Origin
Greenbelt, MD
Late night in Greenbelt on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Greenbelt, MD to Rockville, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
20.1 mi
32 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Greenbelt, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Rockville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Trip Overview
Greenbelt, MD to Rockville, MD is 20.1 miles and takes about 29 minutes via Capital Beltway and I 270, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a single-day trip that stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a drive characterized by frequent turns and local road navigation, rather than a straightforward highway cruise. It's a relatively short journey, making it ideal for a quick commute or an easy addition to a larger travel plan.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 12.2 mi | 15m |
| I 270 | 5.4 mi | 7m |
| Crescent Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Great Falls Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West Montgomery Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Kenilworth Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Falls Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Washington Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 12.2 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Greenbelt, MD and Rockville, MD.
1
Start on Crescent Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Crescent Road
2
Turn left onto MD 201
512 ft
·
16 sec
·
Kenilworth Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Merge onto I 95; I 495
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
9.5 mi
·
12 min
·
Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
I 270
Exit 35
Toward I 270 North: Frederick
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 North
Use the slight right lane.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 5
Toward MD 189: Falls Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward MD 189 North: Falls Road, Rockville, Town Center
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto MD 189
432 ft
·
20 sec
·
Falls Road
11
Turn left onto Great Falls Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Great Falls Road
12
Continue on West Montgomery Avenue
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
West Montgomery Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto South Washington Street
63 ft
·
1 sec
·
South Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
South Washington Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 4 and 19 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 495 / Capital Beltway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
8
13.5 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North: Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 35
Toward I 270 North: Frederick
7
17.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 270 North
7
18.9 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward MD 189: Falls Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5
Toward MD 189: Falls Road
9
19 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 189 North: Falls Road, Rockville, Town Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 189 North: Falls Road, Rockville, Tow...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.33 one way
$6.66 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.65 | $7.30 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.90 | $7.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.44 | $8.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 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 | 6 | 0 | $2.11 | $0.96 |
| Efficient EV | 5 | 0 | $1.76 | $0.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8 | 0 | $2.81 | $1.29 |
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.
Destination
Rockville, MD
Late night in Rockville on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
29m 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 leans heavily on local roads, with only 27% of the drive on highways like the Capital Beltway and I 270. You'll encounter a 'turn-heavy' profile, meaning you'll be making frequent adjustments to your direction. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 12.2 miles on the Capital Beltway, so be prepared for a varied driving experience with plenty of opportunities to navigate city streets. This isn't a route for settling in for a long highway haul; instead, it's more about active navigation.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.2 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4 miles in near I 495 / Capital Beltway.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 20.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.5 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.1 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Greenbelt, MD and Rockville, MD, road signs point toward College Park, Silver Spring and Town Center.
College Park
1 mi in
|
~2m
Silver Spring
4 mi in
|
~6m
|
via I 495
Town Center
19 mi in
|
~26m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 20.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.2 miles on Capital Beltway. 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 Rockville, 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 4 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.5 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.1 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield. 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 Rockville, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Rockville, MD
More from Greenbelt, MD
More trips to Rockville, MD
Explore more options from Greenbelt, MD or browse trips ending in Rockville, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.