Origin
Greenbelt, MD
Late night in Greenbelt on Sunday
Local time
3:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Greenbelt, MD to Silver Spring, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
10.5 mi
17 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 20m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 20m
8 PM
0h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Greenbelt, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Silver Spring, MD
www.kaboompics.com
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion between Greenbelt and Silver Spring, Maryland, you are looking at a brief 10.5-mile journey. Typically, this drive takes about 16 minutes to complete, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel cost estimate of just $2, it is a highly economical route that requires zero intermediate stops. You will navigate through the Northeast region, transitioning between two Maryland hubs without needing any overnight stays. This drive is best viewed as a practical local connection rather than a long-distance expedition, offering a straightforward way to reach your destination efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 6.8 mi | 8m |
| Colesville Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Crescent Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Georgia Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Kenilworth Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 6.8 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Greenbelt, MD and Silver Spring, 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
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 30
Toward US 29 South: Silver Spring
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto US 29
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Colesville Road
8
Turn left onto US 29
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Georgia Avenue
9
Continue on US 29
93 ft
·
9 sec
·
Georgia Avenue
10
Turn right
158 ft
·
13 sec
11
Turn right
85 ft
·
6 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 10.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Coll...
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway
Merge onto I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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
7
8.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward US 29 South: Silver Spring
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 30
Toward US 29 South: Silver Spring
5
10.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.74 one way
$3.48 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.91 | $3.81 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.04 | $4.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.32 | $4.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.10 | $0.50 |
| Efficient EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.92 | $0.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.47 | $0.67 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Silver Spring, MD
Late night in Silver Spring on Sunday
Local time
3:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
5 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
16m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy, local driving experience that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. While you will spend a portion of your time on the Capital Beltway, the route features no true highway-only driving, as the highway share is 0%. Your longest uninterrupted stretch covers 6.8 miles on the Capital Beltway, which provides a brief reprieve before you transition to local corridors like Colesville Road and Crescent Road. The character of the road shifts from the controlled pace of the Beltway to the more frequent turns typical of local Maryland infrastructure. Navigating these transitions requires constant attention, ensuring you remain focused throughout the short 16-minute duration.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.8 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 1 miles in.
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 8 decision points packed into just 10.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 16m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.4 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
342 ft
86 ft
Total Climb
360 ft
Total Descent
180 ft
Highest Point
342 ft
~10.5 mi in
Elevation Range
256 ft
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.
On the drive from Greenbelt, MD to Silver Spring, MD, road signs begin pointing toward College Park along the way.
College Park
1 mi in
|
~2m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 10.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m 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 6.8 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 Silver Spring, 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 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.4 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. 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 Silver Spring, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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