Origin
Rockville, MD
Late night in Rockville on Sunday
Local time
12:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockville, 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
44m
Distance
31.2 mi
50 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Bowie, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are traveling from Rockville to Bowie, you are looking at a straightforward 31.2-mile trek through Maryland. Expect the drive to take roughly 44 minutes under normal traffic conditions. Because this is a short, efficient trip, it works perfectly as a one-day excursion, meaning you will not need to worry about overnight lodging. Budgeting about $5 for fuel should be sufficient to cover your transit between these two points. Since both cities are located in the Northeast region, you will remain within the same familiar territory throughout your journey. This route is ideal if you need a quick, no-fuss connection between these two Maryland hubs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 16.3 mi | 21m |
| John Hanson Highway | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| I 270 | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Collington Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Great Falls Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Montgomery Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Evergreen Parkway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Falls Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 16.3 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockville, MD and Bowie, MD.
1
Start on South Washington Street
63 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Washington Street
2
Turn left onto West Montgomery Avenue
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
West Montgomery Avenue
3
Continue on Great Falls Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Great Falls Road
4
Turn right onto MD 189
432 ft
·
17 sec
·
Falls Road
5
Continue on MD 189
471 ft
·
18 sec
·
Falls Road
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 270 South
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 270
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
I 270
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
9
Merge onto I 495
16 mi
·
21 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 19A
Toward US 50 East: Annapolis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto US 50
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
John Hanson Highway
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 135 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 30.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 270 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 270 South
8
3.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
7
23 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward US 50 East: Annapolis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 19A
Toward US 50 East: Annapolis
7
29.7 mi into trip
|
~40m 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
30.1 mi into trip
|
~41m 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
$5.17 one way
$10.35 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.67 | $11.33 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.05 | $12.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.89 | $13.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.9 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 | 9.4 | 0 | $3.28 | $1.50 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.73 | $1.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.37 | $2.00 |
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
Bowie, MD
Late night in Bowie on Sunday
Local time
12:17 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
9 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
44m 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?
This trip functions as a turn-heavy local drive that transitions between major infrastructure and suburban roads. You will spend about 18 miles on highways, utilizing a combination of I-270, the Capital Beltway, and the John Hanson Highway. The most significant portion of your time behind the wheel involves a 16.3-mile stretch on the Capital Beltway, which serves as the backbone of your journey. While the route involves plenty of navigation through local turns, the interstate segments provide the necessary speed to keep your travel time under an hour. Be prepared for the transition from the high-traffic interstate environment to the more localized driving required to reach your destination in Bowie.
Only 18% 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: 16.3 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 1 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 13 decision points packed into just 31.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
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 Rockville, MD to Bowie, MD, road signs begin pointing toward College Park along the way.
College Park
3.9 mi in
|
~7m
|
via I 270
About the Cities
Arriving in Bowie, MD
Full guide →Bowie is a suburban bedroom community of Washington, D.C. in Prince George's County, Maryland.
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 44m. Total distance: 31.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m 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 16.3 miles on Capital Beltway. 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 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 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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