Origin
Essex, MD
Afternoon in Essex on Saturday
Local time
1:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Essex, MD to Gaithersburg, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
49.8 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Trip Overview
The drive from Essex, MD to Gaithersburg, MD covers 49.8 miles and takes about 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Eastern Boulevard, Eastern Avenue, I 95 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.26 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Boulevard | — | — |
| Eastern Avenue | — | — |
| I 95 South | — | — |
| MD 200 | — | — |
| Intercounty Connector | — | — |
| MD 355 | — | — |
| Frederick Road | — | — |
| South Frederick Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Eastern Boulevard
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Essex, MD and Gaithersburg, MD.
1
Start on the route
358 ft
·
32 sec
·
the route
2
Turn left
184 ft
·
16 sec
3
At the end of the road, turn right onto Eastern Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Eastern Boulevard
4
Continue on Eastern Avenue
2.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Eastern Avenue
5
Take the ramp slight right toward I 95 South: Washington
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
I 95 South: Washington
6
Merge slight left
2.1 mi
·
2 min
7
Keep slight right
24 mi
·
29 min
8
Take the exit slight right toward MD 200 Toll West
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
MD 200 Toll West
9
Merge slight left onto Intercounty Connector
9.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Intercounty Connector
10
Continue on Intercounty Connector
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Intercounty Connector
11
Continue straight
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
12
Take the exit slight right toward MD 355: Rockville, Gaithersburg
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
MD 355: Rockville, Gaithersburg
13
Turn right onto Frederick Road
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Frederick Road
14
Continue on South Frederick Avenue
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
South Frederick Avenue
15
Turn left
85 ft
·
6 sec
16
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.9 miles from Essex, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.26 one way
$16.51 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.04 | $18.08 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.66 | $19.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.00 | $21.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.23 | $2.39 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.97 | $3.19 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Gaithersburg, MD
Afternoon in Gaithersburg on Saturday
Local time
1:57 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
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
56m 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?
49.8 mi in 56m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Eastern Boulevard.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
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 Essex, MD to Gaithersburg, MD is easy. At 56m 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 Essex, MD to Gaithersburg, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Starting in Essex, MD
Full guide →Southeast Baltimore, fittingly, covers the areas in the southeast of Baltimore, ranging from industrial wastelands to charming neighborhoods both quiet and hip.
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 56m. Total distance: 49.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m 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
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Essex, MD to Gaithersburg, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Gaithersburg, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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