Origin
Gaithersburg, MD
Late night in Gaithersburg on Sunday
Local time
3:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gaithersburg, MD to Baltimore, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
43.2 mi
70 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Gaithersburg to Baltimore, expect a straightforward 43.2-mile journey that typically takes about 59 minutes. This route is a classic day trip, easily manageable in a single day without the need for an overnight stay. You will navigate a mix of local roads like South Frederick Avenue and major arteries including the Intercounty Connector and I-95. With a fuel cost of just $7, it is an incredibly budget-friendly transit between these two Maryland hubs. Since both cities are located within the Northeast region, the transition is seamless and familiar for those accustomed to the area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 17.9 mi | 21m |
| Intercounty Connector | 15.9 mi | 20m |
| South Frederick Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Shady Grove Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Russell Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| West Baltimore Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Frederick Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Paca Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 17.9 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gaithersburg, MD and Baltimore, MD.
1
Start on this road
85 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto MD 355
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
North Frederick Avenue
3
Continue on MD 355
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Frederick Avenue
4
Continue on MD 355
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Frederick Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Turn left onto Shady Grove Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Shady Grove Road
6
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward MD 200 Toll East
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto MD 200 Toll
16 mi
·
20 min
·
Intercounty Connector
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 19C
Toward I 95: Laurel, Burtonsville
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
Toward MD 198: Konterra Drive
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward MD 198: Laurel, Burtonsville
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
Toward MD 198 West: Burtonsville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
13
Merge onto I 95
18 mi
·
21 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 52
Toward Russell Street North
Use the slight right lane.
15
Continue on MD 295
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Russell Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Continue on MD 295
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Paca Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn right onto West Baltimore Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Baltimore Street
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn left
281 ft
·
25 sec
19
At end of road, turn left onto East Fayette Street
212 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Fayette Street
20
Arrive at destination
East Fayette Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.6 miles from Gaithersburg, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 3.1 and 40.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
3.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Turn left toward MD 200 Toll East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward MD 200 Toll East
8
19.5 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 95: Laurel, Burtonsville
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 19C
Toward I 95: Laurel, Burtonsville
6
20.5 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 198: Laurel, Burtonsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MD 198: Laurel, Burtonsville
7
21.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 198 West: Burtonsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 198 West: Burtonsville
7
40.6 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward Russell Street North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 52
Toward Russell Street North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.16 one way
$14.32 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.84 | $15.69 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.38 | $16.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.54 | $19.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13 | 0 | $4.54 | $2.07 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.78 | $1.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.05 | $2.76 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Baltimore, MD
Late night in Baltimore on Sunday
Local time
3:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Mostly Cloudy then Scattered Rain Showers
W 6 to 14 mph
34% 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
4 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
59m 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 trip offers a mixed driving profile, balancing local navigation with heavy-duty highway transit. Roughly 41% of your journey will be spent on highways, providing a blend of suburban movement and faster interstate flow. You should prepare for a consistent pace, with your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 17.9 miles specifically on I-95. As you transition away from the local streets of Gaithersburg, the road character shifts from regional thoroughfares into a more structured, high-speed interstate environment. It is a functional drive that trades scenic variety for direct efficiency.
41% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.9 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 around 3.1 miles in.
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 13 decision points packed into just 43.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 19.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Gaithersburg, MD and Baltimore, MD, road signs point toward Burtonsville and Russell Street North.
Burtonsville
19.5 mi in
|
~27m
Russell Street North
40.6 mi in
|
~52m
About the Cities
Arriving in Baltimore, MD
Full guide →“Bodymore, Murderland” · Founded 1729
Slices of American history are around every corner in Baltimore. Maryland's largest city is a gritty old seaport town that's perhaps most famous as the site of Fort McHenry, where, at the height of the War of 1812, the sight of a tattered but defiant American flag flying over the harbor, despite a furious British bombardment, inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that was later adapted into the U.S. national anthem "Star-Spangled Banner". Nowadays, Baltimore's nonstop nightlife, temperate climate, tradition of hospitality (they don't call this place "Charm City" for nothing), and cultural attractions — not to mention its prime location on the juncture of Chesapeake Bay — made it one of the major tourist destinations of the Mid-Atlantic region.
Top landmarks
- • Johns Hopkins Hospital — hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- • Walters Art Museum — art museum in Baltimore, Maryland, US
- • Baltimore Museum of Art — art museum in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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 59m. Total distance: 43.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). 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 17.9 miles on I 95. 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 Baltimore, 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 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 19.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Baltimore, 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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