Origin
Chestertown, MD
Morning in Chestertown on Saturday
Local time
11:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chestertown, MD to Columbia, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
71.5 mi
115 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chestertown, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Chestertown, MD to Columbia, MD covers 71.5 miles and takes about 1h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Maple Avenue, Chestertown Church Hill Road, Church Hill Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 71.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 23m drive with frequent turns across 71.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Maple Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Chestertown, MD to Columbia, MD is easy. At 1h 23m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chestertown, MD to Columbia, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maple Avenue | — | — |
| Chestertown Church Hill Road | — | — |
| Church Hill Road | — | — |
| North Liberty Street | — | — |
| Centreville Road | — | — |
| US 301 South | — | — |
| Blue Star Memorial Highway | — | — |
| MD 2 North | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Maple Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chestertown, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on South Cross Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
South Cross Street
2
Turn right onto Maple Avenue
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Maple Avenue
3
Continue on Chestertown Church Hill Road
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Chestertown Church Hill Road
4
Continue on Church Hill Road
15 mi
·
22 min
·
Church Hill Road
5
Continue on North Liberty Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Liberty Street
6
Continue on Centreville Road
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Centreville Road
7
Take the ramp right toward US 301 South
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
US 301 South
8
Merge slight left onto Blue Star Memorial Highway
25 mi
·
34 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
9
Take the exit slight right toward MD 2 North: Ritchie Highway, Severna Park
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
MD 2 North: Ritchie Highway, Severna Park
10
Merge slight left onto Governor Ritchie Highway
8.0 mi
·
12 min
·
Governor Ritchie Highway
11
Take the exit slight right toward MD 10 North, I 695: Baltimore
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
MD 10 North, I 695: Baltimore
12
Merge slight left onto Arundel Expressway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Arundel Expressway
13
Keep slight left to continue on Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
18 mi
·
23 min
·
Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
14
Keep slight left to continue on US 29 South: Washington
0.6 mi
·
48 sec
·
US 29 South: Washington
15
Merge slight right onto Columbia Pike
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
·
Columbia Pike
16
Take the exit slight right toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
17
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 35.8 mi from Chestertown, MD · 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.8 miles from Chestertown, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Columbia, MD
The final approach into Columbia, MD usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.85 one way
$23.71 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $12.98 | $25.97 |
| premium | $4.93 | $13.87 | $27.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.79 | $31.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 25 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.51 | $3.43 |
| Efficient EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.6 | 0 | $10.01 | $4.58 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Morning in Columbia on Saturday
Local time
11:04 AM
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 23m 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 Chestertown, MD to Columbia, MD covers 71.5 miles and takes about 1h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Maple Avenue, Chestertown Church Hill Road, Church Hill Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.8 miles from Chestertown, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.85 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.
The drive from Chestertown, MD to Columbia, MD is easy. At 1h 23m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chestertown, MD to Columbia, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Chestertown, MD to Columbia, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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