Origin
Frederick, MD
Late night in Frederick on Sunday
Local time
3:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frederick, MD to Westminster, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
33.4 mi
54 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Westminster, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 33.4-mile drive from Frederick to Westminster, Maryland, is a manageable journey that can easily be completed in under an hour, making it a perfect day trip. With a fuel cost estimated at $6, it's an economical option for a quick excursion within the Northeast region. The route is a mixed drive, incorporating both highway and local roads, offering a varied experience. You won't need to split this drive into an overnight stay; it's designed for a single day's adventure. This trip is all about efficient travel between two points in Maryland.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ridge Road | 17.7 mi | 27m |
| I 70 | 12.9 mi | 13m |
| Liberty Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| North East Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Church Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Buckeystown Pike | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Market Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ridge Road
— 17.7 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and Westminster, 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
13 mi
·
13 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 68
Toward MD 27: Damascus, Mount Airy
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
278 ft
·
9 sec
Toward MD 27 North: Mount Airy, Westminster, Historic Towns, Challedon
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto MD 27
18 mi
·
27 min
·
Ridge Road
13
Continue on MD 27
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Liberty Street
14
Arrive at destination
MD 27
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.7 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 95 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
|
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.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 70; US 40
Merge onto I 70; US 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
14.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward MD 27: Damascus, Mount Airy
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 68
Toward MD 27: Damascus, Mount Airy
9
14.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 27 North: Mount Airy, Westminster, Historic Towns, Challedon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 27 North: Mount Airy, Westminster, Hi...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.54 one way
$11.07 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.06 | $12.13 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.48 | $12.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.37 | $14.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.60 |
| Efficient EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.92 | $1.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.68 | $2.14 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Westminster, MD
Late night in Westminster on Sunday
Local time
3:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
73°F
Mount Airy, MD
17 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
6 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
48m 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?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 39% of the journey taking place on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.7 miles along Ridge Road. While I-70 provides a faster pace for a portion of the trip, you'll also navigate through local streets like Liberty Street as you approach Westminster. This blend means you'll experience both open highway cruising and more typical town driving, keeping your attention engaged throughout the approximately 48-minute travel time.
39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.7 mi on Ridge Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 early in the drive near North Market Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 33.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
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 1.7 miles (I 70; US 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Westminster, MD, road signs point toward Mount Airy, Historic Towns and Challedon.
Mount Airy
14.6 mi in
|
~18m
Historic Towns
14.9 mi in
|
~18m
Challedon
14.9 mi in
|
~18m
About the Cities
Arriving in Westminster, MD
Full guide →Westminster is the county seat of Carroll County in Central Maryland.
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 48m. Total distance: 33.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). 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 17.7 miles on Ridge Road. 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 Westminster, 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 1.7 miles (I 70; US 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (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 Westminster, 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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