Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 47m
Distance
120.4 mi
194 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$20
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salisbury, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Colesville, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Salisbury, MD to Colesville, MD is 120.4 miles and takes about 2h 47m via Ocean Gateway and Sussex Highway, with a fuel budget near $19 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, traveling from the Northeast region to the Northeast. Expect a drive primarily on surface roads, making it a more leisurely pace than a highway-only route. It's a straightforward, single-day trip that's easy to manage, perfect if you're looking for a direct way to get between these two points without extensive planning.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
60.2 miles from Salisbury, MD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 24m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean Gateway | 28.5 mi | 39m |
| Sussex Highway | 19.3 mi | 26m |
| John Hanson Highway | 18.4 mi | 22m |
| Shore Highway | 17.4 mi | 24m |
| Capital Beltway | 8.5 mi | 10m |
| Seashore Highway | 7.5 mi | 9m |
| Queen Anne Highway | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| New Hampshire Avenue | 4.2 mi | 7m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~6,164 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~629 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Salisbury, MD and Colesville, MD.
Start on this road
Turn left onto West Vine Street
Turn left onto US 13 BUS
Keep slight right at fork onto US 13
Continue on US 13
Take the exit
Continue on Rifle Range Road
Turn right onto US 13 Business; DE 404 Business
Turn left onto DE 404 Business
Turn right onto DE 404 Business
Continue on MD 404
Continue on MD 404
Take the exit
Merge onto US 50
Continue on US 50; US 301; MD 2
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 95; I 495
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
Take the exit
Turn slight right onto MD 650
Arrive at destination
Given the 2h 47m duration, it's best to leave Salisbury, MD in the morning to give yourself plenty of daylight. You'll only need one stop, and with a fuel cost around $19, you can easily manage without needing to overthink refueling. The longest stretch is 28.5 miles on Ocean Gateway, so plan your brief stop before or after that segment. Since this is a single-day drive, you have flexibility to depart when convenient, but avoid peak local traffic times within the towns you pass through.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 26 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.2 miles or 1h 24m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Colesville, MD than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Salisbury, MD so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Salisbury, MD
This is one driving day of about 120.4 miles and 2h 47m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
60 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 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 60.2 miles from Salisbury, 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 and 115.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto West Vine Street
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 650 North: New Hampshire Avenue, White Oak
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$20.12 one way
$40.23 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $22.14 | $44.28 |
| premium | $5.01 | $23.76 | $47.52 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $26.54 | $53.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 36.1 | 0 | $12.64 | $5.78 |
| Efficient EV | 30.1 | 0 | $10.54 | $4.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 48.2 | 0 | $16.86 | $7.71 |
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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
Night in Salisbury on Tuesday
Local time
10:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Rain Showers Likely
Destination
Night in Colesville on Tuesday
Local time
10:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers
62°F
Greensboro, MD
60 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Historical Park
Preserving America's early transportation history, the C&O Canal began as a dream of passage to Western wealth. Operating for nearly 100 years the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potoma...
National Scenic Trail
The Potomac River corridor is rich in both history and recreation, offering a chance to both explore your heritage and choose your adventure along the way. Start your journey here!
National Seashore
Want to live on the edge? Visit a place recreated each day by ocean wind and waves. Life on Assateague Island has adapted to an existence on the move. Explore sandy beaches, salt marshes, maritime for...
National Battlefield
During the summer of 1864, the Confederacy carried out a bold plan to turn the tide of the Civil War in their favor. They planned to capture Washington, DC and influence the election of 1864. On July...
National Historical Park
Harriet Tubman was a deeply spiritual woman who lived her ideals and dedicated her life to freedom. She is the Underground Railroad’s best known conductor and before the Civil War repeatedly risked he...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
You'll be on surface roads for the entire 120.4 miles, with no highway driving. The longest continuous stretch without a turn or exit is 28.5 miles on Ocean Gateway. This means you'll be navigating through towns and rural areas for most of the trip. Be prepared for frequent intersections and varying speed limits as you move between different communities.
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 early in the drive near West Vine Street.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 120.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Vine Street): Navigation decision point; at 106.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 106.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
563 ft
Total Descent
154 ft
Highest Point
433 ft
~120.4 mi in
Elevation Range
433 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Salisbury, MD to Colesville, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Silver Spring along the way.
Silver Spring
Founded 1732
Salisbury is the largest city on the Eastern Shore (Maryland), best known for its eponymous university .
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 47m. Total distance: 120.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads 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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