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Trip from Frederick, MD to Arlington, MD

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

Drive Time

58m

Distance

45.9 mi

74 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 54m ★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m

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

city in Frederick County, Maryland, United States

Frederick, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Arlington, MD, MD

Arlington, MD

RDNE Stock project

Trip Overview

Frederick, MD to Arlington, MD is 45.9 miles and takes about 58 minutes via I 70 and the Baltimore Beltway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This highway-focused drive will take you through the Northeast region as you travel within Maryland. It's a relatively short trip, making it ideal for a quick commute or an easy day trip. Given its duration, most travelers can complete this journey without needing an overnight stay. The primary roads involved are I 70 and the Baltimore Beltway, suggesting a predominantly interstate experience.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 70 36.6 mi 39m
Baltimore Beltway 2.2 mi 3m
Liberty Road 2 mi 4m
West Northern Parkway 1.7 mi 3m
North East Street 0.6 mi 1m
East Church Street 0.3 mi <1m
Jonquil Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
East Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 70 — 36.6 mi, about 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and Arlington, MD.

1

Start on MD 144

122 ft · 7 sec · East Patrick Street
2

Turn right onto North Market Street

435 ft · 18 sec · North Market Street
3

Turn right onto East Church Street

0.3 mi · 47 sec · East Church Street
4

Turn right onto North East Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · North East Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Enter roundabout onto East Street

101 ft · 1 sec · East Street
6

Continue on East Street

0.1 mi · 14 sec · East Street
7

Continue on MD 85

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Buckeystown Pike
8

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 45 sec
Toward I 70 East, US 40 East
9

Merge onto I 70; US 40

21 mi · 22 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on I 70; US 40

6.5 mi · 6 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 70

9.1 mi · 9 min · I 70
Toward Baltimore Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 16 sec
Exit 91B-A Toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Towson, Baltimore, Glen Burnie Use the slight right lane.
13

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 91B Toward I 695 North: New York, Towson Use the slight left lane.
14

Merge onto I 695

2.2 mi · 3 min · Baltimore Beltway
15

Take the exit

394 ft · 9 sec
Exit 18A-B Toward MD 26: Liberty Road, Randallstown, Lochearn Use the slight right lane.
16

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Exit 18A Toward MD 26 East: Liberty Road, Lochearn Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Turn right onto MD 26

2.0 mi · 4 min · Liberty Road
Use the right lane.
18

Turn left onto West Northern Parkway

1.7 mi · 3 min · West Northern Parkway
Use the left lane.
19

Turn right onto Jonquil Avenue

427 ft · 19 sec · Jonquil Avenue
20

Turn left onto West Rogers Avenue

107 ft · 5 sec · West Rogers Avenue
21

Turn right onto Jonquil Avenue

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Jonquil Avenue
22

At end of road, turn left onto Lewiston Avenue

0.1 mi · 22 sec · Lewiston Avenue
23

Arrive at destination

Cuthbert Avenue

Where to Stop

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

planned community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Columbia, MD

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.

Popular next leg

Columbia, MD to Arlington, MD

16.8 mi · 27m

Pacing Suggestions

Mount Airy, MD

Fuel and coffee

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

Mount Airy, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22.9 miles from Frederick, 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 18

5 decision points cluster between mile 29.2 and 41.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
29.2 mi into trip | ~33m in | I 70

Keep slight left at fork onto I 70 toward Baltimore

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Baltimore
8
38.4 mi into trip | ~43m in

Take the exit toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Towson, Baltimore, Glen Burnie

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 91B-A Toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Tows...
9
38.6 mi into trip | ~43m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 695 North: New York, Towson

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

Use the slight left lane. Exit 91B Toward I 695 North: New York, Towson
8
41.6 mi into trip | ~48m in

Take the exit toward MD 26: Liberty Road, Randallstown, Lochearn

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 18A-B Toward MD 26: Liberty Road, Randallstown, Loche...
10
41.6 mi into trip | ~48m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MD 26 East: Liberty Road, Lochearn

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 18A Toward MD 26 East: Liberty Road, Lochearn

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.61 one way

$15.22 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $8.33 $16.67
premium $4.93 $8.90 $17.80
diesel $5.61 $10.13 $20.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.1 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 13.8 0 $4.82 $2.20
Efficient EV 11.5 0 $4.02 $1.84
EV Truck/SUV 18.4 0 $6.43 $2.94

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Frederick, MD

Morning in Frederick on Sunday

Local time

6:10 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Arlington, MD

Morning in Arlington on Sunday

Local time

6:10 AM

EDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

75°F

Columbia, MD

23 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

4 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

58m 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 route is heavily highway-oriented, with an 84% highway share, making for a fast-paced journey. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 36.6 miles primarily on I 70, which will likely feel like a continuous interstate cruise. While the profile is 'Highway-focused drive,' expect the latter part of the journey to involve navigating the Baltimore Beltway, which can introduce more traffic and lane changes as you approach your destination. The road character remains consistent for the most part, emphasizing efficiency over scenic detours.

84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.6 mi on I 70.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Baltimore Beltway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 29.2 miles in near I 70.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 18 decision points packed into just 45.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 29.2 miles (I 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Frederick, MD and Arlington, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore, Towson, Glen Burnie, Randallstown and Lochearn.

Baltimore

29.2 mi in | ~33m | via I 70

Towson

38.4 mi in | ~43m

Glen Burnie

38.4 mi in | ~43m

Randallstown

41.6 mi in | ~48m

Lochearn

41.6 mi in | ~48m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 45.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

58m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 36.6 miles on I 70. 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 Arlington, 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 29.2 miles (I 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Arlington, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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