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Trip from Waldorf, MD to Olney, 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 14m

Distance

48.9 mi

79 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Good

7 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 9m ★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m

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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census designated place in Charles County, Maryland, United States

Waldorf, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Olney, MD, MD

Olney, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Waldorf, MD to Olney, MD is 48.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 14 minutes via Capital Beltway and Branch Avenue/New Hampshire Avenue, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a local drive with frequent turns, rather than a highway cruise. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this route is best suited for a single-day excursion. It's a straightforward drive that gets you from point A to point B without much fuss.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Capital Beltway 20 mi 26m
Branch Avenue 9 mi 11m
New Hampshire Avenue 6.4 mi 11m
Crain Highway 6.2 mi 10m
Norwood Road 2.9 mi 5m
Olney Sandy Spring Road 1.4 mi 2m
Saint Patricks Drive 1 mi 2m
Doctor Bird Road 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Capital Beltway — 20 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Waldorf, MD and Olney, MD.

1

Start on Lancaster Circle

0.3 mi · 1 min · Lancaster Circle
2

At end of road, turn left onto Smallwood Drive West

0.3 mi · 41 sec · Smallwood Drive West
3

Turn left onto Saint Patricks Drive

1.0 mi · 2 min · Saint Patricks Drive
4

Turn left onto US 301

6.2 mi · 10 min · Crain Highway
Use the straight lane.
5

Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5

9.0 mi · 11 min · Branch Avenue
Toward MD 5 North: Washington Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park Use the slight right lane.
7

Merge onto I 95; I 495

18 mi · 24 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 495

1.6 mi · 1 min · Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Exit 28A Toward MD 650 North: New Hampshire Avenue, White Oak Use the slight right lane.
10

Turn slight right onto MD 650

6.4 mi · 11 min · New Hampshire Avenue
Use the left lane.
11

Turn left onto Norwood Road

2.9 mi · 5 min · Norwood Road
12

Turn straight onto MD 182

0.7 mi · 1 min · Doctor Bird Road
13

Turn left onto MD 108

1.4 mi · 2 min · Olney Sandy Spring Road
Use the straight lane.
14

Turn sharp left onto 18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD

117 ft · 13 sec · 18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD
15

Arrive at destination

18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD

Where to Stop

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

census-designated place in Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Forestville, MD

24 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

Forestville, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Forestville, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Waldorf, 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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 7.8 and 37.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
7.8 mi into trip | ~14m in | MD 5 / Branch Avenue

Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5 / Branch Avenue toward MD 5 North: Washington

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward MD 5 North: Washington
7
16.7 mi into trip | ~25m in

Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, 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. Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Coll...
5
17.1 mi into trip | ~26m in | I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway

Merge onto I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
35.5 mi into trip | ~51m in | I 495 / Capital Beltway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
8
37.1 mi into trip | ~53m in

Take the exit toward MD 650 North: New Hampshire Avenue, White Oak

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 28A Toward MD 650 North: New Hampshire Avenue, Whit...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.11 one way

$16.21 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $8.88 $17.76
premium $4.93 $9.48 $18.97
diesel $5.61 $10.80 $21.59

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.7 0 $5.13 $2.35
Efficient EV 12.2 0 $4.28 $1.96
EV Truck/SUV 19.6 0 $6.85 $3.13

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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

Waldorf, MD

Late night in Waldorf on Sunday

Local time

1:57 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Olney, MD

Late night in Olney on Sunday

Local time

1:57 AM

EDT

Current temp

73°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 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 14m 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 route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with no highway segments. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is about 20 miles on the Capital Beltway. As you transition off the Beltway, prepare for a more stop-and-go experience on local roads like Branch Avenue and New Hampshire Avenue. This means you'll be navigating more intersections and potentially dealing with local traffic patterns. The drive will likely feel more involved than a typical interstate journey.

Only 0% 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: 20 mi on Capital Beltway.

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 7.8 miles in near MD 5 / Branch 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 48.9 miles you will encounter 11 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 7.8 miles (MD 5 / Branch Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.1 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Waldorf, MD and Olney, MD, road signs point toward College Park, Silver Spring and White Oak.

College Park

16.7 mi in | ~25m

Silver Spring

35.5 mi in | ~51m | via I 495

White Oak

37.1 mi in | ~53m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 48.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 14m 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 20 miles on Capital 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 Olney, 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 7.8 miles (MD 5 / Branch Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.1 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield 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 Olney, 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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