Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
17m
Distance
9.6 mi
16 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Chevy Chase, MD
Wikimedia Commons
If you are planning a quick excursion from Rockville to Chevy Chase, you are looking at a brief 9.6-mile trip that typically takes about 17 minutes. This short commute is perfect for a day trip, as it requires no overnight stops and carries a minimal fuel budget of just $2. You will navigate through the Northeast region, utilizing a combination of I-270, the Capital Beltway, and Great Falls Road to reach your destination. Because the distance is so manageable, you have the flexibility to make this drive whenever it suits your schedule. It is a straightforward route that keeps you within Maryland, making it an efficient way to travel between these two points without any unnecessary logistical stress.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 270 | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Capital Beltway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Great Falls Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Jones Bridge Road | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Montgomery Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Falls Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Stewart Driveway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Rockville, MD and Chevy Chase, MD.
Start on South Washington Street
Turn left onto West Montgomery Avenue
Continue on Great Falls Road
Turn right onto MD 189
Continue on MD 189
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto MD 185
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
Continue on Jones Bridge Road
Turn left onto Kensington Parkway
Turn right onto Montrose Driveway
Turn left onto Stewart Driveway
Continue on Montgomery Avenue
Continue on Kenilworth Driveway
Turn left onto Clifford Avenue
Turn right onto Hutch Place
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 8.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 270 South
Lane positioning matters here
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
Take the exit toward MD 185: Chevy Chase, Kensington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South, Chevy Chase
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$1.59 one way
$3.18 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.74 | $3.49 |
| premium | $4.93 | $1.86 | $3.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.12 | $4.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.01 | $0.46 |
| Efficient EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.84 | $0.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.34 | $0.61 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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
Late night in Rockville on Tuesday
Local time
5:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Mostly Cloudy then Scattered Rain Showers
Destination
Late night in Chevy Chase on Tuesday
Local time
5:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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.
Expect a mixed driving experience as you transition from high-speed interstate travel to local roads. About 56% of your journey is spent on highways, providing a quick start to your trip. Your longest uninterrupted stretch covers 5.3 miles on I-270, where you will experience the bulk of the highway portion before navigating the remainder of the drive on the Capital Beltway and Great Falls Road. The character of the road changes noticeably as you move off the main interstate, shifting from a fast-paced corridor to the more localized feel of Great Falls Road. This blend of environments ensures you get a bit of everything during your short time behind the wheel.
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 miles in.
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 15 decision points packed into just 9.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 17m.
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 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Rockville, MD and Chevy Chase, MD, road signs point toward College Park and Kensington.
College Park
Kensington
Rockville is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is characterized by rolling hills, historic towns, and high tech industries
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 17m. Total distance: 9.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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