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Trip from Hyattsville, MD to Bowie, MD

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

Drive Time

22m

Distance

14.4 mi

23 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Good

5 stations

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 21m ★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m ★

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Prince George’s County, Maryland, United States

Hyattsville, MD

Wikimedia Commons

city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States

Bowie, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 14.4-mile drive from Hyattsville, MD to Bowie, MD takes about 22 minutes and is easily manageable as a single-day trip. You'll primarily navigate via the John Hanson Highway, Landover Road, and Baltimore Avenue, with a significant portion of the journey on highway, indicated by the 100% highway share. The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $2, and with no designated stops, this route is all about efficient travel. Given its short distance and minimal duration, it's perfect for a quick commute or an easy addition to a larger regional exploration within the Northeast. You won't need an overnight stay for this particular segment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
John Hanson Highway 8.7 mi 10m
Landover Road 1.5 mi 2m
Baltimore Avenue 1.1 mi 2m
Annapolis Road 0.8 mi 1m
Collington Road 0.8 mi 1m
Evergreen Parkway 0.2 mi <1m
Jefferson Street 0.2 mi <1m
Kennedy Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: John Hanson Highway — 8.7 mi, about 10m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hyattsville, MD and Bowie, MD.

1

Start on Kennedy Street

0.1 mi · 30 sec · Kennedy Street
2

Turn right onto 43rd Avenue

296 ft · 18 sec · 43rd Avenue
3

Turn left onto Jefferson Street

0.2 mi · 33 sec · Jefferson Street
4

Turn right onto US 1

0.1 mi · 36 sec · Baltimore Avenue
5

Continue on US 1 ALT

0.9 mi · 1 min · Baltimore Avenue
6

Turn slight left

0.2 mi · 31 sec
7

Turn straight onto MD 450

0.8 mi · 1 min · Annapolis Road
8

Continue on MD 450

1.5 mi · 2 min · Landover Road
9

Take the ramp

134 ft · 3 sec
Toward US 50: Annapolis, Washington Use the right lane.
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward US 50 East: Annapolis Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto US 50

8.7 mi · 10 min · John Hanson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Exit 11 Toward MD 197: Bowie Use the slight right lane.
13

Keep slight right at fork

273 ft · 6 sec
Toward MD 197 Use the left / right lanes.
14

Turn straight onto MD 197

0.8 mi · 1 min · Collington Road
Use the left lane.
15

Turn right onto Evergreen Parkway

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Evergreen Parkway
16

Turn right

259 ft · 20 sec
17

Turn left

110 ft · 8 sec
18

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 13.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | 43rd Avenue

Turn right onto 43rd Avenue

Navigation decision point

6
3.8 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the ramp toward US 50: Annapolis, Washington

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Toward US 50: Annapolis, Washington
7
3.8 mi into trip | ~7m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 50 East: Annapolis

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 50 East: Annapolis
7
12.9 mi into trip | ~18m in

Take the exit toward MD 197: Bowie

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 11 Toward MD 197: Bowie
7
13.3 mi into trip | ~19m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MD 197

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / right lanes. Toward MD 197

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.39 one way

$4.77 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $2.61 $5.23
premium $4.93 $2.79 $5.59
diesel $5.61 $3.18 $6.36

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.3 0 $1.51 $0.69
Efficient EV 3.6 0 $1.26 $0.58
EV Truck/SUV 5.8 0 $2.02 $0.92

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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

Hyattsville, MD

Morning in Hyattsville on Sunday

Local time

10:35 AM

EDT

Current temp

78°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bowie, MD

Morning in Bowie on Sunday

Local time

10:35 AM

EDT

Current temp

68°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

10 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

22m 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 drive for this 14.4-mile journey. While there's a substantial highway component, the route is characterized by frequent intersections and changes in road name. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 8.7 miles on the John Hanson Highway, offering a brief period of consistent speed before you transition back to more localized roads like Landover Road and Baltimore Avenue. This means you'll be actively navigating rather than settling into a long, monotonous interstate cruise. The road's personality shifts between quicker highway segments and more involved city driving.

Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.7 mi on John Hanson Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

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 0.1 miles in near 43rd Avenue.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 14.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (43rd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.8 miles: 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.

On the drive from Hyattsville, MD to Bowie, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Washington along the way.

Washington

3.8 mi in | ~7m

About the Cities

Arriving in Bowie, MD

Full guide →

Founded 1882

Bowie is a suburban bedroom community of Washington, D.C. in Prince George's County, Maryland.

Top landmarks

  • Belair Mansion — mansion located in Collington, Maryland, United States of America
  • Bowie Railroad Buildings — railway building and museum in Bowie, Maryland, USA

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 14.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

22m 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 8.7 miles on John Hanson Highway. 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 Bowie, 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 0.1 miles (43rd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. 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 Bowie, 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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