Origin
Towson, MD
Morning in Towson on Tuesday
Local time
9:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Towson, MD to Columbia, MD
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
23.4 mi
38 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Towson, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Towson, MD to Columbia, MD is 23.4 miles and takes about 33 minutes via Baltimore Beltway and I-70, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, direct drive primarily within Maryland's Northeast region. Expect a turn-heavy local feel for much of this trip, making it ideal for a quick hop between these two points. Given the minimal driving time and cost, this route offers a lot of flexibility for when you choose to depart or if you decide to make unscheduled stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Beltway | 12.4 mi | 16m |
| I 70 | 3.7 mi | 3m |
| Columbia Pike | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| York Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| East Pennsylvania Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Delaware Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Shealy Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Baltimore Beltway
— 12.4 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Towson, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on Shealy Avenue
198 ft
·
9 sec
·
Shealy Avenue
2
Turn right onto Delaware Avenue
265 ft
·
14 sec
·
Delaware Avenue
3
Turn right onto East Pennsylvania Avenue
356 ft
·
16 sec
·
East Pennsylvania Avenue
4
Turn right onto MD 45
476 ft
·
9 sec
·
York Road
5
Enter roundabout onto MD 45
287 ft
·
5 sec
·
York Road
6
Continue on MD 45
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
York Road
7
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 695 West: Pikesville
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 695
12 mi
·
16 min
·
Baltimore Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 16A; 16B
Toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Local Traffic, Frederick
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 16A
Toward I 70 West: Frederick
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 70
3.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I 70
12
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 87A
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington, Ellicott City
Use the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto US 29
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 23 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Pennsylvania Avenue
Turn right onto East Pennsylvania Avenue
Navigation decision point
8
14.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Local Traffic, Frederick
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 16A; 16B
Toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Local Traffic, Fre...
8
14.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 70 West: Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 16A
Toward I 70 West: Frederick
8
18.7 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington, Ellicott City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 87A
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington, Ellic...
8
23 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
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 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.88 one way
$7.76 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.25 | $8.50 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.54 | $9.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.17 | $10.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7 | 0 | $2.46 | $1.12 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.05 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.28 | $1.50 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Columbia, MD
Morning in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
9:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
33m 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 a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only 16% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a mix of faster stretches, including a 12.4-mile segment on the Baltimore Beltway, and more intricate local road navigation. The route progresses through areas that require attention to turns and traffic signals, rather than long, uninterrupted highway cruising. Be prepared for frequent adjustments in speed and direction as you transition between the Baltimore Beltway, I-70, and Columbia Pike.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.4 mi on Baltimore Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 0.1 miles in near East Pennsylvania Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 23.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Pennsylvania Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.5 miles: 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Towson, MD and Columbia, MD, road signs point toward Frederick, Washington and Ellicott City.
Frederick
14.3 mi in
|
~21m
Washington
18.7 mi in
|
~26m
Ellicott City
18.7 mi in
|
~26m
About the Cities
Starting in Towson, MD
Full guide →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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 23.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m 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 12.4 miles on Baltimore 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 Columbia, 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 0.1 miles (East Pennsylvania Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. 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 Columbia, 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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