Origin
Montgomery Village, MD
Late night in Montgomery Village on Sunday
Local time
12:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montgomery Village, MD to Columbia, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
32.3 mi
52 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montgomery Village, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 32.3-mile drive from Montgomery Village to Columbia, Maryland, is a straightforward local journey that can easily be completed in about 43 minutes. With no highway driving, expect a more relaxed pace on roads like Goshen Road, Brink Road, and Sundown Road. This route is perfect for a single-day trip, with a modest estimated fuel cost of $5. The drive stays within the Northeast region, offering a consistent feel throughout. It's a practical option when you need to get from point A to point B without extensive travel time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 9.9 mi | 10m |
| Route 97 | 6.6 mi | 10m |
| Sundown Road | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| Columbia Pike | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| Brink Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Goshen Road | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| Georgia Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Damascus Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 9.9 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Montgomery Village, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on Stewartown Road
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
Stewartown Road
2
Turn left onto Goshen Road
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Goshen Road
3
Continue on Brink Road
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Brink Road
4
Continue on Sundown Road
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Sundown Road
5
Turn slight right onto MD 650
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Damascus Road
6
Turn sharp left onto MD 97
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Georgia Avenue
7
Continue on MD 97
6.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Route 97
8
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
9
Merge onto I 70; US 40
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
4.6 mi
·
4 min
·
I 70
Toward Baltimore
11
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 87A
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto US 29
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.2 miles from Montgomery Village, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 9.6 and 31.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
9.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
MD 97 / Georgia Avenue
Turn sharp left onto MD 97 / Georgia Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
17.8 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
I 70; US 40
Merge onto I 70; US 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
23.1 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
I 70
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70 toward Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Baltimore
8
27.8 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 87A
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington
8
31.9 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.35 one way
$10.71 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.86 | $11.73 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.26 | $12.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.13 | $14.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Columbia, MD
Late night in Columbia on Sunday
Local time
12:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
73°F
Mount Airy, MD
16 mi in
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
1 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
48m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive on this route, as indicated by its 0% highway share. This means you'll be navigating a series of local roads, including Goshen Road, Brink Road, and Sundown Road, with frequent turns rather than long, straight stretches. There isn't a "longest stretch" to note, suggesting consistent engagement with the road and your surroundings. The character of the drive remains consistent, focusing on local connectivity rather than high-speed travel, making it a hands-on driving experience.
51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.9 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.6 miles in near MD 97 / Georgia Avenue.
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 32.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.6 miles (MD 97 / Georgia Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 17.8 miles (I 70; US 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.1 miles (I 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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.
Between Montgomery Village, MD and Columbia, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore and Washington.
Baltimore
23.1 mi in
|
~37m
|
via I 70
Washington
27.8 mi in
|
~42m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 32.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (51%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.9 miles on I 70. 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 Columbia, 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 9.6 miles (MD 97 / Georgia Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 17.8 miles (I 70; US 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.1 miles (I 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield 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 Columbia, 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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