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Trip from Fairland, MD to Gaithersburg, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

24m

Distance

17.1 mi

27 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Fair

4 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 6 min
4 AM
0h 23m ★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 23m ★

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 Fairland, MD, MD

Fairland, MD

Jonathan Borba

Downtown Gaithersburg, MD, MD

Gaithersburg, MD

Kristopher Hines

Trip Overview

This 17.1-mile drive from Fairland to Gaithersburg, Maryland, is a quick trip that can easily be completed in about 24 minutes. With a fuel cost estimated at $3, it's an economical option for a day trip. The route primarily utilizes the Intercounty Connector and I 370, making it a fairly direct journey within the Northeast region. Given its short duration and minimal stops recommended, this drive is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. Expect a drive that involves navigating local roads and some highway segments.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Intercounty Connector 13.3 mi 16m
South Frederick Avenue 1.6 mi 3m
I 370 0.5 mi <1m
Fairland Road 0.3 mi 1m
Frederick Road 0.2 mi <1m
Columbia Pike <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Intercounty Connector — 13.3 mi, about 16m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fairland, MD and Gaithersburg, MD.

1

Start on Fairland Road

175 ft · 30 sec · Fairland Road
Use the straight lane.
2

Continue on Fairland Road

0.3 mi · 32 sec · Fairland Road
Use the left lane.
3

Turn left onto US 29

397 ft · 15 sec · Columbia Pike
4

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward MD 200 Toll Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward MD 200 Toll West Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto MD 200 Toll

7.1 mi · 8 min · Intercounty Connector
7

Continue on MD 200 Toll

6.2 mi · 7 min · Intercounty Connector
Exit 8A
8

Continue on I 370

0.5 mi · 41 sec · I 370
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Exit 2 Toward MD 355: Rockville, Gaithersburg Use the slight right lane.
10

Turn right onto MD 355

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Frederick Road
11

Continue on MD 355

1.6 mi · 3 min · South Frederick Avenue
12

Turn left

85 ft · 6 sec
13

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 14.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Fairland Road

Continue onto Fairland Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
3
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | US 29 / Columbia Pike

Turn left onto US 29 / Columbia Pike

Navigation decision point

7
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the exit toward MD 200 Toll

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward MD 200 Toll
7
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 200 Toll West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward MD 200 Toll West
8
14.9 mi into trip | ~20m 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

$2.83 one way

$5.67 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $3.10 $6.21
premium $4.93 $3.32 $6.63
diesel $5.61 $3.78 $7.55

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.1 0 $1.80 $0.82
Efficient EV 4.3 0 $1.50 $0.68
EV Truck/SUV 6.8 0 $2.39 $1.09

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Fairland, MD

Late night in Fairland on Sunday

Local time

3:29 AM

EDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gaithersburg, MD

Late night in Gaithersburg on Sunday

Local time

3:29 AM

EDT

Current temp

92°F

Mostly Sunny

SW 13 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

16 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

24m 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?

This drive is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' suggesting a need for attention to navigation. While 39% of the journey is on highways like the Intercounty Connector and I 370, you'll also encounter local roads such as South Frederick Avenue. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 13.3 miles on the Intercounty Connector, offering a brief period of more consistent speed. The road's personality shifts between the efficiency of the highway and the more stop-and-go nature of urban or suburban thoroughfares.

Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on Intercounty Connector.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Fairland Road.

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 17.1 miles you will encounter 7 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 (Fairland Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (US 29 / Columbia Pike): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 17.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

24m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (3%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 13.3 miles on Intercounty Connector. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 (Fairland Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (US 29 / Columbia Pike): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

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 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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