Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from College Park, MD to South Bel Air, MD

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

Drive Time

1h 21m

Distance

59.6 mi

96 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 15m ★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown College Park, MD, MD

College Park, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown South Bel Air, MD, MD

South Bel Air, MD

Da Khatri

Trip Overview

College Park, MD to South Bel Air, MD is 59.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 21 minutes via I 95, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, single-day trip connecting two points within Maryland's Northeast region. You'll mostly be on major highways, making it an efficient way to get from point A to point B. Given its relatively short duration, this route is ideal for a quick transit or as part of a larger journey through the state. Plan for a drive that's primarily functional, designed for getting you to your destination with minimal fuss.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 95 19.2 mi 22m
Harbor Tunnel Thruway 11.6 mi 15m
Express Toll Lanes 8.5 mi 9m
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway 7.3 mi 8m
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway 4.3 mi 6m
Baltimore Avenue 2.7 mi 7m
Baltimore Harbor Tunnel 1.4 mi 2m
Harbor Tunnel Throughway 1 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 95 — 19.2 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between College Park, MD and South Bel Air, 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

19 mi · 22 min · I 95
Toward I-95 North: Baltimore Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6

Take the exit onto I 895

5.7 mi · 6 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Exit 46 Toward I 895 North: Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thruway Use the slight right lane.
7

Continue on I 895

1.0 mi · 1 min · Harbor Tunnel Throughway
8

Continue on I 895

2.2 mi · 3 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on I 895

1.4 mi · 2 min · Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
10

Continue on I 895

3.7 mi · 5 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 895

8.5 mi · 9 min · Express Toll Lanes
Use the slight left lane.
12

Keep slight right at fork

297 ft · 3 sec
13

Merge onto I 95

7.3 mi · 8 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Exit 77A Toward MD 24: Bel Air, Edgewood Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward MD 24 North: Bel Air Use the slight left lane.
16

Turn left onto MD 24

4.3 mi · 6 min · Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the left lane.
17

Turn right onto West Ring Factory Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Ring Factory Road
Use the right lane.
18

Turn left onto MD 924

0.6 mi · 1 min · Emmorton Road
19

Continue on MD 924

496 ft · 17 sec · South Main Street
20

Turn right onto East MacPhail Road

0.3 mi · 44 sec · East MacPhail Road
21

Turn left onto South Shamrock Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · South Shamrock Road
22

Arrive at destination

South Shamrock Road

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Baltimore, MD

30 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

Laurel, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Baltimore, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29.8 miles from College Park, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 53.2 — 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
23 mi into trip | ~31m in | I 895 / Harbor Tunnel Thruway

Take the exit onto I 895 / Harbor Tunnel Thruway toward I 895 North: Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thruway

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 46 Toward I 895 North: Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thr...
8
52.9 mi into trip | ~1h 8m in

Take the exit toward MD 24: Bel Air, Edgewood

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 77A Toward MD 24: Bel Air, Edgewood
7
53.2 mi into trip | ~1h 9m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 24 North: Bel Air

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward MD 24 North: Bel Air

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.88 one way

$19.76 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $10.82 $21.64
premium $4.93 $11.56 $23.12
diesel $5.61 $13.16 $26.32

Estimated Tolls: $0.81

Harbor Tunnel Thruway (11.6 mi) $0.81

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Tolls

$1

Total

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.9 0 $6.26 $2.86
Efficient EV 14.9 0 $5.22 $2.38
EV Truck/SUV 23.8 0 $8.34 $3.81

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 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

College Park, MD

Late night in College Park on Sunday

Local time

12:44 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

South Bel Air, MD

Late night in South Bel Air on Sunday

Local time

12:44 AM

EDT

Current temp

72°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

3 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 21m 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?

This route offers a mixed drive experience, with 32% of the journey on highways. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be 19.2 miles on I 95, allowing for steady progress. You can expect to navigate through sections of I 95, the Harbor Tunnel Thruway, and Express Toll Lanes. The drive likely transitions from urban or suburban approaches to more developed areas as you head towards South Bel Air. Be prepared for varying traffic conditions, particularly around the tunnel and toll sections, which can influence your overall travel time.

32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.2 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 2.8 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.6 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

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 23 miles (I 895 / Harbor Tunnel Thruway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 South Bel Air, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Edgewood along the way.

Edgewood

52.9 mi in | ~1h 8m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 59.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 19.2 miles on I 95. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.81 in tolls one way, starting with Harbor Tunnel Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

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 South Bel Air, 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 23 miles (I 895 / Harbor Tunnel Thruway): 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 South Bel Air, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From South Bel Air, MD

Berlin, MD 144.9 mi · 3h 13m Boonsboro, MD 92.7 mi · 1h 59m Saint Charles, MD 80.8 mi · 1h 53m Bartonsville, MD 74.4 mi · 1h 34m

More from College Park, MD

Frostburg, MD 143.5 mi · 2h 56m Cumberland, MD 133.7 mi · 2h 39m Salisbury, MD 112.1 mi · 2h 40m Dundalk, MD 36.6 mi · 52m Ellicott City, MD 27.7 mi · 41m Columbia, MD 27.1 mi · 38m

More trips to South Bel Air, MD

Lonaconing, MD 182.6 mi Frostburg, MD 177.1 mi Pittsville, MD 139.1 mi Algonquin, MD 103.9 mi Ballenger Creek, MD 80.9 mi Temple Hills, MD 71.9 mi
Escape planner: College Park, MD Scenic drives in MD

Explore more options from College Park, MD or browse trips ending in South Bel Air, MD.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.