highway
7
Merge onto I 97
8.9 mi
·
10 min
·
I 97
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto I 97
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 97
Exit 17A
Toward I 695 West: Baltimore, Towson
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 695
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Baltimore Beltway
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 7B
Toward MD 295 North: North Baltimore
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto MD 295
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on MD 295
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Russell Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on MD 295
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Paca Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn right onto West Baltimore Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Baltimore Street
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn left
281 ft
·
25 sec
16
At end of road, turn left onto East Fayette Street
212 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Fayette Street
17
Arrive at destination
East Fayette Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 11.4 and 28.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
11.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 97
Merge onto I 97
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
20.4 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
I 97
Take the exit onto I 97 toward I 695 West: Baltimore, Towson
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 17A
Toward I 695 West: Baltimore, Towson
7
22.6 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward MD 295 North: North Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 7B
Toward MD 295 North: North Baltimore
5
22.9 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
MD 295 / Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Merge onto MD 295 / Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
28.8 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
East Fayette Street
At end of road, turn left onto East Fayette Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.79 one way
$9.58 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.25 | $10.50 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.60 | $11.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.38 | $12.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.03 | $1.39 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.53 | $1.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Baltimore, MD
Late night in Baltimore on Sunday
Local time
3:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 9 mph
13% chance
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
43m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive offers a mixed-road experience that keeps you engaged as you transition between suburban and urban environments. Roughly 49% of your journey is spent on highways, providing a balanced pace that avoids the monotony of a strictly interstate commute. You will encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 10 miles on I-97, which serves as the primary backbone of the trip. The character of the road shifts as you merge from local highways onto faster, controlled-access routes. Expect a practical driving experience that moves you steadily toward your destination without unnecessary complications.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10 mi on I 97.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 11.4 miles in near I 97.
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 12 decision points packed into just 28.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 11.4 miles (I 97): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.4 miles (I 97): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
161 ft
16 ft
Total Climb
301 ft
Total Descent
391 ft
Highest Point
161 ft
~21.8 mi in
Elevation Range
144 ft
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 Bowie, MD to Baltimore, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Towson along the way.
Towson
20.4 mi in
|
~29m
|
via I 97
About the Cities
Starting in Bowie, MD
Full guide →Bowie is a suburban bedroom community of Washington, D.C. in Prince George's County, Maryland.
Arriving in Baltimore, MD
Full guide →“Bodymore, Murderland” · Founded 1729
Slices of American history are around every corner in Baltimore. Maryland's largest city is a gritty old seaport town that's perhaps most famous as the site of Fort McHenry, where, at the height of the War of 1812, the sight of a tattered but defiant American flag flying over the harbor, despite a furious British bombardment, inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that was later adapted into the U.S. national anthem "Star-Spangled Banner". Nowadays, Baltimore's nonstop nightlife, temperate climate, tradition of hospitality (they don't call this place "Charm City" for nothing), and cultural attractions — not to mention its prime location on the juncture of Chesapeake Bay — made it one of the major tourist destinations of the Mid-Atlantic region.
Top landmarks
- • Johns Hopkins Hospital — hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- • Walters Art Museum — art museum in Baltimore, Maryland, US
- • Baltimore Museum of Art — art museum in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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 43m. Total distance: 28.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10 miles on I 97. 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 Baltimore, 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 11.4 miles (I 97): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.4 miles (I 97): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. 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 Baltimore, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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