Origin
Beltsville, MD
Afternoon in Beltsville on Friday
Local time
4:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Beltsville, MD to Columbia, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
22.6 mi
36 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Beltsville, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Beltsville, MD to Columbia, MD covers 22.6 miles and takes about 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 95, MD 100, Powder Mill Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.1 miles on I 95. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.75 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 22.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 29m highway drive covering 22.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 95 and MD 100. The longest continuous stretch is about 13.1 miles on I 95.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 95 is the longest continuous segment at about 13.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and MD 100. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near I 95.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 22.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles (MD 100): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
15.5 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 43B
Toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
5
15.9 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
MD 100
Merge onto MD 100
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
21.1 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 29 South: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 29 South: Washington
8
22.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
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 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 13.1 mi | 15m |
| MD 100 | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Powder Mill Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Columbia Pike | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 13.1 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Beltsville, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on MD 212A
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Powder Mill Road
2
Turn left onto MD 212
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Powder Mill Road
3
Take the ramp
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 North: Baltimore
4
Merge onto I 95
13 mi
·
15 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 43B
Toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto MD 100
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
MD 100
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 29 South: Washington
Use the slight left lane.
8
Merge onto US 29
0.5 mi
·
30 sec
·
Columbia Pike
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Arrive at destination
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.75 one way
$7.49 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.10 | $8.21 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.38 | $8.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.99 | $9.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.37 | $1.08 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.98 | $0.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9 | 0 | $3.16 | $1.45 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Columbia, MD
Afternoon in Columbia on Friday
Local time
4:56 PM
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
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
29m 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 Beltsville, MD to Columbia, MD covers 22.6 miles and takes about 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 95, MD 100, Powder Mill Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.3 miles from Beltsville, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.75 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 short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 22.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles (MD 100): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Beltsville, MD to Columbia, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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