Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Essex, MD to Rockville, 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 7m

Distance

47.4 mi

76 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 2m ★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 4m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown Rockville, MD, MD

Rockville, MD

Jonathan Borba

Trip Overview

Spanning 47.7 miles across Maryland, this trip from Essex to Rockville is a straightforward journey typically taking about 59 minutes. Because of the relatively short travel time, you can easily complete this drive in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $8 for fuel to cover the distance. The route transitions from the Northeast region of Essex toward the suburban landscape of Rockville. It serves as a practical connection between these two areas, making it a manageable drive for those looking to cross between these Maryland hubs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 95 26.5 mi 32m
Intercounty Connector 9.5 mi 11m
Norbeck Road 3.6 mi 6m
Eastern Avenue 2.5 mi 5m
Eastern Boulevard 1 mi 2m
Georgia Avenue 0.7 mi 1m
Veirs Mill Road 0.6 mi 1m
First Street 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 95 — 26.5 mi, about 32m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Essex, MD and Rockville, MD.

1

Start on this road

359 ft · 31 sec · this road
2

Turn left

184 ft · 15 sec
3

At end of road, turn right onto MD 150

1.0 mi · 2 min · Eastern Boulevard
4

Continue on MD 150

2.5 mi · 5 min · Eastern Avenue
Use the right lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward I 95 South: Washington Use the right lane.
6

Merge onto I 95

2.1 mi · 2 min · I 95
7

Keep slight right at fork onto I 95

24 mi · 29 min · I 95
Use the slight right lane.
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

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Exit 8B-A Toward MD 97: Georgia Avenue, Olney, Wheaton Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 8A Toward MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue South, Wheaton Use the straight lane.
12

Turn right onto MD 97

0.7 mi · 1 min · Georgia Avenue
13

Turn right onto MD 28

3.6 mi · 6 min · Norbeck Road
Use the right lane.
14

Continue on MD 28

0.5 mi · 56 sec · First Street
15

Turn right onto MD 28

0.6 mi · 1 min · Veirs Mill Road
16

Continue on MD 28

0.3 mi · 54 sec · East Jefferson Street
Use the right lane.
17

Turn right onto South Washington Street

300 ft · 9 sec · South Washington Street
Use the right lane.
18

Arrive at destination

South Washington Street

Where to Stop

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

census-designated place in Howard and Anne Arundel counties, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Jessup, MD

24 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

Baltimore, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Laurel, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 23.7 miles from Essex, 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 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 6 and 47.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
6 mi into trip | ~11m in | I 95

Keep slight right at fork onto I 95

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane.
7
30.4 mi into trip | ~41m 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
40.8 mi into trip | ~54m in

Take the exit toward MD 97: Georgia Avenue, Olney, Wheaton

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 8B-A Toward MD 97: Georgia Avenue, Olney, Wheaton
9
41.1 mi into trip | ~55m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue South, Wheaton

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

Use the straight lane. Exit 8A Toward MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue South, Wheat...
7
47.3 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in | South Washington Street

Turn right onto South Washington Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.86 one way

$15.72 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $8.61 $17.21
premium $4.93 $9.19 $18.39
diesel $5.61 $10.47 $20.93

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.2 0 $4.98 $2.28
Efficient EV 11.9 0 $4.15 $1.90
EV Truck/SUV 19 0 $6.64 $3.03

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Essex, MD

Morning in Essex on Sunday

Local time

6:18 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Rockville, MD

Morning in Rockville on Sunday

Local time

6:18 AM

EDT

Current temp

92°F

Mostly Sunny

SW 9 to 14 mph 3% 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

18 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

1h 7m 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?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route relies on Eastern Boulevard and Eastern Avenue before utilizing I-95 South. With a highway share of 0%, you will spend your time navigating local roads that require your full attention to manage frequent turns. The experience is defined by these technical segments rather than long, uninterrupted stretches of open pavement. Prepare for a more hands-on driving experience that demands alertness as you transition through the local road network.

56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.5 mi on I 95.

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 6 miles in near I 95.

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 47.4 miles you will encounter 12 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 6 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Essex, MD and Rockville, MD, road signs point toward Olney and Wheaton.

Olney

40.8 mi in | ~54m

Wheaton

40.8 mi in | ~54m

About the Cities

Starting in Essex, MD

Full guide →

Southeast Baltimore, fittingly, covers the areas in the southeast of Baltimore, ranging from industrial wastelands to charming neighborhoods both quiet and hip.

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 7m. Total distance: 47.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 26.5 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 Rockville, 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 6 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Rockville, 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

Explore More

Continue From Rockville, MD

Pocomoke City, MD 158.8 mi · 3h 36m Cumberland, MD 116.4 mi · 2h 13m Chestertown, MD 88.5 mi · 2h 2m Riverside, MD 66.4 mi · 1h 27m

More from Essex, MD

Frostburg, MD 156.3 mi · 3h 6m Greensboro, MD 70.5 mi · 1h 48m Montgomery Village, MD 52.3 mi · 1h 14m Gaithersburg, MD 49.7 mi · 1h 7m North Bethesda, MD 46.9 mi · 1h 6m Seat Pleasant, MD 43.1 mi · 1h 5m

More trips to Rockville, MD

Westernport, MD 139.6 mi Federalsburg, MD 101.6 mi Cambridge, MD 98.6 mi North East, MD 87.4 mi Greensboro, MD 86.2 mi California, MD 82.1 mi
Escape planner: Essex, MD Scenic drives in MD

Explore more options from Essex, MD or browse trips ending in Rockville, MD.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.