Origin
Odenton, MD
Late night in Odenton on Sunday
Local time
3:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Odenton, 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
49m
Distance
36.3 mi
58 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Odenton, MD
RDNE Stock project
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Trip Overview
This 36.3-mile drive from Odenton, MD to Gaithersburg, MD should take you about 49 minutes to complete. It's a straightforward trip within the Northeast region, making it an easy day trip with no need for an overnight stay. You'll be sharing the road with significant highway driving, accounting for 43% of the journey. The estimated fuel cost is around $6, which is quite economical for this distance. Overall, expect a mixed driving experience that's efficient for getting from point A to point B.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Intercounty Connector | 15.7 mi | 19m |
| Patuxent Freeway | 8.4 mi | 11m |
| I 95 | 6.5 mi | 7m |
| South Frederick Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Annapolis Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| I 370 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Piney Orchard Parkway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Frederick Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Intercounty Connector
— 15.7 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Odenton, MD and Gaithersburg, MD.
1
Start on Piney Orchard Parkway
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Piney Orchard Parkway
2
Turn left onto MD 175
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Annapolis Road
Use the right lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward MD 32 West: Columbia
4
Merge onto MD 32
8.4 mi
·
11 min
·
Patuxent Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 13B
Toward I 95 South: Washington
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Merge onto I 95
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 31B
Toward MD 200 Toll West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto MD 200 Toll
9.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Intercounty Connector
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on MD 200 Toll
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Intercounty Connector
Exit 8A
10
Continue on I 370
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
·
I 370
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 2
Toward MD 355: Rockville, Gaithersburg
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn right onto MD 355
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Frederick Road
13
Continue on MD 355
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
South Frederick Avenue
14
Turn left
85 ft
·
6 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.1 miles from Odenton, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 34.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
MD 32 / Patuxent Freeway
Merge onto MD 32 / Patuxent Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
10 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 13B
Toward I 95 South: Washington
5
10.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
17 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward MD 200 Toll West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31B
Toward MD 200 Toll West
8
34.1 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward MD 355: Rockville, Gaithersburg
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 2
Toward MD 355: Rockville, Gaithersburg
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.02 one way
$12.04 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.59 | $13.18 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.04 | $14.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.01 | $16.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
3:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
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
49m 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?
The character of this drive is a mix, with nearly half of it utilizing major highways like I-95 and the Intercounty Connector. You'll experience stretches of faster-paced travel, especially on the 15.7-mile segment along the Intercounty Connector. The remaining portion of the drive will likely involve navigating through more local traffic and varying speed limits as you transition between the main arteries. It’s not a monotonous interstate grind, but rather a practical blend of efficient highway use and moderate-speed road conditions.
43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.7 mi on Intercounty Connector.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 1.6 miles in near MD 32 / Patuxent Freeway.
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 9 decision points packed into just 36.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (MD 32 / Patuxent Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 36.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). 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 15.7 miles on Intercounty Connector. 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 Gaithersburg, 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 1.6 miles (MD 32 / Patuxent Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield. 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Gaithersburg, MD
More trips to Gaithersburg, MD
Explore more options from Odenton, MD or browse trips ending in Gaithersburg, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.