Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
25.5 mi
41 km
Drive Score
6/10
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.
South Bel Air, MD
Da Khatri
Towson, MD
Wikimedia Commons
This 25.5-mile journey from South Bel Air, MD to Towson, MD is a quick, 39-minute drive that makes for an easy day trip. You'll be navigating primarily local roads, with no highway driving involved, so expect a turn-heavy experience. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $4, making it an economical option. Given its short distance and duration, this route is best suited for a single-day excursion. Both your starting point and destination are located within the Northeast region of Maryland, keeping you within a familiar area throughout your travels.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| Baltimore Beltway | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| White Marsh Boulevard | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Dulaney Valley Road | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Emmorton Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Ring Factory Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Shamrock Road | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between South Bel Air, MD and Towson, MD.
Start on South Shamrock Road
At end of road, turn right onto East MacPhail Road
Turn left onto MD 924
Continue on MD 924
Turn right onto West Ring Factory Road
Turn left onto MD 24
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto MD 43
Merge onto I 695
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn straight onto Hampton Lane
Turn left onto MD 146
Enter roundabout onto MD 45
Continue on MD 45
Continue on MD 45
Turn right onto Shealy Avenue
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.8 and 24.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MD 43: White Marsh, Middle River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 43 West: White Marsh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MD 146 North: Dulaney Valley Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 146 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$4.23 one way
$8.46 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.63 | $9.26 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.95 | $9.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.63 | $11.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.9 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 | 7.6 | 0 | $2.68 | $1.22 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.23 | $1.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
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
Late night in South Bel Air on Tuesday
Local time
5:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Late night in Towson on Tuesday
Local time
5:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
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.
Prepare for a dynamic, turn-heavy drive on this local route, as evidenced by its 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch is not specified, but the profile suggests frequent adjustments in direction. You'll be utilizing East MacPhail Road and South Main Street, among other local thoroughfares, which means you'll be interacting with town traffic and intersections. This isn't a monotonous highway cruise; rather, it's a series of connected local roads that require your constant attention as you navigate through 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 around 5.8 miles in.
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 17 decision points packed into just 25.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
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 15.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from South Bel Air, MD to Towson, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Middle River along the way.
Middle River
Towson is an unincorporated city in Central Maryland. It is located directly north of Baltimore City and is the county seat of Baltimore County.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 25.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m 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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