Origin
Bethesda, MD
Morning in Bethesda on Friday
Local time
7:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bethesda, MD to Adelphi, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
10 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Adelphi, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a quick trip from Bethesda, MD to Adelphi, MD? This 10-mile drive will take about 18 minutes and is best suited for a single day. You'll navigate primarily using the Capital Beltway, Jones Bridge Road, and Wisconsin Avenue, with no significant highway driving. Expect a low fuel cost of around $2 for this short journey. Since there are no designated stops, this is a straightforward local transit experience rather than an extended excursion. It's a convenient local hop within the Northeast region of Maryland, perfect for a brief errand or a quick visit.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 10 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route offers a turn-heavy local drive experience, with a 0% highway share. You’ll spend most of your time on local roads, interspersed with a stretch of the Capital Beltway. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is 5.4 miles on the Capital Beltway. The road character shifts between typical urban and suburban thoroughfares as you move between these nearby Maryland communities. Expect frequent intersections and traffic signals, characteristic of navigating through developed areas.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 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 5.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Arlington Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 10 miles you will encounter 11 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 (Arlington Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Edgemoor Lane): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 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
|
Arlington Road
Turn left onto Arlington Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Edgemoor Lane
Turn right onto Edgemoor Lane
Navigation decision point
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
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 495 / Capital Beltway
Merge onto I 495 / Capital Beltway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
8.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward MD 650 South: New Hampshire Avenue South, Takoma Park
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 28B
Toward MD 650 South: New Hampshire Avenue South...
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 Adelphi, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring and Takoma Park.
Silver Spring
2.8 mi in
|
~7m
Takoma Park
8.5 mi in
|
~14m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| Jones Bridge Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Adelphi Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| New Hampshire Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Edgemoor Lane | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Arlington Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 5.4 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and Adelphi, 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
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 28B
Toward MD 650 South: New Hampshire Avenue South, Takoma Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn straight onto MD 650
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
New Hampshire Avenue
13
Turn left onto Adelphi Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Adelphi Road
14
Turn right onto Edwards Way
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Edwards Way
15
Turn right onto MD 212
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Riggs Road
16
Arrive at destination
MD 212
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.66 one way
$3.32 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.82 | $3.63 |
| premium | $4.93 | $1.94 | $3.88 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.21 | $4.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3 | 0 | $1.05 | $0.48 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.88 | $0.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4 | 0 | $1.40 | $0.64 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Adelphi, MD
Morning in Adelphi on Friday
Local time
7:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
18m 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 Adelphi, MD covers 10 miles and takes about 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Capital Beltway, Jones Bridge Road, Wisconsin Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 5 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 $1.66 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 10 miles you will encounter 11 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 (Arlington Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Edgemoor Lane): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Bethesda, MD and Adelphi, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring and Takoma Park.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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