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Trip from Arnold, MD to Frederick, MD

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

1h 20m

Distance

63.4 mi

102 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 14m ★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 16m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

census designated place, Maryland, United States

Arnold, MD

Wikimedia Commons

city in Frederick County, Maryland, United States

Frederick, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Arnold, MD to Frederick, MD covers 63.4 miles and takes about 1h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 70, Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway, Governor Ritchie Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.6 miles on I 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.51 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

31.7 miles from Arnold, MD

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 44m into the drive .

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Drive Character

The drive from Arnold, MD to Frederick, MD covers 63.4 miles and takes about 1h 20m, 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 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 70 is the longest continuous segment at about 32.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

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 8.4 miles in near MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 63.4 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 8.4 miles (MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
8.4 mi into trip | ~13m in | MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway toward MD 100 West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward MD 100 West
7
25.9 mi into trip | ~37m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 29 North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward US 29 North
7
29.2 mi into trip | ~41m in

Take the exit toward I 70 West: Frederick

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 25B Toward I 70 West: Frederick
8
62.1 mi into trip | ~1h 17m in

Take the exit toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick

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 54 Toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick
9
62.3 mi into trip | ~1h 17m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Downtown Frederick, East Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward Downtown Frederick, East Street

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 70 32.6 mi 35m
Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway 17.5 mi 23m
Governor Ritchie Highway 6.9 mi 10m
Columbia Pike 3 mi 3m
Arundel Expressway 1.1 mi 1m
East Street 0.5 mi <1m
South Carroll Street 0.2 mi <1m
East Patrick Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 70 — 32.6 mi, about 35m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Arnold, MD and Frederick, MD.

1

Start on Church Road

527 ft · 15 sec · Church Road
2

Turn slight right onto Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard

0.1 mi · 29 sec · Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard
3

At end of road, turn right onto MD 2

6.9 mi · 10 min · Governor Ritchie Highway
4

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 17 sec
Toward MD 10 North, I 695: Baltimore
5

Merge onto MD 10

1.1 mi · 1 min · Arundel Expressway
6

Keep slight left at fork onto MD 100

18 mi · 23 min · Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
Toward MD 100 West Use the slight left lane.
7

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 29 sec
Toward US 29 North Use the slight right lane.
8

Merge onto US 29

3.0 mi · 3 min · Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Exit 25B Toward I 70 West: Frederick Use the right lane.
10

Merge onto I 70

10 mi · 10 min · I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 70; US 40

12 mi · 12 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on I 70; US 40

11 mi · 11 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Exit 54 Toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick Use the slight right lane.
14

Keep slight right at fork

419 ft · 10 sec
Toward Downtown Frederick, East Street Use the slight right lane.
15

Turn straight onto MD 85

426 ft · 9 sec · Buckeystown Pike
16

Continue on East Street

0.1 mi · 15 sec · East Street
17

Enter roundabout onto East Street

119 ft · 2 sec · East Street
18

Continue on East Street

0.3 mi · 33 sec · East Street
19

Turn left onto MD 144

0.1 mi · 24 sec · East South Street
20

Turn right onto South Carroll Street

0.2 mi · 45 sec · South Carroll Street
21

Turn left onto MD 144

0.2 mi · 25 sec · East Patrick Street
22

Arrive at destination

MD 144

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 31.7 miles from Arnold, MD, or about 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 32.6 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 63.4 miles or 1h 20m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 31.7 miles or 44m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 8m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Frederick, MD than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Arnold, 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 Arnold, MD

This is one driving day of about 63.4 miles and 1h 20m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Arnold, 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 I 70 for about 32.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 31.7 mi from Arnold, MD · 44m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

32 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

Washington, DC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 63.4 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.7 miles from Arnold, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Frederick, MD

The final approach into Frederick, 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 Frederick, 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

$10.51 one way

$21.02 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $11.51 $23.02
premium $4.93 $12.30 $24.59
diesel $5.61 $14.00 $28.00

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 22.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 19 0 $6.66 $3.04
Efficient EV 15.9 0 $5.55 $2.54
EV Truck/SUV 25.4 0 $8.88 $4.06

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (68% 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Arnold, MD

Afternoon in Arnold on Wednesday

Local time

12:06 PM

EDT

Current temp

81°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Frederick, MD

Afternoon in Frederick on Wednesday

Local time

12:06 PM

EDT

Current temp

67°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

14 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 20m 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 Arnold, MD to Frederick, MD covers 63.4 miles and takes about 1h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70, Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway, Governor Ritchie Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 31.7 miles from Arnold, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.51 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 is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 63.4 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 8.4 miles (MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Arnold, MD to Frederick, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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