Origin
Bowie, MD
Afternoon in Bowie on Saturday
Local time
2:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bowie, MD to Olney, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
28.7 mi
46 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bowie, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Olney, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Bowie, MD to Olney, MD is 28.7 miles and takes about 45m via Capital Beltway/New Hampshire Avenue/John Hanson Highway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Maryland, moving you from the Northeast region of the state to another Northeast locale. Expect a route with frequent turns and a local feel, rather than a straightforward highway cruise. It's a short trip, perfect for a quick excursion or a way to connect two points without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 8.5 mi | 10m |
| New Hampshire Avenue | 6.4 mi | 11m |
| John Hanson Highway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Norwood Road | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| Olney Sandy Spring Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Collington Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Doctor Bird Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Evergreen Parkway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 8.5 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bowie, MD and Olney, MD.
1
Start on this road
110 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
259 ft
·
20 sec
3
Turn left onto Evergreen Parkway
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Evergreen Parkway
4
At end of road, turn left onto MD 197
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Collington Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward US 50 West: Washington
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto US 50
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
John Hanson Highway
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 7B
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silver Spring
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 7B
Toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto I 95; I 495
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 28A
Toward MD 650 North: New Hampshire Avenue, White Oak
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn slight right onto MD 650
6.4 mi
·
11 min
·
New Hampshire Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto Norwood Road
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Norwood Road
14
Turn straight onto MD 182
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Doctor Bird Road
15
Turn left onto MD 108
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Olney Sandy Spring Road
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn sharp left onto 18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD
117 ft
·
13 sec
·
18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD
17
Arrive at destination
18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 16.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
MD 197 / Collington Road
At end of road, turn left onto MD 197 / Collington Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
7.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 7B
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silv...
9
7.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 7B
Toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway
6
15.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 495 / Capital Beltway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
8
16.8 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward MD 650 North: New Hampshire Avenue, White Oak
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 28A
Toward MD 650 North: New Hampshire Avenue, Whit...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.76 one way
$9.52 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.21 | $10.42 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.57 | $11.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.34 | $12.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10 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 | 8.6 | 0 | $3.01 | $1.38 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.51 | $1.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Olney, MD
Afternoon in Olney on Saturday
Local time
2:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
5 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
45m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a turn-heavy local drive, meaning you'll be navigating a series of roads rather than settling into a long, uninterrupted highway stretch. With 100% of the route on highways, including 8.5 miles on the Capital Beltway, you'll experience varied driving conditions. The drive progresses through a mix of major roadways and local arteries, requiring your attention to navigate the numerous intersections and changes in speed limits. Be prepared for a dynamic experience behind the wheel.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.5 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 0.3 miles in near MD 197 / Collington Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 14 decision points packed into just 28.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (MD 197 / Collington Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bowie, MD and Olney, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring and White Oak.
Silver Spring
7.3 mi in
|
~10m
White Oak
16.8 mi in
|
~23m
About the Cities
Starting in Bowie, MD
Full guide →Bowie is a suburban bedroom community of Washington, D.C. in Prince George's County, Maryland.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 28.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.5 miles on Capital Beltway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Olney, MD before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (MD 197 / Collington Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Olney, MD before heading back.
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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