Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
56.9 mi
92 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hagerstown, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Potomac, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Hagerstown, MD to Potomac, MD is 56.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes via Eisenhower Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region down towards the DC metro area. Expect a drive that primarily uses surface roads after a short highway segment. It's a straightforward, relatively quick drive that doesn't require an overnight stay, making it a good option for a single-day excursion.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | 22.9 mi | 29m |
| Dwight D Eisenhower Highway | 21.1 mi | 22m |
| Falls Road | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| I 270 | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Dual Highway | 3.3 mi | 6m |
| East Washington Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| I 70 Exit 53 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 14 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~6,103 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~397 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Hagerstown, MD and Potomac, MD.
Start on US 40
Continue on US 40
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 70
Take the exit onto I 70 Exit 53
Continue on I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto MD 189
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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.
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 28.5 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 25.1 and 56.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MD 189: Falls Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 189 South: Falls Road South, Potomac
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$9.07 one way
$18.15 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.48 | $10.04 | $20.08 |
| premium | $4.81 | $10.77 | $21.54 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $10.74 | $21.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.97 | $2.73 |
| Efficient EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.98 | $2.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.8 | 0 | $7.97 | $3.64 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Hagerstown on Sunday
Local time
10:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Sunny
Destination
Morning in Potomac on Sunday
Local time
10:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This route involves about 7% highway driving, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface roads. The longest stretch on a highway is 22.9 miles on the Eisenhower Memorial Highway before transitioning to local streets. You'll notice the shift as exit ramps become less frequent and traffic lights become more common. The profile is mostly surface roads, so anticipate navigating through towns and suburban areas.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 7 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.
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 56.9 miles you will encounter 7 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 52 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
851 ft
Total Descent
1,027 ft
Highest Point
846 ft
~20.3 mi in
Elevation Range
551 ft
Founded 1762
Hagerstown, nicknamed The Hub City, is a charming city on the edge of the Appalachian Mountains and near the Potomac River in northwestern Maryland, United States.
Top landmarks
Potomac is an unincorporated district in Montgomery County, Maryland and a suburb of Washington DC.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 56.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m 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.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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