Origin
Silver Spring, MD
Late night in Silver Spring on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Silver Spring, MD to Beltsville, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14m
Distance
8.7 mi
14 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 17m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 17m
8 PM
0h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Silver Spring, MD
www.kaboompics.com
Beltsville, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Silver Spring and Beltsville is a quick, straightforward journey spanning just 8.7 miles. You can expect to complete this drive in about 14 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With an estimated fuel cost of only $1, it is an incredibly economical commute within the Northeast region. Since both locations are situated in Maryland, you will stay within the same state throughout the entire transit. This route is ideal for those who prefer a rapid, no-fuss trip that requires no overnight planning or complex logistics.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Baltimore Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Colesville Road | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Georgia Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Powder Mill Road | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 3.7 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Silver Spring, MD and Beltsville, MD.
1
Start on this road
85 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
200 ft
·
14 sec
3
Merge onto US 29
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Georgia Avenue
4
Turn right onto US 29
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Colesville Road
Use the right lane.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 495 East: College Park
6
Merge onto I 495
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 25B-A
Toward US 1: College Park, Laurel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 25A
Toward US 1 North: Laurel
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 25A
Toward US 1 North: Laurel, Baltimore Avenue
Use the right lane.
10
Turn straight onto US 1
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Baltimore Avenue
11
Turn left onto MD 212A
13 ft
·
0 sec
·
Powder Mill Road
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
MD 212A
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 8.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
8
5.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward US 1: College Park, Laurel
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 25B-A
Toward US 1: College Park, Laurel
6
6.6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 1 North: Laurel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 25A
Toward US 1 North: Laurel
10
6.9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 1 North: Laurel, Baltimore Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 25A
Toward US 1 North: Laurel, Baltimore Avenue
6
8.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
MD 212A / Powder Mill Road
Turn left onto MD 212A / Powder Mill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.44 one way
$2.88 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.58 | $3.16 |
| premium | $4.93 | $1.69 | $3.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.92 | $3.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3 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 | 2.6 | 0 | $0.91 | $0.42 |
| Efficient EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.76 | $0.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Beltsville, MD
Late night in Beltsville on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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
3 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
14m 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 8.7-mile trek is defined as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a long-distance highway cruise. You will navigate via Colesville Road, Baltimore Avenue, and the Capital Beltway, though the route maintains a 0% highway share for the overall transit. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a brief 3.7-mile segment on the Capital Beltway. Because of the frequent turns and local road focus, you should stay alert for shifting traffic patterns as you transition between these two Maryland communities.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.7 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 early in the drive.
Driving Effort
8/10
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 8.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 14m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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.
On the drive from Silver Spring, MD to Beltsville, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Laurel along the way.
Laurel
5.8 mi in
|
~9m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 8.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m 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 3.7 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 Beltsville, 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. 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 Beltsville, 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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