Origin
Hagerstown, MD
Late night in Hagerstown on Sunday
Local time
2:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hagerstown, MD to Gaithersburg, 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
Distance
47.6 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hagerstown, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Trip Overview
This 47.6-mile drive from Hagerstown, MD to Gaithersburg, MD takes about 1 hour to complete. It's a straightforward trip primarily utilizing the Dwight D Eisenhower Highway and other sections of the Dual Highway. Given its short duration and minimal stops, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion. Budget around $8 for fuel, making it an economical option for a quick journey. Both the origin and destination are within the Northeast region, so you won't be crossing any major geographical boundaries.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D Eisenhower Highway | 21.1 mi | 22m |
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | 19.9 mi | 24m |
| Dual Highway | 3.3 mi | 6m |
| North Frederick Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Quince Orchard Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Washington Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| I 70 Exit 53 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
— 21.1 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hagerstown, MD and Gaithersburg, 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
20 mi
·
24 min
·
Eisenhower Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 11
Toward MD 124: Montgomery Village Avenue, Quince Orchard Road
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
127 ft
·
5 sec
Toward MD 124 North: Montgomery Village Avenue
9
Turn left onto MD 124
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Quince Orchard Road
10
Turn right onto MD 355
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Frederick Avenue
11
Turn right
85 ft
·
6 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.8 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 3.7 and 47.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
3.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 70 East: Frederick
Navigation decision point
Toward I 70 East: Frederick
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
8
45.4 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward MD 124: Montgomery Village Avenue, Quince Orchard Road
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 11
Toward MD 124: Montgomery Village Avenue, Quinc...
5
46.2 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 124 North: Montgomery Village Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward MD 124 North: Montgomery Village Avenue
4
47.5 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.89 one way
$15.78 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.64 | $17.29 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.23 | $18.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.51 | $21.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.00 | $2.28 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.17 | $1.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19 | 0 | $6.66 | $3.05 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Gaithersburg, MD
Late night in Gaithersburg on Sunday
Local time
2:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 13 mph
3% chance
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 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?
Expect a predominantly highway experience on this trip, with 100% of the drive on major roads like the Dwight D Eisenhower Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 21.1 miles, offering a consistent pace for a good portion of the journey. This route leans towards a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, suggesting that while it's highway-focused, there might be more frequent transitions and exits than a simple point-to-point interstate. You'll likely experience varied speeds and road conditions as you navigate.
Only 1% 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: 21.1 mi on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 25.1 miles (I 70 Exit 53): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 47.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.1 miles on Dwight D Eisenhower 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: at 3.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 25.1 miles (I 70 Exit 53): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Antietam National Battlefield and Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (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 Gaithersburg, 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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