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Trip from Hagerstown, MD to Bethesda, MD

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

Drive Time

1h 20m

Distance

60.7 mi

98 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 15m ★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m

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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city in Maryland, United States

Hagerstown, MD

Wikimedia Commons

unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

Bethesda, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Hagerstown, MD to Bethesda, MD is 60.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes via the Eisenhower Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a drive that involves frequent turns and local road segments mixed with highway travel. With a recommended one-day duration, this route is best suited for those looking for a straightforward, relatively short journey where you'll spend a good portion of your time navigating local roads.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Eisenhower Memorial Highway 22.9 mi 29m
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway 21.1 mi 22m
I 270 9.1 mi 12m
Dual Highway 3.3 mi 6m
Rockville Pike 1.6 mi 3m
Wisconsin Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
East Washington Street 0.4 mi 1m
I 70 Exit 53 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Eisenhower Memorial Highway — 22.9 mi, about 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hagerstown, MD and Bethesda, MD.

1

Start on US 40

0.4 mi · 1 min · East Washington Street
2

Continue on US 40

3.3 mi · 6 min · Dual Highway
3

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward I 70 East: Frederick
4

Merge onto I 70

21 mi · 22 min · Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
5

Take the exit onto I 70 Exit 53

0.4 mi · 51 sec · I 70 Exit 53
Exit 53 Toward I 270 South: Washington Use the slight right lane.
6

Continue on I 270

23 mi · 29 min · Eisenhower Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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

0.6 mi · 1 min · Wisconsin Avenue
12

Turn right onto Commerce Lane

340 ft · 17 sec · Commerce Lane
13

Continue on Edgemoor Lane

0.2 mi · 41 sec · Edgemoor Lane
14

Turn left onto Arlington Road

0.3 mi · 55 sec · Arlington Road
15

Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue

510 ft · 22 sec · Bethesda Avenue
16

Turn left

44 ft · 3 sec
17

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Frederick County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Frederick, MD

30 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Myersville, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Frederick, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 30.4 miles from Hagerstown, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 25.1 and 60.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
25.1 mi into trip | ~30m in | I 70 Exit 53

Take the exit onto I 70 Exit 53 toward I 270 South: Washington

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 53 Toward I 270 South: Washington
6
48.4 mi into trip | ~1h 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
55 mi into trip | ~1h 9m 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
57.5 mi into trip | ~1h 13m 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
5
60.4 mi into trip | ~1h 19m in | Arlington Road

Turn left onto Arlington Road

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.06 one way

$20.13 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $11.02 $22.04
premium $4.93 $11.77 $23.54
diesel $5.61 $13.40 $26.80

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.2 0 $6.37 $2.91
Efficient EV 15.2 0 $5.31 $2.43
EV Truck/SUV 24.3 0 $8.50 $3.88

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 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 17, 2026

Origin

Hagerstown, MD

Night in Hagerstown on Saturday

Local time

10:47 PM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bethesda, MD

Night in Bethesda on Saturday

Local time

10:47 PM

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 20m 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 encounter numerous intersections and changes in direction. While 16% of the journey is on the highway, much of it will be on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 22.9 miles on the Eisenhower Memorial Highway. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that requires attention as you transition between faster highway sections and more intricate local road networks.

Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.9 mi on Eisenhower Memorial Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 25.1 miles in near I 70 Exit 53.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 60.7 miles you will encounter 10 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: at 25.1 miles (I 70 Exit 53): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.4 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 55 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.

On the drive from Hagerstown, MD to Bethesda, MD, road signs begin pointing toward College Park along the way.

College Park

55 mi in | ~1h 9m | via I 270

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 60.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 20m 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 22.9 miles on Eisenhower Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 Bethesda, 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 25.1 miles (I 70 Exit 53): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.4 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 55 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Antietam National Battlefield (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 Bethesda, 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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