Origin
Frederick, MD
Late night in Frederick on Sunday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frederick, MD to Takoma Park, 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 1m
Distance
41.4 mi
67 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Takoma Park, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Frederick, MD to Takoma Park, MD is 41.4 miles and takes about 1h 1m via Eisenhower Memorial Highway and I-270, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region down toward the Washington D.C. metro area. Expect a fairly direct trip that involves a significant portion on highways before transitioning to more local roads as you approach your destination. It's a manageable drive that can easily be completed within a single day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | 21.6 mi | 27m |
| I 270 | 9.4 mi | 12m |
| Capital Beltway | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Georgia Avenue | 2 mi | 4m |
| Buckeystown Pike | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Philadelphia Avenue | 1.1 mi | 3m |
| North East Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Church Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Eisenhower Memorial Highway
— 21.6 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and Takoma Park, 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
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Buckeystown Pike
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 270 South
9
Merge onto I 270
22 mi
·
27 min
·
Eisenhower Memorial Highway
Use the right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
6.6 mi
·
9 min
·
I 270
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
12
Merge onto I 495
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Capital Beltway
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 31B
Toward MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue South, Silver Spring
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn right onto MD 97
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Georgia Avenue
Use the right lane.
15
Turn right
96 ft
·
10 sec
16
Turn left onto MD 410
220 ft
·
11 sec
·
East-West Highway
17
Turn left onto MD 410
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Burlington Avenue
18
Continue on MD 410
1.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Philadelphia Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
MD 410
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.7 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 37.8 — 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
|
North Market Street
Turn right onto North Market Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
North East Street
Turn right onto North East Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
24.7 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
31.3 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
I 270
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
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
8
37.8 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue South, Silver Spring
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 31B
Toward MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue South, Silve...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.86 one way
$13.73 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.52 | $15.03 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.03 | $16.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.14 | $18.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.35 | $1.99 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.62 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.80 | $2.65 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Takoma Park, MD
Late night in Takoma Park on Sunday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
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
8 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 1m 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?
About 23% of this 41.4-mile route is on highways, including a 21.6-mile stretch on Eisenhower Memorial Highway. After the highway portion, you'll encounter more city driving and intersections. Be prepared for frequent turns and traffic signals as you get closer to Takoma Park. The change from highway cruising to local streets is noticeable.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.6 mi on Eisenhower Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 early in the drive near North Market Street.
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 41.4 miles you will encounter 14 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 (North Market Street): Navigation decision point; 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Takoma Park, MD, road signs point toward College Park and Silver Spring.
College Park
31.3 mi in
|
~43m
|
via I 270
Silver Spring
37.8 mi in
|
~52m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 41.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.6 miles on Eisenhower Memorial Highway. 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 Takoma Park, 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: near the start (North Market Street): Navigation decision point; 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.
Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (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 Takoma Park, 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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