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Trip from College Park, MD to Ellicott City, MD

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

Drive Time

41m

Distance

27.7 mi

45 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 38m ★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown College Park, MD, MD

College Park, MD

Wikimedia Commons

unincorporated community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Ellicott City, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are looking to travel from College Park to Ellicott City, you are in for a quick 27.7-mile excursion that takes about 41 minutes. This short journey is perfectly suited as a simple one-day trip, requiring no overnight stays or complex logistics. You can expect to spend approximately $5 on fuel, making it a highly economical drive within Maryland. By utilizing a combination of I-95, MD 100, and Baltimore Avenue, you will navigate efficiently between these two Northeast locations. Because the route is so short, it offers great flexibility for your schedule, whether you are heading out for business or a quick visit.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 95 16.3 mi 19m
MD 100 4.8 mi 6m
Baltimore Avenue 2.7 mi 7m
Old Columbia Pike 1.5 mi 3m
Capital Beltway 0.8 mi <1m
Montgomery Road 0.5 mi 1m
Long Gate Parkway 0.3 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 Ellicott City, 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

4.8 mi · 6 min · MD 100
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Exit 1A Toward Long Gate Parkway Use the slight right lane.
9

Turn right onto Long Gate Parkway

0.3 mi · 52 sec · Long Gate Parkway
Use the right lane.
10

Turn left onto MD 103

0.5 mi · 1 min · Montgomery Road
11

Turn right onto Old Columbia Pike

1.5 mi · 3 min · Old Columbia Pike
12

Arrive at destination

Old Columbia Pike

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 25.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 1 / Baltimore Avenue

Turn right onto US 1 / Baltimore Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
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
25.2 mi into trip | ~35m in

Take the exit toward Long Gate Parkway

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 1A Toward Long Gate Parkway

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.59 one way

$9.18 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $5.03 $10.06
premium $4.93 $5.37 $10.74
diesel $5.61 $6.12 $12.23

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 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 8.3 0 $2.91 $1.33
Efficient EV 6.9 0 $2.42 $1.11
EV Truck/SUV 11.1 0 $3.88 $1.77

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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

College Park, MD

Morning in College Park on Sunday

Local time

6:13 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Ellicott City, MD

Morning in Ellicott City on Sunday

Local time

6:13 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

41m 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 experience, as 77% of this drive takes place on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your time on I-95, which features the longest uninterrupted stretch of the trip at 16.3 miles. While the route begins with local transit on Baltimore Avenue, it quickly transitions into a faster-paced interstate grind. Once you merge onto MD 100, the character of the drive settles into a predictable, high-speed commute. It is a straightforward, functional path designed for efficiency rather than leisurely sightseeing.

77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 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?

8/10

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 0.1 miles in near US 1 / Baltimore Avenue.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 27.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 1 / Baltimore Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; 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.

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 Ellicott City, 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 41m. Total distance: 27.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

41m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (77%). 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 Ellicott City, 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 (US 1 / Baltimore Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; 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.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ellicott City, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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