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Trip from South Bel Air, MD to Silver Spring, 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 22m

Distance

61.2 mi

99 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 16m ★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m

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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Download GPX
Downtown South Bel Air, MD, MD

South Bel Air, MD

Da Khatri

Downtown Silver Spring, MD, MD

Silver Spring, MD

www.kaboompics.com

Trip Overview

South Bel Air, MD to Silver Spring, MD is 61.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 22 minutes via I 95, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a drive with frequent turns and a mix of highway and local roads, making it feel more like navigating through towns and suburbs than a pure interstate journey. Given the relatively short distance and duration, it's a manageable one-day trip, perfect for a quick commute or a short excursion.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 95 17.7 mi 20m
Harbor Tunnel Thruway 12 mi 15m
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway 8.1 mi 9m
Express Toll Lanes 7.7 mi 9m
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway 3.9 mi 5m
Capital Beltway 3.2 mi 3m
Colesville Road 1.5 mi 3m
Baltimore Harbor Tunnel 1.4 mi 2m
Longest stretch: I 95 — 17.7 mi, about 20m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between South Bel Air, MD and Silver Spring, MD.

1

Start on South Shamrock Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · South Shamrock Road
2

At end of road, turn right onto East MacPhail Road

0.3 mi · 44 sec · East MacPhail Road
3

Turn left onto MD 924

496 ft · 14 sec · South Main Street
4

Continue on MD 924

0.6 mi · 1 min · Emmorton Road
5

Turn right onto West Ring Factory Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Ring Factory Road
6

Turn left onto MD 24

3.9 mi · 5 min · Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the left lane.
7

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 95 South: Baltimore Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Merge onto I 95

8.1 mi · 9 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto Express Toll Lanes

6.5 mi · 7 min · Express Toll Lanes
Use the slight left lane.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto Express Toll Lanes

1.2 mi · 1 min · Express Toll Lanes
Use the slight left lane.
11

Merge onto I 895

3.8 mi · 5 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway
12

Continue on I 895

1.4 mi · 2 min · Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
13

Continue on I 895

2.2 mi · 3 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Continue on I 895

0.5 mi · 39 sec · Harbor Tunnel Throughway
15

Keep slight left at fork onto I 895

0.5 mi · 41 sec · Harbor Tunnel Throughway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Continue on I 895

6.0 mi · 7 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / right lanes.
17

Merge onto I 95

18 mi · 20 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 27 Toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, College Park Use the slight right lane.
19

Keep slight right at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda
20

Merge onto I 495

3.2 mi · 3 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Exit 30 Toward US 29 South: Silver Spring Use the right lane.
22

Merge onto US 29

1.5 mi · 3 min · Colesville Road
23

Turn left onto US 29

0.4 mi · 59 sec · Georgia Avenue
24

Continue on US 29

93 ft · 9 sec · Georgia Avenue
25

Turn right

158 ft · 13 sec
26

Turn right

85 ft · 6 sec
27

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Baltimore, MD

31 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.

Popular next leg

Baltimore, MD to Silver Spring, MD

33.7 mi · 46m

Pacing Suggestions

Essex, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Baltimore, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 30.6 miles from South Bel Air, 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 18

5 decision points cluster between mile 5.8 and 58.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
5.8 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit toward I 95 South: Baltimore

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 95 South: Baltimore
6
14.6 mi into trip | ~21m in | Express Toll Lanes

Keep slight left at fork onto Express Toll Lanes

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane.
6
21 mi into trip | ~29m in | Express Toll Lanes

Keep slight left at fork onto Express Toll Lanes

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane.
8
54.3 mi into trip | ~1h 10m in

Take the exit toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, 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. Exit 27 Toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, Col...
7
58.9 mi into trip | ~1h 17m in

Take the exit toward US 29 South: Silver Spring

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 30 Toward US 29 South: Silver Spring

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.15 one way

$20.29 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $11.11 $22.22
premium $4.93 $11.87 $23.74
diesel $5.61 $13.51 $27.02

Estimated Tolls: $0.84

Harbor Tunnel Thruway (12 mi) $0.84

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Tolls

$1

Total

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.4 0 $6.43 $2.94
Efficient EV 15.3 0 $5.35 $2.45
EV Truck/SUV 24.5 0 $8.57 $3.92

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 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 17, 2026

Origin

South Bel Air, MD

Night in South Bel Air on Saturday

Local time

10:53 PM

EDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Silver Spring, MD

Night in Silver Spring on Saturday

Local time

10:53 PM

EDT

Current temp

74°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

2 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

1h 22m 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 drive is characterized as 'turn-heavy,' suggesting you'll encounter numerous intersections and changes in direction, especially as you move away from the main highways. While 29% of the route involves highway travel on roads like the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway and Harbor Tunnel Thruway, the overall profile indicates a significant portion will be on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 17.7 miles on I 95, offering a brief period of consistent speed before you transition back to more varied driving conditions. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that requires attention to navigation.

Only 29% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.7 mi on I 95.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 5.8 miles in.

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 61.2 miles you will encounter 18 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 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles (Express Toll Lanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles (Express Toll Lanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.

Between South Bel Air, MD and Silver Spring, MD, road signs point toward Bethesda and College Park.

Bethesda

54.3 mi in | ~1h 10m

College Park

54.3 mi in | ~1h 10m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 61.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 22m 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 17.7 miles on I 95. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.84 in tolls one way, starting with Harbor Tunnel Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

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 Silver Spring, 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 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles (Express Toll Lanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles (Express Toll Lanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Silver Spring, 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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