Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
24.6 mi
40 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Seat Pleasant, MD
Waldemar Brandt
North Bethesda, MD
Kelly
Seat Pleasant, MD to North Bethesda, MD is 24.6 miles and takes about 36 minutes via Capital Beltway and Baltimore-Washington Parkway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip stays within the Northeast region of Maryland, primarily utilizing major roadways before transitioning to surface streets. It's a straightforward drive for anyone needing to get between these two points without a significant time commitment. Consider this for a straightforward commute or a short hop across the region.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 13.1 mi | 16m |
| Baltimore-Washington Parkway | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| Rockville Pike | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Eastern Avenue Northeast | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Highway | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Nicholson Lane | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Kenilworth Avenue Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Tudor Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Seat Pleasant, MD and North Bethesda, MD.
Start on MD 704
Continue on MD 704
Turn slight right onto Eastern Avenue Northeast
Turn right onto Kenilworth Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto MD 201
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95; I 495
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
Take the exit
Turn straight onto MD 355
Turn left onto Nicholson Lane
Turn left onto Commonwealth Drive
Turn right onto Tudor Lane
Continue on Tudor Lane
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 21.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Merge onto MD 201 / Kenilworth Avenue Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 355: Bethesda, Rockville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$4.08 one way
$8.16 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.47 | $8.93 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.77 | $9.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.43 | $10.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.58 | $1.18 |
| Efficient EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.15 | $0.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.44 | $1.57 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Morning in Seat Pleasant on Tuesday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Mostly Cloudy then Scattered Rain Showers
Destination
Morning in North Bethesda on Tuesday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Scattered Rain Showers
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.
You'll encounter 24% highway driving, with the longest stretch on the Capital Beltway covering 13.1 miles. The route largely sticks to surface roads after exiting the main highways. Expect a moderate number of exits and merges as you navigate through built-up areas. This drive features a mix of faster-paced highway segments and slower, more controlled surface road driving.
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 2.4 miles in near MD 201 / Kenilworth Avenue Freeway.
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 24.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (MD 201 / Kenilworth Avenue Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 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 Seat Pleasant, MD and North Bethesda, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore, College Park, Silver Spring and Rockville.
Baltimore
College Park
Silver Spring
Rockville
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 24.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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