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Trip from Crofton, MD to North Bethesda, MD

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

46m

Distance

31.1 mi

50 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 43m ★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m

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 Crofton, MD, MD

Crofton, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown North Bethesda, MD, MD

North Bethesda, MD

Kelly

Trip Overview

Traveling between Crofton and North Bethesda is a straightforward 31.1-mile journey that typically takes about 46 minutes to complete. Because of the manageable distance, this trip is perfectly suited for a single-day outing, requiring no overnight stays. You will primarily navigate a combination of the John Hanson Highway, North West Crain Highway, and the Capital Beltway. With a fuel budget of just $5, it is an economical route for commuters or casual travelers. Since both locations are situated within the Northeast region of Maryland, you can expect a familiar, localized driving experience throughout the trip.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Capital Beltway 16.1 mi 20m
John Hanson Highway 6.7 mi 7m
North West Crain Highway 2.1 mi 3m
Rockville Pike 1.8 mi 3m
Urby Drive 0.5 mi 1m
Nicholson Lane 0.3 mi 1m
Defense Highway 0.3 mi <1m
Stratton Road 0.3 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Capital Beltway — 16.1 mi, about 20m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Crofton, MD and North Bethesda, MD.

1

Start on Stratton Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · Stratton Road
2

At end of road, turn left onto Spring Green Avenue

0.2 mi · 51 sec · Spring Green Avenue
3

At end of road, turn left onto Crofton Parkway

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Crofton Parkway
4

Turn right onto Urby Drive

0.5 mi · 1 min · Urby Drive
5

Turn left onto Good Hope Drive

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Good Hope Drive
6

Turn right onto MD 450

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Defense Highway
7

Merge onto MD 3; MD 450

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Robert Crain Highway
8

Continue on MD 3; MD 450

2.1 mi · 3 min · North West Crain Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward US 50 West: Washington Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Merge onto US 50

6.7 mi · 7 min · John Hanson Highway
11

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 57 sec
Exit 7B Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silver Spring
12

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 7B Toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway Use the slight left lane.
13

Merge onto I 95; I 495

6.9 mi · 8 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight left at fork onto I 495

9.2 mi · 11 min · Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 37 sec
Exit 34 Toward MD 355: Bethesda, Rockville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Turn straight onto MD 355

1.8 mi · 3 min · Rockville Pike
17

Turn left onto Nicholson Lane

0.3 mi · 1 min · Nicholson Lane
Use the left lane.
18

Turn left onto Commonwealth Drive

347 ft · 17 sec · Commonwealth Drive
19

Turn right onto Tudor Lane

338 ft · 15 sec · Tudor Lane
20

Continue on Tudor Lane

146 ft · 6 sec · Tudor Lane
21

Arrive at destination

Tudor Lane

Where to Stop

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

city in Prince George’s County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

New Carrollton, MD

16 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

Rockville, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

New Carrollton, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 15.5 miles from Crofton, 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 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 28.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.5 mi into trip | ~2m in | Crofton Parkway

At end of road, turn left onto Crofton Parkway

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

6
3.8 mi into trip | ~8m in

Take the exit toward US 50 West: Washington

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 50 West: Washington
9
11.7 mi into trip | ~18m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Exit 7B Toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway
8
19.2 mi into trip | ~28m in | I 495 / Capital Beltway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
8
28.4 mi into trip | ~40m in

Take the exit toward MD 355: Bethesda, Rockville

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 34 Toward MD 355: Bethesda, Rockville

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.16 one way

$10.31 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $5.65 $11.29
premium $4.93 $6.03 $12.06
diesel $5.61 $6.87 $13.73

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.3 0 $3.27 $1.49
Efficient EV 7.8 0 $2.72 $1.24
EV Truck/SUV 12.4 0 $4.35 $1.99

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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 20, 2026

Origin

Crofton, MD

Late night in Crofton on Tuesday

Local time

4:47 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

North Bethesda, MD

Late night in North Bethesda on Tuesday

Local time

4:47 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°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

46m 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 turn-heavy local drive that balances regional highways with tighter maneuvering. While you will spend a notable portion of the journey transitioning between roads, the longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during your 16.1-mile transit on the Capital Beltway. The route lacks long, monotonous highway grinds, instead favoring a more active driving style as you shift between major thoroughfares. You should stay alert, as the road personality changes from the initial local highway segments to the faster, high-traffic environment of the Beltway before reaching your destination.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.1 mi on Capital Beltway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Crofton Parkway.

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 31.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Crofton Parkway): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.7 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.

Between Crofton, MD and North Bethesda, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring and Rockville.

Silver Spring

11.3 mi in | ~17m

Rockville

28.4 mi in | ~40m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 31.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

46m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 16.1 miles on Capital Beltway. 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 North Bethesda, 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 0.5 miles (Crofton Parkway): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield. 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 North Bethesda, 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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