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Trip from Columbia, MD to Forestville, MD

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

Drive Time

49m

Distance

36.1 mi

58 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 46m ★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m

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

planned community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Columbia, MD

Wikimedia Commons

census-designated place in Maryland, United States

Forestville, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Columbia, MD to Forestville, MD is 36.1 miles and takes about 49 minutes via I 95 and Columbia Pike, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward, single-day trip stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its relatively short duration and highway-focused profile, it's a practical option for a quick transit or a short hop between these areas. You can expect a mostly efficient drive with minimal time commitment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 95 26.8 mi 34m
Columbia Pike 4.2 mi 5m
Patuxent Freeway 2.4 mi 3m
Clarksville Pike 0.3 mi <1m
Forestville Road 0.2 mi <1m
Pennsylvania Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Marlboro Pike <0.1 mi <1m
Pumphrey Drive <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 95 — 26.8 mi, about 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MD and Forestville, 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

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Clarksville Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
4

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 51 sec
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Town Center
5

Merge onto US 29

4.2 mi · 5 min · Columbia Pike
6

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min
Exit 16A Toward MD 32 East: Fort Meade Use the right lane.
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 13 sec
Toward Shaker Drive, Eden Brook Drive
8

Merge onto MD 32

2.4 mi · 3 min · Patuxent Freeway
9

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 13B Toward I 95 South: Washington Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto I 95

27 mi · 34 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Exit 11B Toward MD 4 North/West: Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Merge onto MD 4

524 ft · 8 sec · Pennsylvania Avenue
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward Marlboro Pike
14

Turn straight onto Forestville Road

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Forestville Road
15

Turn left onto Marlboro Pike

353 ft · 12 sec · Marlboro Pike
16

Turn left onto Pumphrey Drive

74 ft · 9 sec · Pumphrey Drive
17

Turn left

40 ft · 3 sec
18

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

Downtown College Park, MD, MD

Mid-route town

Meal stop

College Park, MD

18 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

Seat Pleasant, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

College Park, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18 miles from Columbia, 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 0 and 35.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in

Depart toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 21B Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
7
5 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the exit toward MD 32 East: Fort Meade

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

Use the right lane. Exit 16A Toward MD 32 East: Fort Meade
6
5.4 mi into trip | ~8m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Shaker Drive, Eden Brook Drive

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward Shaker Drive, Eden Brook Drive
7
7.8 mi into trip | ~12m in

Take the exit toward I 95 South: Washington

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 13B Toward I 95 South: Washington
8
35.2 mi into trip | ~47m in

Take the exit toward MD 4 North/West: Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington

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 11B Toward MD 4 North/West: Pennsylvania Avenue, Wa...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.98 one way

$11.97 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $6.55 $13.11
premium $4.93 $7.00 $14.00
diesel $5.61 $7.97 $15.94

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.8 0 $3.79 $1.73
Efficient EV 9 0 $3.16 $1.44
EV Truck/SUV 14.4 0 $5.05 $2.31

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 Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Columbia, MD

Late night in Columbia on Sunday

Local time

12:36 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Forestville, MD

Late night in Forestville on Sunday

Local time

12:36 AM

EDT

Current temp

82°F

Mostly Sunny

SE 5 to 13 mph 2% chance 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

7 degrees warmer at arrival

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

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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 81% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 26.8 miles on I 95, offering a chance to maintain steady speed. The drive begins on Columbia Pike before transitioning to the faster pace of I 95 and the Patuxent Freeway. Expect a predictable and efficient travel experience for the majority of this 36.1-mile trip.

81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.8 mi on I 95.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Columbia Pike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.

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 15 decision points packed into just 36.1 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: near the start: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 36.1 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 (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 26.8 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 Forestville, 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: near the start: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 Forestville, 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.

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Explore more options from Columbia, MD or browse trips ending in Forestville, MD.

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