Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
29.6 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Mellwood, MD
Jason Morrison
Bethesda, MD to Mellwood, MD is 29.6 miles and takes about 43 minutes via Capital Beltway and Pennsylvania Avenue, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, same-day trip primarily within Maryland's Northeast region. Expect a local drive with frequent turns rather than long stretches of highway. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick excursion or as part of a larger travel plan, offering a straightforward transition between two points without extensive travel time.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 29.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
This route is characterized by its turn-heavy local drive, with a highway share of 0%. You'll encounter a mix of roads, including the Capital Beltway, Pennsylvania Avenue, and Jones Bridge Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 22.8 miles on the Capital Beltway. The drive progresses through urban and suburban landscapes, requiring your attention to navigation and traffic, especially as you transition from the Beltway to more local arteries.
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 0.1 miles in near Arlington Road.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 29.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Arlington Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left onto Arlington Road
Navigation decision point
Take the ramp toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 4 South/East: Pennsylvania Avenue, Upper Marlboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 223: Woodyard Road, Westphalia, Clinton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left onto Marlboro Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bethesda, MD and Mellwood, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring and Upper Marlboro.
Silver Spring
Upper Marlboro
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 22.8 mi | 29m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Jones Bridge Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Edgemoor Lane | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Arlington Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Woodyard Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and Mellwood, MD.
Start on this road
Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue
Turn left onto Arlington Road
Turn right onto Edgemoor Lane
Turn left onto MD 355
Continue on MD 355
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
Turn left onto MD 185
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Merge onto MD 4
Take the exit
Turn right onto MD 223
Turn left onto Marlboro Pike
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$4.91 one way
$9.81 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.37 | $10.75 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.74 | $11.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.54 | $13.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.4 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 | 8.9 | 0 | $3.11 | $1.42 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.59 | $1.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.14 | $1.89 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Bethesda on Friday
Local time
9:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Night in Mellwood on Friday
Local time
9:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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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