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Trip from Gaithersburg, MD to Dundalk, 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 5m

Distance

48.1 mi

77 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 1m ★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Gaithersburg, MD, MD

Gaithersburg, MD

Kristopher Hines

census-designated place in Maryland, United States

Dundalk, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 48.1-mile drive from Gaithersburg, MD, to Dundalk, MD, is a straightforward trip designed for a single day. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 5 minutes on the road, with a fuel cost estimated at $8. The route primarily utilizes I-95 and the Intercounty Connector, making it a quick journey within the Northeast region. With no recommended stops, this drive is ideal for those looking for efficiency and direct travel between these two Maryland locations. You'll cover a significant portion of the distance on major highways, so it's a practical choice for a day trip.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 95 22.1 mi 27m
Intercounty Connector 15.9 mi 20m
Broening Highway 1.6 mi 3m
South Frederick Avenue 1.4 mi 2m
Shady Grove Road 1.1 mi 2m
Keith Avenue 0.9 mi 2m
Frederick Road 0.4 mi <1m
North Frederick Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 95 — 22.1 mi, about 27m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Gaithersburg, MD and Dundalk, 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

20 mi · 24 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight right at fork onto I 95

2.1 mi · 2 min · I 95
Use the slight right lane.
15

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 55 sec
Use the slight right lane.
16

Turn left onto Keith Avenue

0.7 mi · 1 min · Keith Avenue
17

Keep slight right at fork onto Keith Avenue

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Keith Avenue
18

Turn straight onto Broening Highway

1.6 mi · 3 min · Broening Highway
19

Turn left onto Belclare Road

490 ft · 20 sec · Belclare Road
20

Turn right onto Dundalk Avenue

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Dundalk Avenue
21

Continue on Dundalk Avenue

285 ft · 12 sec · Dundalk Avenue
22

Arrive at destination

1 ft · Dundalk Avenue

Where to Stop

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

city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Laurel, MD

24 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

Kemp Mill, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Laurel, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 3.1 and 42.8 — 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
6
42.8 mi into trip | ~55m in | I 95

Keep slight right at fork onto I 95

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.97 one way

$15.95 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $8.73 $17.47
premium $4.93 $9.33 $18.66
diesel $5.61 $10.62 $21.24

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.4 0 $5.05 $2.31
Efficient EV 12 0 $4.21 $1.92
EV Truck/SUV 19.2 0 $6.73 $3.08

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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 17, 2026

Origin

Gaithersburg, MD

Late night in Gaithersburg on Sunday

Local time

12:35 AM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Dundalk, MD

Late night in Dundalk on Sunday

Local time

12:35 AM

EDT

Current temp

72°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

1 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

1h 5m 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?

The journey to Dundalk from Gaithersburg offers a mixed driving experience, with 46% of the route on highways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 22.1 miles on I-95, providing a period of consistent, high-speed travel. Beyond these main arteries, the drive incorporates other significant roads like the Intercounty Connector and Broening Highway, suggesting a transition to more urban or suburban thoroughfares as you approach your destination. The overall profile suggests a blend of interstate cruising and potentially more varied road conditions closer to Dundalk.

46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.1 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

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.1 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 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.

On the drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Dundalk, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Burtonsville along the way.

Burtonsville

19.5 mi in | ~27m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 48.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 22.1 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 Dundalk, 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. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dundalk, 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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Explore More

Return Trip

Dundalk, MD to Gaithersburg, MD

Plan the drive back the other way.

46.7 mi 1h 2m

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