Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
40.3 mi
65 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
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
Mellwood, MD
Jason Morrison
The drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Mellwood, MD covers 40.3 miles and takes about 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Capital Beltway, I 270, Pennsylvania Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.7 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.68 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 40.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Expect a 55m drive with frequent turns across 40.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
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 0.1 miles in near Chestnut Street.
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 13 decision points packed into just 40.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Chestnut Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 onto Chestnut Street
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 4 South/East: Pennsylvania Avenue, Upper Marlboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 223: Woodyard Road, Westphalia, Clinton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Gaithersburg, MD and Mellwood, MD, road signs point toward College Park and Upper Marlboro.
College Park
Upper Marlboro
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 24.7 mi | 32m |
| I 270 | 9.4 mi | 12m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| West Diamond Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Chestnut Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Woodyard Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Frederick Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Gaithersburg, MD and Mellwood, MD.
Start on this road
Turn left onto MD 355
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
Turn right onto MD 117
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Merge onto MD 4
Take the exit
Turn right onto MD 223
Turn left onto Marlboro Pike
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.1 mi from Gaithersburg, MD · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 20.1 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 Mellwood, 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
$6.68 one way
$13.36 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.32 | $14.63 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.82 | $15.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.90 | $17.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.23 | $1.93 |
| Efficient EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Afternoon in Gaithersburg on Friday
Local time
1:25 PM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Mellwood on Friday
Local time
1:25 PM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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