Origin
Spencerville, MD
Late night in Spencerville on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Spencerville, MD to Bethesda, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
15.8 mi
25 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Spencerville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 15.8-mile drive from Spencerville, MD, to Bethesda, MD, is easily manageable in just 29 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on New Hampshire Avenue and Jones Bridge Road, with a brief stint on the Capital Beltway. With a fuel cost estimated at $3, this is a very budget-friendly excursion within the Northeast region. The route is characterized by frequent turns rather than long stretches of highway, so expect a more local feel throughout. Given its brevity, there's no need to split this journey over multiple days.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire Avenue | 5.7 mi | 9m |
| Capital Beltway | 3 mi | 4m |
| Jones Bridge Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Columbia Pike | 1 mi | 1m |
| Colesville Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Spencerville Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New Hampshire Avenue
— 5.7 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Spencerville, MD and Bethesda, MD.
1
Start on Good Hope Road
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Good Hope Road
2
At end of road, turn left onto MD 198
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Spencerville Road
3
Turn left onto MD 650
5.7 mi
·
9 min
·
New Hampshire Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
5
Merge onto US 29
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Columbia Pike
6
Continue on US 29
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Colesville Road
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 495 West: Bethesda, Northern Virginia
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 495
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 33
Toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
246 ft
·
8 sec
Toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South, Chevy Chase
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto MD 185
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Connecticut Avenue
Use the right lane.
12
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Jones Bridge Road
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto MD 355
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Rockville Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Continue on MD 355
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Wisconsin Avenue
15
Turn right onto Commerce Lane
340 ft
·
17 sec
·
Commerce Lane
16
Continue on Edgemoor Lane
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Edgemoor Lane
17
Turn left onto Arlington Road
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
Arlington Road
18
Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue
510 ft
·
22 sec
·
Bethesda Avenue
19
Turn left
44 ft
·
3 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 13.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MD 198 / Spencerville Road
At end of road, turn left onto MD 198 / Spencerville Road
Navigation decision point
7
9.1 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward I 495 West: Bethesda, Northern Virginia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 495 West: Bethesda, Northern Virginia
8
12.4 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase
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 33
Toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase
8
12.8 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South, Chevy Chase
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South,...
6
13.3 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
Jones Bridge Road
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.62 one way
$5.24 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.87 | $5.74 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.06 | $6.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.49 | $6.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.66 | $0.76 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.38 | $0.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.21 | $1.01 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Bethesda, MD
Late night in Bethesda on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°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
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
29m 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?
Expect a decidedly turn-heavy local drive for this trip, with a 0% highway share. The journey unfolds primarily on surface streets, meaning you'll be navigating various intersections and local traffic patterns. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.7 miles on New Hampshire Avenue. As you progress, the character of the road shifts more towards navigating through populated areas with typical suburban traffic. This isn't a high-speed cruise but rather a more involved local navigation experience.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.7 mi on New Hampshire Avenue.
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 around 0.3 miles in near MD 198 / Spencerville Road.
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 14 decision points packed into just 15.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (MD 198 / Spencerville Road): Navigation decision point; at 9.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Spencerville, MD and Bethesda, MD, road signs point toward Northern Virginia and Chevy Chase.
Northern Virginia
9.1 mi in
|
~15m
Chevy Chase
12.4 mi in
|
~20m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 15.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.7 miles on New Hampshire Avenue. 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 Bethesda, 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 0.3 miles (MD 198 / Spencerville Road): Navigation decision point; at 9.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bethesda, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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