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Trip from Rockville, MD to College Park, MD

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

30m

Distance

18.2 mi

29 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 28m ★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Rockville, MD, MD

Rockville, MD

Jonathan Borba

Downtown College Park, MD, MD

College Park, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Rockville to College Park is 18.2 miles and takes about 30 minutes via Capital Beltway and I-270, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Maryland's Northeast region, connecting two familiar areas. Given its brief duration, it's perfect for a quick errand or a commute, offering a straightforward drive. You'll primarily navigate major roadways, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B without much fuss.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Capital Beltway 7.3 mi 9m
I 270 5.3 mi 7m
Adelphi Road 2.3 mi 4m
Great Falls Road 0.6 mi 1m
Mowatt Lane 0.4 mi 1m
New Hampshire Avenue 0.4 mi <1m
Knox Road 0.4 mi 1m
Campus Drive 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Capital Beltway — 7.3 mi, about 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rockville, MD and College Park, 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

7.3 mi · 9 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Exit 28B Toward MD 650 South: New Hampshire Avenue South, Takoma Park Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Turn straight onto MD 650

0.4 mi · 55 sec · New Hampshire Avenue
12

Turn left onto Adelphi Road

2.3 mi · 4 min · Adelphi Road
Use the left lane.
13

Turn left onto Campus Drive

0.4 mi · 1 min · Campus Drive
14

Enter roundabout onto Mowatt Lane

46 ft · 1 sec · Mowatt Lane
15

Continue on Mowatt Lane

0.4 mi · 1 min · Mowatt Lane
16

Turn left onto Knox Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · Knox Road
17

Arrive at destination

Knox Road

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 14.7 — 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
5
6.7 mi into trip | ~11m in | I 495 / Capital Beltway

Merge onto I 495 / Capital Beltway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
14 mi into trip | ~20m in

Take the exit toward MD 650 South: New Hampshire Avenue South, Takoma Park

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 28B Toward MD 650 South: New Hampshire Avenue South...
6
14.7 mi into trip | ~22m in | Adelphi Road

Turn left onto Adelphi Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.02 one way

$6.03 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $3.30 $6.61
premium $4.93 $3.53 $7.06
diesel $5.61 $4.02 $8.04

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.5 0 $1.91 $0.87
Efficient EV 4.6 0 $1.59 $0.73
EV Truck/SUV 7.3 0 $2.55 $1.16

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Rockville, MD

Late night in Rockville on Tuesday

Local time

5:25 AM

EDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

College Park, MD

Late night in College Park on Tuesday

Local time

5:25 AM

EDT

Current temp

50°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

15 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

30m 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 route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only a 29% highway share. While you will encounter some time on the Capital Beltway and I-270, expect frequent transitions to local roads like Adelphi Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 7.3 miles on the Capital Beltway, indicating that much of your journey will involve navigating intersections and traffic signals. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that shifts between faster highway speeds and slower, more stop-and-go local conditions.

Only 29% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.3 mi on Capital Beltway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

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 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 9 decision points packed into just 18.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.

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 6.7 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.

On the drive from Rockville, MD to College Park, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Takoma Park along the way.

Takoma Park

14 mi in | ~20m

About the Cities

Starting in Rockville, MD

Full guide →

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).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 18.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

30m 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 7.3 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 College Park, 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 6.7 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): 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 College Park, 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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