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Trip from Gaithersburg, MD to Fulton, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

32m

Distance

19.2 mi

31 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 30m ★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m

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

Downtown Fulton, MD, MD

Fulton, MD

RDNE Stock project

Trip Overview

Gaithersburg, MD to Fulton, MD is 19.2 miles and takes about 32 minutes via Intercounty Connector, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region of the state. Expect a local, turn-heavy experience rather than a highway cruise. Given its brevity, this trip is ideal for a quick errand or a short hop between communities, easily accomplished within a single day.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Intercounty Connector 5 mi 6m
Ednor Road 3.9 mi 6m
Norbeck Road 2.6 mi 4m
Lime Kiln Road 1.9 mi 3m
South Frederick Avenue 1.4 mi 2m
Shady Grove Road 1.1 mi 2m
Browns Bridge Road 0.8 mi 1m
Layhill Road 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Intercounty Connector — 5 mi, about 6m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

5.0 mi · 6 min · Intercounty Connector
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Exit 8A; 8B Toward MD 97 South, MD 97 North: Wheaton, Olney Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Exit 8A Toward MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue, Wheaton Use the slight right lane.
10

Turn straight onto MD 97

0.5 mi · 51 sec · Georgia Avenue
11

Turn left onto MD 28

2.6 mi · 4 min · Norbeck Road
Use the left lane.
12

Turn left onto MD 182

0.5 mi · 59 sec · Layhill Road
13

Continue on Ednor Road

3.9 mi · 6 min · Ednor Road
14

Continue on Browns Bridge Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · Browns Bridge Road
15

Turn right onto Lime Kiln Road

1.9 mi · 3 min · Lime Kiln Road
16

Arrive at destination

Lime Kiln Road

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 9.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue

Turn right onto MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue

Navigation decision point

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
8.6 mi into trip | ~13m in

Take the exit toward MD 97 South, MD 97 North: Wheaton, Olney

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 8A; 8B Toward MD 97 South, MD 97 North: Wheaton, Olney
9
8.8 mi into trip | ~14m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue, Wheaton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 8A Toward MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue, Wheaton
4
9.6 mi into trip | ~15m in | MD 28 / Norbeck Road

Turn left onto MD 28 / Norbeck Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.18 one way

$6.37 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $3.49 $6.97
premium $4.93 $3.72 $7.45
diesel $5.61 $4.24 $8.48

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.8 0 $2.02 $0.92
Efficient EV 4.8 0 $1.68 $0.77
EV Truck/SUV 7.7 0 $2.69 $1.23

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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

2:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fulton, MD

Late night in Fulton on Sunday

Local time

2:01 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

2 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

32m 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?

This is a turn-heavy local drive with no highway share, meaning you'll navigate a series of roads rather than a continuous freeway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is about 5 miles on the Intercounty Connector. You'll be on roads like Ednor Road and Norbeck Road, so be prepared for frequent adjustments to your steering and speed as you make your way through suburban and local areas. The drive progresses by weaving through neighborhoods and local thoroughfares.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5 mi on Intercounty Connector.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 19.2 miles you will encounter 7 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 (MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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.

Between Gaithersburg, MD and Fulton, MD, road signs point toward Olney and Wheaton.

Olney

8.6 mi in | ~13m

Wheaton

8.8 mi in | ~14m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 19.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

32m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 5 miles on Intercounty Connector. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 (MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fulton, 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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