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Trip from City of Baltimore, MD to Cabin John, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

58m

Distance

42.8 mi

69 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 54m ★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 56m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Maryland, United States

City of Baltimore, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Cabin John, MD, MD

Cabin John, MD

Shane Kell

Trip Overview

Traveling from Baltimore to Cabin John covers a straightforward 42.8-mile distance that typically takes about 58 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You will primarily navigate via I-95, the Capital Beltway, and Seven Locks Road. With an estimated fuel cost of only $7, it is an economical journey for those moving between these two Maryland locations. Since both the origin and destination are situated within the Northeast region, the trip maintains a consistent feel throughout. It is a highly practical drive if you need to reach your destination quickly without the hassle of a long-haul commute.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 95 24.6 mi 29m
Capital Beltway 12.5 mi 16m
Seven Locks Road 1.1 mi 2m
Cal Ripken Way 0.7 mi 1m
Light Street 0.4 mi 1m
East Conway Street 0.3 mi <1m
Tomlinson Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
River Road 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 95 — 24.6 mi, about 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between City of Baltimore, MD and Cabin John, MD.

1

Start on East Fayette Street

487 ft · 23 sec · East Fayette Street
2

Turn left onto MD 2

312 ft · 10 sec · Saint Paul Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
3

Continue on MD 2

0.4 mi · 1 min · Light Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
4

Turn right onto East Conway Street

0.3 mi · 52 sec · East Conway Street
Use the right lane.
5

Turn left onto I 395

0.7 mi · 1 min · Cal Ripken Way
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Toward I 95 South: Washington
7

Merge onto I 95

25 mi · 29 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 27 Toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, College Park Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight right at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda
10

Merge onto I 495

8.5 mi · 10 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 495

4.0 mi · 5 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Exit 39 Toward MD 190: Washington, Potomac Use the slight right lane.
13

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 17 sec
Exit 39 Toward MD 190: Washington, Potomac Use the right lane.
14

Keep slight left at fork

362 ft · 13 sec
Toward MD 190 West: Potomac Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15

Turn left onto MD 190

0.2 mi · 23 sec · River Road
16

Turn sharp left onto Seven Locks Road

1.1 mi · 2 min · Seven Locks Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
17

Turn left onto Tomlinson Avenue

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Tomlinson Avenue
18

Turn right onto 77th Street

243 ft · 10 sec · 77th Street
19

Arrive at destination

77th Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Laurel, MD

21 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

McLean, VA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 42.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Laurel, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.4 miles from City of Baltimore, 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 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 41.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | MD 2 / Saint Paul Street

Turn left onto MD 2 / Saint Paul Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.
8
26.8 mi into trip | ~34m in

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 27 Toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, Col...
8
40.8 mi into trip | ~53m in

Take the exit toward MD 190: Washington, Potomac

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 39 Toward MD 190: Washington, Potomac
10
41.1 mi into trip | ~54m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MD 190: Washington, Potomac

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Exit 39 Toward MD 190: Washington, Potomac
8
41.2 mi into trip | ~54m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 190 West: Potomac

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward MD 190 West: Potomac

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.10 one way

$14.19 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $7.77 $15.54
premium $4.93 $8.30 $16.60
diesel $5.61 $9.45 $18.90

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.8 0 $4.49 $2.05
Efficient EV 10.7 0 $3.74 $1.71
EV Truck/SUV 17.1 0 $5.99 $2.74

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (67% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

City of Baltimore, MD

Morning in City of Baltimore on Sunday

Local time

10:52 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cabin John, MD

Morning in Cabin John on Sunday

Local time

10:52 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

58m 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 mixed drive that balances high-speed interstate travel with more localized road conditions. Approximately 57% of your journey is spent on highways, providing a blend of efficiency and standard traffic patterns. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during the 24.6 miles spent on I-95, which serves as the primary artery for the first half of your travel. As you transition onto the Capital Beltway and eventually move toward Seven Locks Road, the pace naturally shifts from major interstate driving to navigating local roads. This changing environment keeps the drive engaging, as you move from high-capacity lanes into the final, more focused segments of your trip.

57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.6 mi on I 95.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 0.1 miles in near MD 2 / Saint Paul Street.

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 16 decision points packed into just 42.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (MD 2 / Saint Paul Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 26.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

334 ft 0 ft

Total Climb

617 ft

Total Descent

482 ft

Highest Point

334 ft

~21.4 mi in

Elevation Range

334 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between City of Baltimore, MD and Cabin John, MD, road signs point toward Bethesda and College Park.

Bethesda

26.8 mi in | ~34m

College Park

26.8 mi in | ~34m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 42.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

58m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 24.6 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 Cabin John, 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 (MD 2 / Saint Paul Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 26.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Cabin John, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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