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Trip from Gaithersburg, MD to Somerset, MD

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

Drive Time

28m

Distance

16.1 mi

26 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great 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 26m ★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown Gaithersburg, MD, MD

Gaithersburg, MD

Kristopher Hines

Downtown Somerset, MD, MD

Somerset, MD

RDNE Stock project

Trip Overview

Gaithersburg, MD to Somerset, MD is 16.1 miles and takes about 28m via I 270, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward trip within the Northeast region, connecting two points in Maryland. Expect a mixed drive with a significant portion on the interstate, making it a quick and convenient option for local travel or a short leg of a larger journey. Given its short distance, it’s an ideal same-day trip with plenty of flexibility for when you decide to depart.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 270 9.1 mi 12m
Wisconsin Avenue 2 mi 4m
Rockville Pike 1.6 mi 3m
Eisenhower Memorial Highway 1.4 mi 1m
West Diamond Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
Dorset Avenue 0.4 mi 1m
Chestnut Street 0.3 mi <1m
Surrey Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 270 — 9.1 mi, about 12m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Gaithersburg, MD and Somerset, MD.

1

Start on this road

85 ft · 12 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto MD 355

251 ft · 12 sec · North Frederick Avenue
3

Turn left onto Chestnut Street

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Chestnut Street
Use the left lane.
4

Turn right onto MD 117

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Diamond Avenue
Use the right lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward I 270 South: Washington
6

Merge onto I 270

1.4 mi · 1 min · Eisenhower Memorial Highway
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 270

6.6 mi · 9 min · I 270
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 270

2.5 mi · 3 min · I 270
Toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park Use the slight left / straight lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 38 sec
Toward MD 355 South: Bethesda Use the slight left lane.
10

Turn straight onto MD 355

1.6 mi · 3 min · Rockville Pike
11

Continue on MD 355

2.0 mi · 4 min · Wisconsin Avenue
12

Turn right onto Dorset Avenue

0.4 mi · 1 min · Dorset Avenue
13

Turn left onto Surrey Street

0.1 mi · 36 sec · Surrey Street
14

Turn left onto Falstone Avenue

113 ft · 5 sec · Falstone Avenue
15

Arrive at destination

Falstone Avenue

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

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.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue

Turn left onto MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue

Navigation decision point

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Chestnut Street

Turn left onto Chestnut Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
2.5 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 270

Keep slight left at fork onto I 270

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
9.1 mi into trip | ~13m in | I 270

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

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
6
11.6 mi into trip | ~17m in

Take the exit toward MD 355 South: Bethesda

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward MD 355 South: Bethesda

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.67 one way

$5.34 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $2.92 $5.85
premium $4.93 $3.12 $6.24
diesel $5.61 $3.55 $7.11

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, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.8 0 $1.69 $0.77
Efficient EV 4 0 $1.41 $0.64
EV Truck/SUV 6.4 0 $2.25 $1.03

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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Gaithersburg, MD

Late night in Gaithersburg on Sunday

Local time

3:28 AM

EDT

Current temp

92°F

Mostly Sunny

SW 13 mph 3% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 4:45AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 3:33AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC

Destination

Somerset, MD

Late night in Somerset on Sunday

Local time

3:28 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

17 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

28m 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 route offers a mixed drive experience, with 56% of it being on highways. You'll spend a good chunk of your time on I 270, including a continuous stretch of 9.1 miles. The initial part of your journey likely involves navigating local roads, transitioning into the faster pace of the interstate before potentially returning to surface streets as you near Somerset. The character shifts from urban or suburban navigation to efficient highway travel and back.

56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.1 mi on I 270.

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 MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue.

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 11 decision points packed into just 16.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.

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.

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 Somerset, MD, road signs begin pointing toward College Park along the way.

College Park

9.1 mi in | ~13m | via I 270

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 16.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

28m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 9.1 miles on I 270. 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 Somerset, 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 (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.

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