Origin
Eldersburg, MD
Late night in Eldersburg on Tuesday
Local time
4:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eldersburg, MD to Hagerstown, 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
1h 11m
Distance
55.5 mi
89 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eldersburg, MD
Jonathan Borba
Hagerstown, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Eldersburg, MD to Hagerstown, MD is 55.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 11 minutes via I 70, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a quick, highway-focused trip, making it ideal for a same-day journey. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, so don't expect a lot of meandering backroads. Plan for a simple commute rather than an extensive sightseeing adventure.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 43.9 mi | 47m |
| Dual Highway | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| Forsythe Road | 2.9 mi | 7m |
| Sykesville Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Springfield Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Route 97 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Old Frederick Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Franklin Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 43.9 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eldersburg, MD and Hagerstown, MD.
1
Start on this road
47 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
150 ft
·
11 sec
3
Turn uturn onto MD 32
342 ft
·
20 sec
·
Sykesville Road
4
Continue on MD 32
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Sykesville Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto MD 851
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Springfield Avenue
Use the straight lane.
6
At end of road, turn left onto MD 851
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
Main Street
7
Continue on West Friendship Road
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
West Friendship Road
8
Turn right onto Forsythe Road
2.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Forsythe Road
9
Continue on Old Frederick Road
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
Old Frederick Road
10
Turn left onto MD 97
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Route 97
11
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
12
Merge onto I 70; US 40
11 mi
·
11 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 70; US 40
33 mi
·
35 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 32B
Toward US 40 West: Hagerstown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn straight onto US 40
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Dual Highway
16
Continue on US 40
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
East Franklin Street
17
Turn left onto North Potomac Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Potomac Street
18
Turn left onto US 40
118 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Washington Street
Use the left lane.
19
Arrive at destination
US 40
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.8 miles from Eldersburg, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 55.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MD 32 / Sykesville Road
Turn uturn onto MD 32 / Sykesville Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
7.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 70; US 40
Merge onto I 70; US 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
51.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward US 40 West: Hagerstown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 32B
Toward US 40 West: Hagerstown
6
55.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
US 40 / East Washington Street
Turn left onto US 40 / East Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.20 one way
$18.40 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.08 | $20.15 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.76 | $21.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.25 | $24.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.83 | $2.66 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.77 | $3.55 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Hagerstown, MD
Late night in Hagerstown on Tuesday
Local time
4:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
63°F
Mount Airy, MD
28 mi in
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
1h 11m 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 drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 80% of the route utilizing major roads like I 70. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 43.9 miles on I 70, which forms the backbone of this journey. While there are brief moments on roads like Dual Highway and Forsythe Road, the character remains largely that of a fast-paced interstate commute. Expect consistent speeds and straightforward navigation for the majority of your travel time.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.9 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Dual Highway. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.5 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (MD 32 / Sykesville Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 7.6 miles (I 70; US 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Hagerstown, MD
Full guide →Hagerstown, nicknamed The Hub City, is a charming city on the edge of the Appalachian Mountains and near the Potomac River in northwestern Maryland, United States.
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 1h 11m. Total distance: 55.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 43.9 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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: Navigation decision point; near the start (MD 32 / Sykesville Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 7.6 miles (I 70; US 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (5 total within detour distance). 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 Hagerstown, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Hagerstown, MD
More from Eldersburg, MD
More trips to Hagerstown, MD
Explore more options from Eldersburg, MD or browse trips ending in Hagerstown, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.