Origin
College Park, MD
Late night in College Park on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from College Park, MD to Columbia, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
27.1 mi
44 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
College Park, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between College Park and Columbia is a straightforward 27.1-mile journey that typically takes about 38 minutes. Because of the short distance, this trip is perfect as a quick day outing, requiring no overnight stays or complex logistics. Your route relies heavily on major thoroughfares including I-95, MD 100, and Baltimore Avenue, ensuring a direct path through Maryland. With a fuel budget estimated at $4, it is an economical drive that keeps your travel costs low. Whether you are heading out for work or personal errands, the trip is efficient and easy to navigate within the Northeast region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 16.3 mi | 19m |
| MD 100 | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Baltimore Avenue | 2.7 mi | 7m |
| Capital Beltway | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| Columbia Pike | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Knox Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 16.3 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between College Park, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on Knox Road
272 ft
·
15 sec
·
Knox Road
2
Turn right onto US 1
2.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Baltimore Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 95; I 495
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
·
Capital Beltway
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95
16 mi
·
19 min
·
I 95
Toward I-95 North: Baltimore
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 43B
Toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto MD 100
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
MD 100
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 29 South: Washington
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto US 29
0.5 mi
·
30 sec
·
Columbia Pike
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Arrive at destination
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 26.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silv...
7
3.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 95
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95 toward I-95 North: Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I-95 North: Baltimore
7
20.1 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 43B
Toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
7
25.7 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 29 South: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 29 South: Washington
8
26.7 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
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 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.49 one way
$8.99 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.92 | $9.84 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.26 | $10.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.98 | $11.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.85 | $1.30 |
| Efficient EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.37 | $1.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.79 | $1.73 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Columbia, MD
Late night in Columbia on Sunday
Local time
12:38 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
38m 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, as 80% of your time behind the wheel will be spent on high-speed roads. The experience is defined by efficiency rather than winding scenic detours, with I-95 serving as the core of your journey. You will spend your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 16.3 miles on I-95, which keeps the pace steady throughout the middle of the drive. As you transition onto MD 100, the character of the road shifts slightly, but you remain firmly in a commuter-style environment. It is a functional, no-nonsense route designed to get you to your destination quickly.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.3 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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
9/10
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 27.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
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 3.8 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
407 ft
72 ft
Total Climb
433 ft
Total Descent
98 ft
Highest Point
407 ft
~27.1 mi in
Elevation Range
335 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 College Park, MD to Columbia, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Silver Spring along the way.
Silver Spring
2.8 mi in
|
~7m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 27.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.3 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 Columbia, 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 3.8 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.1 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 Columbia, 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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