Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
15.9 mi
26 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Friendship Village, MD
Jonathan Borba
Gaithersburg to Friendship Village is 15.9 miles and takes about 27 minutes via I 270 and Wisconsin Avenue, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. You'll find it's a straightforward drive, mostly on well-traveled roads, making it a convenient option for local travel. Given its brevity, it's ideal for a quick errand or a simple transfer without much fuss.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 270 | 9.1 mi | 12m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 2.2 mi | 5m |
| Rockville Pike | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| West Diamond Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Chestnut Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Park Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Frederick Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Gaithersburg, MD and Friendship Village, MD.
Start on this road
Turn left onto MD 355
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
Turn right onto MD 117
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Take the exit
Turn straight onto MD 355
Continue on MD 355
Turn right onto South Park Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Friendship Boulevard
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 11.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Chestnut 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 355 South: Bethesda
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$2.66 one way
$5.31 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $2.92 | $5.85 |
| premium | $5.01 | $3.14 | $6.27 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $3.50 | $7.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.67 | $0.76 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.39 | $0.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.23 | $1.02 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Gaithersburg on Friday
Local time
2:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Afternoon in Friendship Village on Friday
Local time
2:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
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.
About 57% of this 15.9-mile drive is on highways, with the longest continuous stretch on I 270 covering 9.1 miles. You'll transition from highway driving to surface streets as you near your destination. Expect a mixed driving experience with periods of faster highway speeds followed by more stop-and-go traffic on urban arterials like Rockville Pike and Wisconsin Avenue.
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 MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 15.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Chestnut Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
225 ft
Total Descent
423 ft
Highest Point
501 ft
Elevation Range
233 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Friendship Village, MD, road signs begin pointing toward College Park along the way.
College Park
Founded 1802
Gaithersburg is a city of 70,000 people (2020) in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C.
Top landmarks
Founded 1900
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 15.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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