Origin
District of Columbia, DC
Night in District of Columbia on Saturday
Local time
9:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from District of Columbia, DC to Frederick, 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 12m
Distance
45.8 mi
74 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
District of Columbia, DC
Ramaz Bluashvili
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 45.8-mile drive from the District of Columbia to Frederick, Maryland is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 12 minutes. Primarily utilizing I-270 and the Capital Beltway, this route is heavily highway-focused, with 67% of the journey on interstates. Given its short duration and modest fuel cost of around $8, it's an ideal day trip, allowing you to maximize your time in Frederick without needing an overnight stay. The drive will take you from the bustling Northeast region of DC into the Northeast region of Maryland, offering a transition from urban to suburban landscapes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 270 | 30.9 mi | 39m |
| Capital Beltway | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Georgia Avenue | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Buckeystown Pike | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Eastern Avenue Northeast | 1 mi | 2m |
| 4th Street Northeast | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Blair Road Northwest | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Harewood Road Northeast | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 270
— 30.9 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between District of Columbia, DC and Frederick, MD.
1
Start on this road
351 ft
·
30 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto V Street Northeast
152 ft
·
10 sec
·
V Street Northeast
3
Turn right onto 4th Street Northeast
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
4th Street Northeast
4
Continue on 4th Street Northeast
270 ft
·
7 sec
·
4th Street Northeast
5
Continue on Harewood Road Northeast
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Harewood Road Northeast
Use the straight lane.
6
At end of road, turn left onto Taylor Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Taylor Street Northeast
7
Continue on Fort Drive Northeast
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Fort Drive Northeast
8
Keep slight right at fork
156 ft
·
7 sec
Use the right lane.
9
Turn straight onto North Capitol Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
North Capitol Street Northeast
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on Hawaii Avenue Northeast
447 ft
·
17 sec
·
Hawaii Avenue Northeast
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on North Capitol Street Northwest
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
North Capitol Street Northwest
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn right onto New Hampshire Avenue Northeast
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
New Hampshire Avenue Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn slight right
106 ft
·
3 sec
14
Turn straight onto Rittenhouse Street Northeast
360 ft
·
19 sec
·
Rittenhouse Street Northeast
15
Turn sharp left onto Eastern Avenue Northeast
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Eastern Avenue Northeast
16
Continue on Carroll Street Northwest
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Carroll Street Northwest
17
Continue on Cedar Street Northwest
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Cedar Street Northwest
18
Turn slight right onto Blair Road Northwest
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Blair Road Northwest
Use the right lane.
19
Turn right onto US 29
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Georgia Avenue
20
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 495 West: Northern Virginia
21
Merge onto I 495
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
I 270
Exit 35
Toward I 270 North: Frederick
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
27 mi
·
34 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 North
Use the slight right lane.
24
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 31
Toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown
Use the slight right lane.
25
Turn right onto MD 85
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Buckeystown Pike
Use the straight lane.
26
Continue on MD 85
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Buckeystown Pike
27
Continue on East Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
East Street
28
Enter roundabout onto East Street
119 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Street
29
Continue on East Street
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
East Street
30
Turn left onto MD 144
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
East South Street
31
Turn right onto South Carroll Street
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
South Carroll Street
32
Turn left onto MD 144
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
East Patrick Street
33
Arrive at destination
MD 144
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 22.9 miles from District of Columbia, DC, 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 205 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 42.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
3.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
Eastern Avenue Northeast
Turn sharp left onto Eastern Avenue Northeast
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
8
12.1 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North: Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 35
Toward I 270 North: Frederick
7
15.6 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 270 North
8
42.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown
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 31
Toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.59 one way
$15.19 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.32 | $16.63 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.88 | $17.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.11 | $20.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.81 | $2.20 |
| Efficient EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.01 | $1.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.41 | $2.93 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Frederick, MD
Night in Frederick on Saturday
Local time
9:06 PM
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
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 12m 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 highway-focused experience for most of this journey, with 67% of the route on high-speed roads like I-270 and the Capital Beltway. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of 30.9 miles on I-270, so be prepared for sustained highway cruising. While the majority of the drive is on these main arteries, there will be transitions onto roads like Georgia Avenue, offering a slight change of pace before reaching your destination. The overall feel is one of efficient travel, designed for getting you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
33 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.9 mi on I 270.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 270 and Capital Beltway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.8 miles you will encounter 20 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 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (Eastern Avenue Northeast): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 12.1 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
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 District of Columbia, DC to Frederick, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Buckeystown along the way.
Buckeystown
42.9 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 45.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.9 miles on I 270. 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 Frederick, 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 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (Eastern Avenue Northeast): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 12.1 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. 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 Frederick, 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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