Origin
Arlington, MD
Afternoon in Arlington on Wednesday
Local time
3:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington, MD to South Bel Air, MD
Data updated 1 hour ago
Drive Time
53m
Distance
25.6 mi
41 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington, MD
RDNE Stock project
South Bel Air, MD
Da Khatri
Trip Overview
The drive from Arlington, MD to South Bel Air, MD covers 25.6 miles and takes about 53m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Belair Road, West Northern Parkway, US 1 Business for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.4 miles on Belair Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.24 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
12.8 miles from Arlington, MD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 28m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
The drive from Arlington, MD to South Bel Air, MD covers 25.6 miles and takes about 53m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Belair Road is the longest continuous segment at about 13.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Hayward Avenue.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 25.6 miles you will encounter 9 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 (Hayward Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (West Northern Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles (US 1 / Belair Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Hayward Avenue
Turn left onto Hayward Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
West Northern Parkway
Turn right onto West Northern Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
8.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
US 1 / Belair Road
Turn left onto US 1 / Belair Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
22.3 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
US 1 Business
Take the exit onto US 1 Business
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
24.9 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
MD 924 / Kenmore Avenue
Turn right onto MD 924 / Kenmore Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Belair Road | 13.4 mi | 24m |
| West Northern Parkway | 7.1 mi | 16m |
| US 1 Business | 2.6 mi | 5m |
| West Belvedere Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Fleetwood Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Linwood Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Kenmore Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Hayward Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Belair Road
— 13.4 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, MD and South Bel Air, MD.
1
Start on Cuthbert Avenue
419 ft
·
19 sec
·
Cuthbert Avenue
2
Turn left onto Hayward Avenue
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
Hayward Avenue
3
Turn right onto MD 129
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Park Heights Avenue
4
Turn left onto West Belvedere Avenue
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Belvedere Avenue
5
Turn right onto West Northern Parkway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Northern Parkway
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on West Northern Parkway
6.3 mi
·
14 min
·
West Northern Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on Fleetwood Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Fleetwood Avenue
8
Turn left onto US 1
13 mi
·
24 min
·
Belair Road
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit onto US 1 Business
2.6 mi
·
5 min
·
US 1 Business
Use the right lane.
10
Turn right onto MD 924
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Kenmore Avenue
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto Linwood Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Linwood Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto South Shamrock Road
192 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Shamrock Road
13
Arrive at destination
South Shamrock Road
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 12.8 miles from Arlington, MD, or about 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 13.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 25.6 miles or 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 12.8 miles or 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near South Bel Air, MD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Arlington, MD so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Arlington, MD
This is one driving day of about 25.6 miles and 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Arlington, MD.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Belair Road for about 13.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 12.8 mi from Arlington, MD · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
13 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 25.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 12.8 miles from Arlington, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in South Bel Air, MD
The final approach into South Bel Air, MD usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around South Bel Air, MD.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.24 one way
$8.49 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.65 | $9.30 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.96 | $9.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.65 | $11.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$29–$54
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.69 | $1.23 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
South Bel Air, MD
Afternoon in South Bel Air on Wednesday
Local time
3:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
36 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
53m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Arlington, MD to South Bel Air, MD covers 25.6 miles and takes about 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Belair Road, West Northern Parkway, US 1 Business. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.8 miles from Arlington, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.24 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 25.6 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Hayward Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (West Northern Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles (US 1 / Belair Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Arlington, MD to South Bel Air, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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