Origin
Saint Charles, MD
Morning in Saint Charles on Sunday
Local time
10:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saint Charles, MD to Arbutus, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
55 mi
89 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 32m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Charles, MD
RDNE Stock project
Arbutus, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Saint Charles, MD to Arbutus, MD covers 55 miles and takes about 1h 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Capital Beltway, Branch Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.9 miles on Baltimore-Washington Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.12 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Washington Parkway | 17.9 mi | 24m |
| Capital Beltway | 14.2 mi | 19m |
| Branch Avenue | 9 mi | 11m |
| Crain Highway | 8.4 mi | 13m |
| Metropolitan Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| Southwestern Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Linden Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Washington Boulevard | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
— 17.9 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Charles, MD and Arbutus, MD.
1
Start on US 301
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Crain Highway
2
Continue on US 301
8.0 mi
·
13 min
·
Crain Highway
Use the straight lane.
3
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5
9.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Branch Avenue
Toward MD 5 North: Washington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Use the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto I 95; I 495
14 mi
·
19 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 22A
Toward MD 295 North: BWI Marshall Airport, Baltimore North, Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward MD 295 North: Baltimore, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto Baltimore-Washington Parkway
18 mi
·
24 min
·
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 195 West: Catonsville
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 195
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Metropolitan Boulevard
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 3
Toward US 1: Elkridge
Use the right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
337 ft
·
10 sec
Toward US 1 North: Halethorpe
13
Turn left onto US 1
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Washington Boulevard
Use the left lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwestern Boulevard
Toward US 1 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn left onto Linden Avenue
112 ft
·
5 sec
·
Linden Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Continue on Linden Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Linden Avenue
17
Turn left onto Shelbourne Road
75 ft
·
2 sec
·
Shelbourne Road
18
Arrive at destination
Shelbourne Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.5 miles from Saint Charles, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 8.4 and 52.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
8.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
MD 5 / Branch Avenue
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5 / Branch Avenue toward MD 5 North: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 5 North: Washington
7
17.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Coll...
8
31.9 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward MD 295 North: BWI Marshall Airport, Baltimore North, Baltimore-Washington Parkway
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 22A
Toward MD 295 North: BWI Marshall Airport, Balt...
9
32.2 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 295 North: Baltimore, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 295 North: Baltimore, Baltimore/Washi...
7
52.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Elkridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 3
Toward US 1: Elkridge
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.12 one way
$18.24 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.99 | $19.97 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.67 | $21.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.14 | $24.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.77 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.81 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.70 | $3.52 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Arbutus, MD
Morning in Arbutus on Sunday
Local time
10:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 19m 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?
55 mi in 1h 19m — 33% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
33% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.9 mi on Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 8.4 miles in near MD 5 / Branch Avenue.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.4 miles (MD 5 / Branch Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Saint Charles, MD and Arbutus, MD, road signs point toward College Park, Baltimore North and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
College Park
17.3 mi in
|
~25m
Baltimore North
31.9 mi in
|
~45m
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
32.2 mi in
|
~46m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 55 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (33%). 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 17.9 miles on Baltimore-Washington Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Arbutus, 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 8.4 miles (MD 5 / Branch Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. 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 Arbutus, 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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