Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
46.3 mi
74 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Brentwood, MD
RDNE Stock project
This 46.3-mile journey from Frederick, MD to Brentwood, MD is a manageable one-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 9 minutes to complete. Primarily utilizing the Eisenhower Memorial Highway, I-270, and the Capital Beltway, you'll experience a mix of highway driving and more local roads. With an estimated fuel cost of $8, this drive is budget-friendly for a single day. The route stays within the Northeast region, specifically within Maryland, offering a straightforward transition between two points. Consider this a practical option when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | 21.6 mi | 27m |
| I 270 | 9.4 mi | 12m |
| Capital Beltway | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| University Boulevard East | 2.6 mi | 5m |
| Buckeystown Pike | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Ager Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Riggs Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 38th Street | 0.7 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and Brentwood, MD.
Start on MD 144
Turn right onto North Market Street
Turn right onto East Church Street
Turn right onto North East Street
Enter roundabout onto East Street
Continue on East Street
Continue on MD 85
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Turn straight onto MD 193
Turn right onto MD 212
Turn left onto MD 410
Keep slight right at fork onto Ager Road
Turn left onto Hamilton Street
Turn right onto MD 208
Arrive at destination
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.
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 23.1 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 43.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto North East Street
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 193 East: Langley Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto Ager Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$7.68 one way
$15.35 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.41 | $16.81 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.98 | $17.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.22 | $20.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.2 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 | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
| Efficient EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.48 | $2.96 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Frederick on Tuesday
Local time
6:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Scattered Rain Showers
Destination
Morning in Brentwood on Tuesday
Local time
6:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a "turn-heavy local drive" for much of this 46.3-mile route, though it does incorporate some highway sections. About 20% of your drive will be on faster roads like I-270 and the Capital Beltway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 21.6 miles on the Eisenhower Memorial Highway. This means you'll be navigating a variety of road types, transitioning between higher-speed travel and more frequent turns as you get closer to your destination.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near North East Street.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.3 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.4 miles (North East Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 24.7 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.3 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Frederick, MD to Brentwood, MD, road signs begin pointing toward College Park along the way.
College Park
Frederick is a charming city of approximately 80,000 people (2020) in Maryland. It is a major antique center with many shops, eateries, galleries and antique dealers.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 46.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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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