Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
38.1 mi
61 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Baltimore Highlands, MD
Styves Exantus
Rockville, MD to Baltimore Highlands, MD is 38.1 miles and takes about 55 minutes via I 95 and Intercounty Connector, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip that keeps you within Maryland for its entirety, moving from the Northeast region towards another part of the Northeast. Expect a mixed drive that balances efficient highway travel with some local road segments. It’s a relatively short journey, making it a convenient option for a quick relocation or a visit between these two Maryland locations.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 14.5 mi | 16m |
| Intercounty Connector | 10.1 mi | 12m |
| Norbeck Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Hollins Ferry Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Baltimore Beltway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Annapolis Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Veirs Mill Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| First Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~5,983 veh/hr typical · worst 8,079
Quietest
2 AM
~695 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 51 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Rockville, MD and Baltimore Highlands, MD.
Start on South Washington Street
Turn left onto MD 28
Continue on MD 28
Turn left onto MD 28
Continue on MD 28
Turn left onto MD 97
Take the ramp
Merge onto MD 200 Toll
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Merge onto I 695
Take the exit
Turn right onto Hollins Ferry Road
Turn right onto Daisy Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto MD 648
Turn left onto Virginia Avenue
Turn right onto Washington Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 19.1 miles from Rockville, 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 0.1 and 35.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto MD 28 / West Jefferson Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 95: Laurel, Burtonsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 198 West: Burtonsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 695 East: Glen Burnie, Key Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Lansdowne, Maryland Food Bank
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$6.74 one way
$13.48 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.92 | $7.38 | $14.76 |
| premium | $5.24 | $7.87 | $15.73 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $8.03 | $16.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.33 | $2.44 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Rockville on Wednesday
Local time
5:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
97°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Evening in Baltimore Highlands on Wednesday
Local time
5:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
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 drive is characterized as a mixed route, with about 38% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a 14.5-mile stretch on I-95, offering a period of consistent, faster travel. The route also incorporates segments on the Intercounty Connector and Norbeck Road, suggesting a blend of interstate speeds and more local road conditions. This variety means you'll likely encounter changes in speed limits and traffic patterns as you progress from Rockville towards Baltimore Highlands.
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 0.1 miles in near MD 28 / West Jefferson Street.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 38.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (MD 28 / West Jefferson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
328 ft
Total Descent
751 ft
Highest Point
492 ft
~5.4 mi in
Elevation Range
460 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Rockville, MD and Baltimore Highlands, MD, road signs point toward Burtonsville, Lansdowne and Maryland Food Bank.
Burtonsville
Lansdowne
Maryland Food Bank
Founded 1700
Rockville is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is characterized by rolling hills, historic towns, and high tech industries
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 38.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface 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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