Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
29.2 mi
47 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
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.
Catonsville, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Forest Glen, MD
Lauri Poldre
Catonsville, MD to Forest Glen, MD is 29.2 miles and takes about 40m via I 95 and Capital Beltway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The majority of this drive is on major highways, making it a straightforward commute or connection between areas. It's a practical option if you need to get from one side of the Baltimore-Washington corridor to another without a lot of fuss. Plan for this to be a quick transit.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 18.9 mi | 21m |
| Capital Beltway | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| South Rolling Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Bloomsbury Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| MD 166 | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Forest Glen Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Georgia Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Frederick Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~5,885 veh/hr typical · worst 8,088
Quietest
2 AM
~664 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 100 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Catonsville, MD and Forest Glen, MD.
Start on this road
Turn left onto MD 144
Turn right onto Bloomsbury Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto MD 166
Continue on MD 166
Turn left onto MD 166
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn slight right onto MD 97
Turn left onto MD 192
Turn sharp left onto Seminary Road
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 28.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto MD 166 toward I 195 East
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, College Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 97: Silver Spring, Wheaton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 97 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$4.88 one way
$9.76 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $5.37 | $10.74 |
| premium | $5.01 | $5.76 | $11.52 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $6.44 | $12.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.09 | $1.87 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Catonsville on Thursday
Local time
8:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Evening in Forest Glen on Thursday
Local time
8:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Mostly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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.
This drive is mostly highway, with 67% of the route on major roads like I 95 and the Capital Beltway. You'll experience a longest stretch of 18.9 miles on I 95 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a high volume of exits and potential for merging traffic as you navigate between these main arteries. The latter part of the drive will involve more local roads as you approach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Capital Beltway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near MD 166.
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 12 decision points packed into just 29.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (MD 166): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
398 ft
Total Descent
559 ft
Highest Point
476 ft
Elevation Range
335 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Catonsville, MD and Forest Glen, MD, road signs point toward Bethesda and College Park.
Bethesda
College Park
Founded 1831
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 29.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Catonsville, MD or browse trips ending in Forest Glen, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.
