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Trip from Gaithersburg, MD to Gambrills, MD

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

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 50m ★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m

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

Downtown Gaithersburg, MD, MD

Gaithersburg, MD

Kristopher Hines

Downtown Gambrills, MD, MD

Gambrills, MD

Joachim Hoholm

Trip Overview

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.

Who Is This Route For?

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.

Drive Character

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.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Intercounty Connector is the longest continuous segment at about 17.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

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.

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 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.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

7
3.1 mi into trip | ~6m in

Turn left toward MD 200 Toll East

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward MD 200 Toll East
7
20.8 mi into trip | ~29m in | MD 200 Toll

Keep slight left at fork onto MD 200 Toll toward US 1 North: Laurel

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward US 1 North: Laurel
8
31 mi into trip | ~46m in

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 6 Toward MD 175: Odenton, Fort Meade
7
31.4 mi into trip | ~47m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MD 175 East: Odenton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward MD 175 East: Odenton
5
34.6 mi into trip | ~53m in | Maple Road

Turn right onto Maple Road

Navigation decision point

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

31 mi in | ~46m

Main Roads

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
Longest stretch: Intercounty Connector — 17.2 mi, about 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Gaithersburg, MD and Gambrills, MD.

1

Start on this road

85 ft · 8 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto MD 355

0.2 mi · 16 sec · North Frederick Avenue
3

Continue on MD 355

1.4 mi · 2 min · South Frederick Avenue
4

Continue on MD 355

0.4 mi · 42 sec · Frederick Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Turn left onto Shady Grove Road

1.1 mi · 2 min · Shady Grove Road
6

Turn left

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward MD 200 Toll East Use the left lane.
7

Merge onto MD 200 Toll

17 mi · 21 min · Intercounty Connector
8

Keep slight left at fork onto MD 200 Toll

0.2 mi · 29 sec · MD 200 Toll
Toward US 1 North: Laurel Use the slight left lane.
9

Turn straight onto US 1

2.4 mi · 3 min · Baltimore Avenue
10

Continue on US 1

465 ft · 13 sec · Baltimore Street
11

Continue on US 1

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Baltimore Avenue
12

Continue on US 1

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Baltimore Street
13

Turn slight right

421 ft · 10 sec
14

Turn straight onto MD 198

344 ft · 8 sec · Gorman Avenue
15

Continue on MD 198

0.7 mi · 1 min · Fort Meade Road
16

Continue on MD 198

4.4 mi · 7 min · Laurel Fort Meade Road
Use the straight lane.
17

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 28 sec
Toward MD 32 East: Odenton
18

Merge onto MD 32

1.6 mi · 2 min · Patuxent Freeway
19

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Exit 6 Toward MD 175: Odenton, Fort Meade Use the slight right lane.
20

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 13 sec
Toward MD 175 East: Odenton Use the slight right lane.
21

Turn straight onto MD 175

1.9 mi · 3 min · Annapolis Road
22

Enter roundabout onto MD 175

185 ft · 3 sec · Annapolis Road
23

Continue on MD 175

1.1 mi · 2 min · Annapolis Road
24

Turn left onto Gambrills Road

475 ft · 15 sec · Gambrills Road
25

Turn right onto Maple Road

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Maple Road
26

Arrive at destination

Maple Road

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 17.4 mi from Gaithersburg, MD · 24m into the drive

Downtown Maryland City, MD, MD

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Maryland City, MD

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.

Pacing Suggestions

Crofton, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 34.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Kemp Mill, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 17.4 miles from Gaithersburg, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Gambrills, MD

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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.77 one way

$11.54 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Gaithersburg, MD

Morning in Gaithersburg on Friday

Local time

6:33 AM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gambrills, MD

Morning in Gambrills on Friday

Local time

6:33 AM

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

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 Gaithersburg, MD to Gambrills, MD covers 34.8 miles and takes about 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Intercounty Connector, Laurel Fort Meade Road, Annapolis Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 17.4 miles from Gaithersburg, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.77 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.

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.

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.

On the drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Gambrills, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Meade along the way.

How this page is built

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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