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Trip from Germantown, MD to Frederick, MD

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

Drive Time

31m

Distance

21.2 mi

34 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 29m ★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m

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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census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

Germantown, MD

Wikimedia Commons

city in Frederick County, Maryland, United States

Frederick, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This short 21.2-mile drive from Germantown, MD, to Frederick, MD, is easily manageable in about 31 minutes. With no highway driving, it's a local road experience that's perfect for a single-day trip. You'll navigate using roads like Germantown Road, Washington National Pike, and the Eisenhower Memorial Highway. This route falls entirely within the Northeast region, connecting two points in Maryland. Expect a modest fuel cost of around $4 for this journey. Given its brevity, this trip doesn't require an overnight stay.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Eisenhower Memorial Highway 13.4 mi 16m
Washington National Pike 2.3 mi 2m
Germantown Road 1.7 mi 3m
Buckeystown Pike 1.6 mi 3m
East Street 0.5 mi <1m
Liberty Mill Road 0.3 mi 1m
South Carroll Street 0.2 mi <1m
Dawson Farm Road 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Eisenhower Memorial Highway — 13.4 mi, about 16m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Germantown, MD and Frederick, MD.

1

Start on this road

10 ft · 6 sec · this road
2

Turn left

68 ft · 10 sec
3

Turn sharp left onto Liberty Mill Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · Liberty Mill Road
4

Turn right onto Dawson Farm Road

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Dawson Farm Road
5

Turn right onto MD 118

1.7 mi · 3 min · Germantown Road
Use the left lane.
6

Turn left

0.4 mi · 57 sec
Toward I 270 North: Frederick Use the left lane.
7

Merge onto I 270

5.0 mi · 6 min · Eisenhower Memorial Highway
8

Continue on I 270

2.3 mi · 2 min · Washington National Pike
9

Continue on I 270

8.4 mi · 9 min · Eisenhower Memorial Highway
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 48 sec
Exit 31 Toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn right onto MD 85

1.3 mi · 2 min · Buckeystown Pike
Use the straight lane.
12

Continue on MD 85

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Buckeystown Pike
13

Continue on East Street

0.1 mi · 15 sec · East Street
14

Enter roundabout onto East Street

119 ft · 2 sec · East Street
15

Continue on East Street

0.3 mi · 33 sec · East Street
16

Turn left onto MD 144

0.1 mi · 24 sec · East South Street
17

Turn right onto South Carroll Street

0.2 mi · 45 sec · South Carroll Street
18

Turn left onto MD 144

0.2 mi · 25 sec · East Patrick Street
19

Arrive at destination

MD 144

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 18.3 — 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

Turn left

Navigation decision point

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Liberty Mill Road

Turn sharp left onto Liberty Mill Road

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

6
0.5 mi into trip | ~2m in | MD 118 / Germantown Road

Turn right onto MD 118 / Germantown Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
2.2 mi into trip | ~5m in

Turn left toward I 270 North: Frederick

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 270 North: Frederick
8
18.3 mi into trip | ~25m in

Take the exit toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown

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 31 Toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.51 one way

$7.03 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $3.85 $7.70
premium $4.93 $4.11 $8.22
diesel $5.61 $4.68 $9.36

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.4 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 6.4 0 $2.23 $1.02
Efficient EV 5.3 0 $1.85 $0.85
EV Truck/SUV 8.5 0 $2.97 $1.36

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

Germantown, MD

Late night in Germantown on Sunday

Local time

1:59 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Frederick, MD

Late night in Frederick on Sunday

Local time

1:59 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°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

8 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

31m 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 route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be making frequent turns rather than cruising on a consistent highway. With 0% highway share, prepare for a more engaged driving experience on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 13.4 miles on the Eisenhower Memorial Highway. The roads will likely feel more like surface streets and main arteries rather than high-speed expressways, requiring constant attention to navigation and traffic signals.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.4 mi on Eisenhower Memorial Highway.

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 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.

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 21.2 miles you will encounter 12 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: Navigation decision point; near the start (Liberty Mill Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.5 miles (MD 118 / Germantown Road): 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 Germantown, MD to Frederick, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Buckeystown along the way.

Buckeystown

18.3 mi in | ~25m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 21.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

31m 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 with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 13.4 miles on Eisenhower Memorial Highway. 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: Navigation decision point; near the start (Liberty Mill Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.5 miles (MD 118 / Germantown Road): Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (5 total within detour distance). 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 Frederick, 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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