Origin
Columbia, MD
Morning in Columbia on Sunday
Local time
7:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, MD to Arlington, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
16.8 mi
27 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Arlington, MD
RDNE Stock project
Trip Overview
This short 16.8-mile drive from Columbia, MD to Arlington, MD, is easily manageable in just 27 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a quick day trip. You'll primarily navigate via Columbia Pike and I-70, with a portion on the Baltimore Beltway, offering a mixed driving experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $3, this trip is very budget-friendly. Given its brevity and the straightforward nature of the route, there's no need for an overnight stay. This journey stays within the Northeast region, offering a consistent feel throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Pike | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| I 70 | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Baltimore Beltway | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Liberty Road | 2 mi | 4m |
| West Northern Parkway | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Clarksville Pike | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Jonquil Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Lewiston Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Columbia Pike
— 3.9 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MD and Arlington, MD.
1
Start on this road
404 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
2
Turn straight onto MD 108
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Clarksville Pike
3
Continue on MD 108
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Clarksville Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward US 29 North: Baltimore
5
Merge onto US 29
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 25A
Toward I 70 East: Baltimore
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 70
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 70
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 91B-A
Toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Towson, Baltimore, Glen Burnie
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 91B
Toward I 695 North: New York, Towson
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto I 695
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Baltimore Beltway
11
Take the exit
394 ft
·
9 sec
Exit 18A-B
Toward MD 26: Liberty Road, Randallstown, Lochearn
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 18A
Toward MD 26 East: Liberty Road, Lochearn
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto MD 26
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Liberty Road
Use the right lane.
14
Turn left onto West Northern Parkway
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
West Northern Parkway
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto Jonquil Avenue
427 ft
·
19 sec
·
Jonquil Avenue
16
Turn left onto West Rogers Avenue
107 ft
·
5 sec
·
West Rogers Avenue
17
Turn right onto Jonquil Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Jonquil Avenue
18
At end of road, turn left onto Lewiston Avenue
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Lewiston Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
Cuthbert Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 4.9 and 12.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
4.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward I 70 East: Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 25A
Toward I 70 East: Baltimore
8
9.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Towson, Baltimore, Glen Burnie
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 91B-A
Toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Tows...
9
9.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 695 North: New York, Towson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 91B
Toward I 695 North: New York, Towson
8
12.5 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward MD 26: Liberty Road, Randallstown, Lochearn
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 18A-B
Toward MD 26: Liberty Road, Randallstown, Loche...
10
12.6 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 26 East: Liberty Road, Lochearn
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 18A
Toward MD 26 East: Liberty Road, Lochearn
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.79 one way
$5.57 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.05 | $6.10 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.26 | $6.52 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.71 | $7.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5 | 0 | $1.76 | $0.81 |
| Efficient EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.47 | $0.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.35 | $1.08 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Arlington, MD
Morning in Arlington on Sunday
Local time
7:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°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
4 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
27m 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 on this route, with 32% of it being highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you’ll encounter is 3.9 miles on Columbia Pike, offering a consistent segment before merging onto other roads. As you transition between Columbia Pike, I-70, and the Baltimore Beltway, the driving experience will shift from potentially more local traffic to faster-paced highway travel and back. This blend means you won't be stuck in a monotonous interstate grind for the entire trip.
32% 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: 3.9 mi on Columbia Pike.
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 4.9 miles in.
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 16.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Columbia, MD and Arlington, MD, road signs point toward Towson, Baltimore, Glen Burnie, Randallstown and Lochearn.
Towson
9.3 mi in
|
~12m
Baltimore
9.3 mi in
|
~12m
Glen Burnie
9.3 mi in
|
~12m
Randallstown
12.5 mi in
|
~17m
Lochearn
12.5 mi in
|
~17m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 16.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.9 miles on Columbia Pike. 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 Arlington, 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 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Arlington, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Arlington, MD
More trips to Arlington, MD
Explore more options from Columbia, MD or browse trips ending in Arlington, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.