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Trip from Towson, 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 4m

Distance

43.9 mi

71 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
1h 0m ★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m

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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suburb of Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Towson, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Silver Spring, MD, MD

Silver Spring, MD

www.kaboompics.com

Trip Overview

This 43.9-mile drive from Towson, MD to Silver Spring, MD will take approximately 1 hour and 4 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The route primarily utilizes Columbia Pike and the Baltimore Beltway, with a portion on I-70. With a fuel cost estimated at $7, this is an economical journey. As both locations are in the Northeast region of Maryland, you'll be navigating within a familiar area. The route's turn-heavy local drive profile suggests it's best suited for a single, straightforward excursion rather than requiring an overnight stay.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Columbia Pike 21.2 mi 28m
Baltimore Beltway 12.4 mi 16m
I 70 3.7 mi 3m
Colesville Road 2.7 mi 5m
York Road 1.1 mi 2m
Georgia Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
East Pennsylvania Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Delaware Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Columbia Pike — 21.2 mi, about 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Towson, MD and Silver Spring, 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

21 mi · 28 min · Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Continue on US 29

2.7 mi · 5 min · Colesville Road
15

Turn left onto US 29

0.4 mi · 59 sec · Georgia Avenue
16

Continue on US 29

93 ft · 9 sec · Georgia Avenue
17

Turn right

158 ft · 13 sec
18

Turn right

85 ft · 6 sec
19

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

unincorporated community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ellicott City, MD

22 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Pikesville, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Columbia, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.9 miles from Towson, 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 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 18.7 — 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

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | MD 45 / York Road

Turn right onto MD 45 / York Road

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...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.28 one way

$14.56 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $7.97 $15.94
premium $4.93 $8.51 $17.03
diesel $5.61 $9.69 $19.39

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.2 0 $4.61 $2.11
Efficient EV 11 0 $3.84 $1.76
EV Truck/SUV 17.6 0 $6.15 $2.81

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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

Towson, MD

Late night in Towson on Sunday

Local time

1:57 AM

EDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Silver Spring, MD

Late night in Silver Spring on Sunday

Local time

1:57 AM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Mostly Cloudy then Scattered Rain Showers

W 7 to 13 mph 38% chance 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

5 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

1h 4m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this 43.9-mile trip. While only 8% of the route is on highways like the Baltimore Beltway and I-70, the majority unfolds on local roads, including a significant 21.2-mile stretch on Columbia Pike. This means you'll be navigating more intersections and varied traffic patterns than a pure interstate experience. The character of the drive shifts from the faster highway segments to more intricate local road navigation as you progress towards Silver Spring.

Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.2 mi on Columbia Pike.

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 0.1 miles in near East Pennsylvania Avenue.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.9 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (East Pennsylvania Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (MD 45 / York Road): 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.

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 Silver Spring, 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

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 43.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 4m 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 21.2 miles on Columbia Pike. 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 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 0.1 miles (East Pennsylvania Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (MD 45 / York Road): 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.

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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