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Trip from Wheaton, MD to Arbutus, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

42m

Distance

29.2 mi

47 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 39m ★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m

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 Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

Wheaton, MD

Wikimedia Commons

census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States

Arbutus, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Wheaton, MD to Arbutus, MD is 29.2 miles and takes about 42 minutes via I 95 and Randolph Road, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Maryland, traversing the Northeast region. You'll experience a mixed drive, suggesting a blend of highway speeds and local road navigation. Given its brief duration, this route is ideal for a same-day excursion, offering flexibility for when you depart and if you decide to make any unscheduled stops along the way.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 95 12.5 mi 14m
Intercounty Connector 5.2 mi 6m
Randolph Road 2.8 mi 4m
Georgia Avenue 1.2 mi 3m
New Hampshire Avenue 0.9 mi 1m
Hilltop Circle 0.5 mi 2m
Metropolitan Boulevard 0.4 mi <1m
UMBC Boulevard 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 95 — 12.5 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wheaton, MD and Arbutus, MD.

1

Start on MD 586

322 ft · 15 sec · Veirs Mill Road
2

Turn left onto Ennalls Avenue

0.2 mi · 29 sec · Ennalls Avenue
3

At end of road, turn left onto MD 97

1.2 mi · 3 min · Georgia Avenue
4

Turn right

235 ft · 8 sec
5

Continue on this road

230 ft · 8 sec · this road
6

Keep slight left at fork

285 ft · 12 sec
7

Turn straight onto Randolph Road

2.8 mi · 4 min · Randolph Road
8

Turn left onto MD 650

0.9 mi · 1 min · New Hampshire Avenue
9

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Toward MD 200 Toll East
10

Merge onto MD 200 Toll

5.2 mi · 6 min · Intercounty Connector
11

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Exit 19C Toward I 95: Laurel, Burtonsville Use the slight right lane.
12

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 39 sec
Toward MD 198: Konterra Drive
13

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min
Toward MD 198: Laurel, Burtonsville
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 39 sec
Toward MD 198 West: Burtonsville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 50 sec
16

Merge onto I 95

12 mi · 14 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 22 sec
Exit 47A-B Toward I 195 East, MD 166: BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, Catonsville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Exit 47B Toward MD 166: Catonsville Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
19

Merge onto MD 166

0.4 mi · 25 sec · Metropolitan Boulevard
20

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 36 sec
Toward UMBC Campus Use the slight right lane.
21

Turn straight onto UMBC Boulevard

384 ft · 13 sec · UMBC Boulevard
22

Enter roundabout onto UMBC Boulevard

190 ft · 5 sec · UMBC Boulevard
23

Continue on UMBC Boulevard

0.2 mi · 34 sec · UMBC Boulevard
24

Enter roundabout onto Hilltop Circle

116 ft · 3 sec · Hilltop Circle
25

Continue on Hilltop Circle

0.5 mi · 2 min · Hilltop Circle
26

Turn right onto Poplar Avenue

0.2 mi · 38 sec · Poplar Avenue
27

Turn left onto Shelbourne Road

0.2 mi · 33 sec · Shelbourne Road
28

Arrive at destination

Shelbourne Road

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 20

5 decision points cluster between mile 10.7 and 26.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
10.7 mi into trip | ~17m in

Take the exit toward I 95: Laurel, Burtonsville

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 19C Toward I 95: Laurel, Burtonsville
6
11.7 mi into trip | ~18m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 198: Laurel, Burtonsville

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

Toward MD 198: Laurel, Burtonsville
7
12.6 mi into trip | ~20m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 198 West: Burtonsville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward MD 198 West: Burtonsville
8
26.4 mi into trip | ~35m in

Take the exit toward I 195 East, MD 166: BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, Catonsville

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 47A-B Toward I 195 East, MD 166: BWI Thurgood Marshal...
8
26.7 mi into trip | ~36m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 166: Catonsville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 47B Toward MD 166: Catonsville

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.84 one way

$9.68 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $5.30 $10.60
premium $4.93 $5.66 $11.33
diesel $5.61 $6.45 $12.89

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.8 0 $3.07 $1.40
Efficient EV 7.3 0 $2.55 $1.17
EV Truck/SUV 11.7 0 $4.09 $1.87

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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

Wheaton, MD

Late night in Wheaton on Sunday

Local time

12:14 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Arbutus, MD

Late night in Arbutus on Sunday

Local time

12:14 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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

42m 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 is a mixed drive, with 43% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 12.5 miles on I 95, which will likely feel like a typical interstate experience. As you transition off the main highway, the route incorporates other roads like the Intercounty Connector and Randolph Road, introducing a different pace and driving environment. Expect the character of the drive to shift from faster, more direct travel to potentially more varied conditions as you approach your destination.

43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.5 mi on I 95.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.7 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 20 decision points packed into just 29.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 10.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.6 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.

Between Wheaton, MD and Arbutus, MD, road signs point toward Burtonsville, Catonsville and Umbc Campus.

Burtonsville

10.7 mi in | ~17m

Catonsville

26.4 mi in | ~35m

Umbc Campus

27.5 mi in | ~37m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 29.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

42m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (43%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 12.5 miles on I 95. 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 Arbutus, 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 10.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield. 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 Arbutus, 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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