Origin
Bethesda, MD
Afternoon in Bethesda on Friday
Local time
4:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bethesda, MD to Laurel, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
19.2 mi
31 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Laurel, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Bethesda, MD to Laurel, MD is 19.2 miles and takes about 30m via Capital Beltway/I-95, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a drive with many turns, characteristic of local travel, rather than a long, scenic highway journey. It's a straightforward point-to-point drive, perfect for when you need to get from one area to another efficiently without a major time commitment.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 19.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This drive has a turn-heavy local feel, with only about 16% of the journey on highways like the Capital Beltway and I-95. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 6.5 miles on the Capital Beltway. As you navigate, you'll likely experience a mix of city streets and occasional highway segments. Be prepared for frequent changes in direction as you transition between local roads and the main arteries.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Capital Beltway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 2.8 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 18 decision points packed into just 19.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
2.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
7
9.6 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North: Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 95 North: Baltimore
6
9.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North: Baltimore, New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 North: Baltimore, New York
8
14.1 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward MD 200 Toll, MD 198: Konterra Drive
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 31; 32; 33
Toward MD 200 Toll, MD 198: Konterra Drive
8
16.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 198 East: Laurel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 33A
Toward MD 198 East: Laurel
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bethesda, MD and Laurel, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring, New York and Burtonsville.
Silver Spring
2.8 mi in
|
~7m
New York
9.9 mi in
|
~16m
Burtonsville
15.5 mi in
|
~24m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 6.5 mi | 8m |
| I 95 | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Jones Bridge Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Gorman Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Sandy Spring Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Edgemoor Lane | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 6.5 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and Laurel, MD.
1
Start on this road
44 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue
510 ft
·
24 sec
·
Bethesda Avenue
3
Turn left onto Arlington Road
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
Arlington Road
4
Turn right onto Edgemoor Lane
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Edgemoor Lane
5
Turn left onto MD 355
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Wisconsin Avenue
6
Continue on MD 355
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Rockville Pike
7
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Jones Bridge Road
8
Turn left onto MD 185
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Connecticut Avenue
Use the left / slight left lanes.
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 495
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 27
Toward I 95 North: Baltimore
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 95 North: Baltimore, New York
13
Merge onto I 95
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
I 95
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 31; 32; 33
Toward MD 200 Toll, MD 198: Konterra Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Toward MD 200 Toll West, MD 198
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
Toward MD 198: Konterra Drive
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward MD 198: Laurel, Burtonsville
18
Keep slight right at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 33A
Toward MD 198 East: Laurel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn straight onto MD 198
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Sandy Spring Road
20
Continue on MD 198
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Gorman Avenue
21
Turn left onto US 1
388 ft
·
9 sec
·
2nd Street
22
Turn slight left
190 ft
·
7 sec
Use the left lane.
23
Turn slight left onto MD 198
109 ft
·
3 sec
·
Talbott Avenue
24
Turn left
86 ft
·
2 sec
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
25
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.18 one way
$6.37 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.49 | $6.97 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.72 | $7.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.24 | $8.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.02 | $0.92 |
| Efficient EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.68 | $0.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.69 | $1.23 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Laurel, MD
Afternoon in Laurel on Friday
Local time
4:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
76°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
30m 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 Bethesda, MD to Laurel, MD covers 19.2 miles and takes about 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Capital Beltway, I 95, Jones Bridge Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.6 miles from Bethesda, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.18 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 18 decision points packed into just 19.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Bethesda, MD and Laurel, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring, New York and Burtonsville.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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