Origin
Gaithersburg, MD
Morning in Gaithersburg on Friday
Local time
6:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
34.8 mi
56 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Gambrills, MD
Joachim Hoholm
This 34.8-mile drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Gambrills, MD takes approximately 54 minutes and is best suited as a single-day trip. You'll navigate primarily via the Intercounty Connector, Laurel Fort Meade Road, and Annapolis Road. With a projected fuel cost of $6, this is an economical short haul. Since both locations are within the Northeast region and the same state (MD), expect a familiar driving environment. This route offers a straightforward and efficient way to travel between these two Maryland communities.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 34.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for much of this 54-minute journey. While 5% of the route involves highway driving, the majority is on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.2 miles on the Intercounty Connector, offering a brief period of higher-speed travel. As you transition from the Intercounty Connector to Laurel Fort Meade Road and then Annapolis Road, the character shifts to a more local, potentially busier, road experience with more frequent intersections and varying speed limits.
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 3.1 miles in.
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 11 decision points packed into just 34.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 20.8 miles (MD 200 Toll): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left toward MD 200 Toll East
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 200 Toll toward US 1 North: Laurel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MD 175: Odenton, Fort Meade
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 175 East: Odenton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Maple Road
Navigation decision point
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Gambrills, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Meade along the way.
Fort Meade
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Intercounty Connector | 17.2 mi | 21m |
| Laurel Fort Meade Road | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| Annapolis Road | 3 mi | 5m |
| Baltimore Avenue | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Patuxent Freeway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| South Frederick Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Shady Grove Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Fort Meade Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Gaithersburg, MD and Gambrills, MD.
Start on this road
Turn right onto MD 355
Continue on MD 355
Continue on MD 355
Turn left onto Shady Grove Road
Turn left
Merge onto MD 200 Toll
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 200 Toll
Turn straight onto US 1
Continue on US 1
Continue on US 1
Continue on US 1
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto MD 198
Continue on MD 198
Continue on MD 198
Take the ramp
Merge onto MD 32
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto MD 175
Enter roundabout onto MD 175
Continue on MD 175
Turn left onto Gambrills Road
Turn right onto Maple Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.4 mi from Gaithersburg, MD · 24m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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.
A short stop after about 34.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 17.4 miles from Gaithersburg, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Gambrills, MD if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$5.77 one way
$11.54 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.32 | $12.64 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.75 | $13.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.68 | $15.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.65 | $1.67 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.87 | $2.23 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Gaithersburg on Friday
Local time
6:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Gambrills on Friday
Local time
6:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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.
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. 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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