Trip from Fort Washington, MD to Bel Air, MD

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

1h 54m

Distance

78.3 mi

126 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min

4 AM

1h 46m ★

6 AM

1h 55m

8 AM

2h 11m

10 AM

2h 1m

12 PM

1h 59m

3 PM

2h 1m

5 PM

2h 11m

8 PM

1h 50m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States

Fort Washington, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Bel Air, MD

Captured Hal ⁰

Trip Overview

The drive from Fort Washington, MD to Bel Air, MD covers 78.3 miles and takes about 1h 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Express Toll Lanes, Indian Head Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27 miles on Baltimore-Washington Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.98 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

39.2 miles from Fort Washington, MD

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 1m into the drive .

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Drive Character

The drive from Fort Washington, MD to Bel Air, MD covers 78.3 miles and takes about 1h 54m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Baltimore-Washington Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 27 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.4 miles in near DC 295 / Anacostia Freeway.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 78.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 13.4 miles (DC 295 / Anacostia Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 71.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 20 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

13.4 mi into trip | ~24m in | DC 295 / Anacostia Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto DC 295 / Anacostia Freeway toward DC 295 North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward DC 295 North

18.5 mi into trip | ~32m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Baltimore

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward Baltimore

71.5 mi into trip | ~1h 42m in

Take the exit toward MD 24: Bel Air, Edgewood

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 77A Toward MD 24: Bel Air, Edgewood

71.8 mi into trip | ~1h 43m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 24 North: Bel Air

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward MD 24 North: Bel Air

78.1 mi into trip | ~1h 54m in | US 1 Business; MD 924 / South Main Street

Turn left onto US 1 Business; MD 924 / South Main Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Fort Washington, MD and Bel Air, MD, road signs point toward Dhs, Baltimore and Edgewood.

Dhs

11 mi in | ~20m

Baltimore

18.5 mi in | ~32m

Edgewood

71.5 mi in | ~1h 42m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Baltimore-Washington Parkway	27 mi	37m
Express Toll Lanes	8.5 mi	9m
Indian Head Highway	7.6 mi	12m
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway	7.3 mi	8m
Harbor Tunnel Thruway	7 mi	10m
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway	5.3 mi	7m
Anacostia Freeway	4.9 mi	8m
Kenilworth Avenue Freeway	2.3 mi	3m

Longest stretch: Baltimore-Washington Parkway — 27 mi, about 37m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Washington, MD and Bel Air, MD.

Start on Warburton Drive

0.3 mi · 1 min · Warburton Drive

At end of road, turn right onto Fort Washington Road

0.3 mi · 54 sec · Fort Washington Road

Turn right onto Old Fort Road

1.6 mi · 2 min · Old Fort Road

Turn left onto MD 210

7.6 mi · 12 min · Indian Head Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on South Capitol Street

1.2 mi · 3 min · South Capitol Street

Turn slight right

0.1 mi · 18 sec

Toward I 295 North: Malcolm X Avenue, Dorothea Dix Avenue, DHS Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 24 sec

Toward I 295 North

Merge onto I 295

2.2 mi · 3 min · Anacostia Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto DC 295

2.7 mi · 4 min · Anacostia Freeway

Toward DC 295 North Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Continue on DC 295

2.3 mi · 3 min · Kenilworth Avenue Freeway

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 24 sec

Toward Baltimore Use the slight left lane.

Merge onto Baltimore-Washington Parkway

27 mi · 37 min · Baltimore-Washington Parkway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 32 sec

Toward I 895 North: Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thruway Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 895

1.1 mi · 1 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway

Continue on I 895

1.0 mi · 1 min · Harbor Tunnel Throughway

Continue on I 895

2.2 mi · 3 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 895

1.4 mi · 2 min · Baltimore Harbor Tunnel

Continue on I 895

3.7 mi · 5 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 895

8.5 mi · 9 min · Express Toll Lanes

Use the slight left lane.

Keep slight right at fork

297 ft · 3 sec

Merge onto I 95

7.3 mi · 8 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec

Exit 77A Toward MD 24: Bel Air, Edgewood Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 22 sec

Toward MD 24 North: Bel Air Use the slight left lane.

Turn left onto MD 24

5.3 mi · 7 min · Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto Marketplace Drive

0.3 mi · 37 sec · Marketplace Drive

Continue on South Atwood Road

0.2 mi · 39 sec · South Atwood Road

Turn right onto US 1 Business

0.3 mi · 50 sec · Baltimore Pike

Use the straight / right lanes.

Continue on US 1 Business

363 ft · 17 sec · Fulford Avenue

Turn left onto US 1 Business; MD 924

0.1 mi · 27 sec · South Main Street

Use the left / straight lanes.

Turn right onto Courtland Place

109 ft · 4 sec · Courtland Place

Arrive at destination

Courtland Place

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 39.2 miles from Fort Washington, MD, or about 1h 1m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 27 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 78.3 miles or 1h 54m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 39.2 miles or 1h 1m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 37m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bel Air, MD than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Fort Washington, MD so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Fort Washington, MD

This is one driving day of about 78.3 miles and 1h 54m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Fort Washington, MD.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

The longest stretch is on Baltimore-Washington Parkway for about 27 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 39.2 mi from Fort Washington, MD · 1h 1m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

39 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

Staten Island, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 78.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 39.2 miles from Fort Washington, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Bel Air, MD

The final approach into Bel Air, MD usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Bel Air, MD.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$12.98 one way

$25.96 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 27 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.61	$14.22	$28.43
premium	$4.93	$15.19	$30.37
diesel	$5.61	$17.29	$34.58

Estimated Tolls: $0.49

Harbor Tunnel Thruway (7 mi) $0.49

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 27.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	23.5	$8.22	$3.76
Efficient EV	19.6	$6.85	$3.13
EV Truck/SUV	31.3	$10.96	$5.01

Gas CO2

27 kg

EV CO2

9 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.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Fort Washington, MD

Morning in Fort Washington on Wednesday

Local time

7:38 AM

EDT

Current temp

90°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bel Air, MD

Morning in Bel Air on Wednesday

Local time

7:38 AM

EDT

Current temp

81°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

9 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

1h 54m 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 Fort Washington, MD to Bel Air, MD covers 78.3 miles and takes about 1h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Express Toll Lanes, Indian Head Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 39.2 miles from Fort Washington, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.98 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.

Between Fort Washington, MD and Bel Air, MD, road signs point toward Dhs, Baltimore and Edgewood.

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