Origin
Crownsville, MD
Morning in Crownsville on Tuesday
Local time
6:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Crownsville, MD to Gaithersburg, MD
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
43.7 mi
70 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Trip Overview
Crownsville, MD to Gaithersburg, MD is 43.7 miles and takes about 59 minutes via Intercounty Connector and I-95, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, connecting two points in Maryland. The profile indicates a mix of highway driving and surface roads, suggesting a relatively straightforward commute. With a duration under an hour and minimal stops recommended, this route is well-suited for a quick day trip or a segment of a larger journey. Plan for a drive that balances faster highway speeds with more local road navigation.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Intercounty Connector | 15.7 mi | 19m |
| Patuxent Freeway | 14.7 mi | 20m |
| I 95 | 6.5 mi | 7m |
| South Frederick Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Generals Highway | 1 mi | 1m |
| I 97 | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| I 370 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Frederick Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Intercounty Connector
— 15.7 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Crownsville, MD and Gaithersburg, MD.
1
Start on Lancers Trail
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Lancers Trail
2
Turn right onto MD 178
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Generals Highway
3
Take the ramp
1.0 mi
·
2 min
4
Merge onto I 97
0.7 mi
·
48 sec
·
I 97
5
Keep slight right at fork onto MD 32
15 mi
·
20 min
·
Patuxent Freeway
Exit 7
Toward MD 32: Columbia, Bowie
Use the slight right lane.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 13B
Toward I 95 South: Washington
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Merge onto I 95
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 31B
Toward MD 200 Toll West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto MD 200 Toll
9.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Intercounty Connector
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on MD 200 Toll
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Intercounty Connector
Exit 8A
11
Continue on I 370
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
·
I 370
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 2
Toward MD 355: Rockville, Gaithersburg
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto MD 355
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Frederick Road
14
Continue on MD 355
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
South Frederick Avenue
15
Turn left
85 ft
·
6 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.9 miles from Crownsville, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 41.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
MD 32 / Patuxent Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto MD 32 / Patuxent Freeway toward MD 32: Columbia, Bowie
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 7
Toward MD 32: Columbia, Bowie
7
17.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 13B
Toward I 95 South: Washington
5
17.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
24.5 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward MD 200 Toll West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31B
Toward MD 200 Toll West
8
41.6 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward MD 355: Rockville, Gaithersburg
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 2
Toward MD 355: Rockville, Gaithersburg
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.24 one way
$14.49 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.93 | $15.87 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.48 | $16.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.65 | $19.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
| Efficient EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.82 | $1.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.12 | $2.80 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Gaithersburg, MD
Morning in Gaithersburg on Tuesday
Local time
6:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°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
1 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
59m 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 43.7-mile drive features a 51% highway share, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on faster roads. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 15.7 miles, specifically on the Intercounty Connector. Expect the transition from a more open highway feel to surface streets as you get closer to your destination. The mixed profile suggests you'll encounter both efficient cruising and areas with more frequent intersections and traffic signals.
51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.7 mi on Intercounty Connector.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 near MD 32 / Patuxent Freeway.
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 9 decision points packed into just 43.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles (MD 32 / Patuxent Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
501 ft
119 ft
Total Climb
603 ft
Total Descent
227 ft
Highest Point
501 ft
~43.7 mi in
Elevation Range
382 ft
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.
On the drive from Crownsville, MD to Gaithersburg, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Bowie along the way.
Bowie
2.8 mi in
|
~5m
|
via MD 32
About the Cities
Arriving in Gaithersburg, MD
Full guide →Gaithersburg is a city of 70,000 people (2020) in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 43.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (51%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.7 miles on Intercounty Connector. 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 Gaithersburg, 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 (MD 32 / Patuxent Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Gaithersburg, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. 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 Gaithersburg, MD
More from Crownsville, MD
More trips to Gaithersburg, MD
Explore more options from Crownsville, MD or browse trips ending in Gaithersburg, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.