Baltimore, MD to Kensington, MD is 36.5 miles and takes about 49 minutes via I-95 and the Capital Beltway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, primarily traversing Maryland. You'll mostly be on major highways for this short hop, making it a straightforward commute or a quick connection between these two points. Consider this a practical leg of a larger trip or a simple drive to a nearby destination.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
24.6 mi
29m
Capital Beltway
6.4 mi
8m
Connecticut Avenue
1.4 mi
2m
Cal Ripken Way
0.7 mi
1m
Light Street
0.4 mi
1m
East Conway Street
0.3 mi
<1m
East Fayette Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Saint Paul Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 24.6 mi, about 29m
Traffic on I-95
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
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 100 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Baltimore, MD and Kensington, 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 27Toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, College ParkUse 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
6.4 mi·8 min·Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
Exit 33Toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy ChaseUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
289 ft·7 sec
Toward MD 185 North: Connecticut Avenue North, Kensington, Beach DriveUse the slight right lane.
13
Turn straight onto MD 185
1.4 mi·2 min·Connecticut Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
MD 185
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 18.3 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 35.1 — 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.
6
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|East Conway Street
Turn right onto East Conway Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
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
34.7 mi into trip|~45m in
Take the exit toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 33
Toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase
8
35.1 mi into trip|~46m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 185 North: Connecticut Avenue North, Kensington, Beach Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward MD 185 North: Connecticut Avenue North,...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.94 one way
$11.89 round trip
$4.14/gal25.4 MPG avg13 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.74
$6.81
$13.61
premium
$5.04
$7.25
$14.49
diesel
$6.36
$9.14
$18.27
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 69% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
11
0
$3.83
$1.75
Efficient EV
9.1
0
$3.19
$1.46
EV Truck/SUV
14.6
0
$5.11
$2.34
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.
Forecast as of Oct 17, 2026
Origin
City of Baltimore, MD
Afternoon
in City of Baltimore on Sunday
Local time
4:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Partly Sunny
N 16 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Coastal Flood Watch
Coastal Flood Watch issued October 17 at 3:37PM EDT until October 20 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
Coastal Flood Watch
Coastal Flood Watch issued October 17 at 3:37PM EDT until October 20 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
Destination
Kensington, MD
Afternoon
in Kensington on Sunday
Local time
4:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Sunny
N 16 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Coastal Flood Watch
Coastal Flood Watch issued October 17 at 3:37PM EDT until October 20 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
Coastal Flood Watch
Coastal Flood Watch issued October 17 at 3:37PM EDT until October 20 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
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
49m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 67% of it on major interstates. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 24.6 miles on I-95 before transitioning to the Capital Beltway and then Connecticut Avenue. Expect a fairly continuous flow of traffic with numerous exits and merges as you navigate this busy corridor. The latter portion will feel more like surface street driving as you approach your destination.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 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 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 0.1 miles in near MD 2 / Saint Paul Street.
Driving Effort10/10
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 10 decision points packed into just 36.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
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 0.5 miles (East Conway 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.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
314 ft36 ft
Total Climb
278 ft
Total Descent
128 ft
Highest Point
314 ft
~18.3 mi in
Elevation Range
278 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 Kensington, MD, road signs point toward Bethesda, College Park and Chevy Chase.
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
Kensington is a suburb of Washington, D.C. in the Capital Region of Maryland with a population of about 2,100 people in 2020. The main reasons to visit are antique shopping at Antique Row, to see the enormous Mormon Temple, and one great pizza place. Aside from that, it's just a quiet suburban town with some odd quirks. Sections of the "Town of Kensington" are really beautiful, with big old Victorian homes set in a nice community by parks and Antique Row—looking much as it did when Kensington was a summer getaway from the big city.
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 36.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m 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.
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.
Yes — we found about 5 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Kensington, 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 0.5 miles (East Conway 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.
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 Kensington, MD before heading back.
