Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
42.1 mi
68 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Arden on the Severn, MD
Jonathan Borba
The drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Arden on the Severn, MD covers 42.1 miles and takes about 1h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Intercounty Connector, Patuxent Freeway, Laurel Fort Meade Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.2 miles on Intercounty Connector. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.98 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 42.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m 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 1h 5m drive with frequent turns across 42.1 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 3.1 miles in.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42.1 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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 29.4 miles (MD 32 / Patuxent Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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
Merge onto MD 32 / Patuxent Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MD 3 North: Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Veterans Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Arden on the Severn, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Veterans Highway along the way.
Veterans Highway
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Intercounty Connector | 17.2 mi | 21m |
| Patuxent Freeway | 7.4 mi | 10m |
| Laurel Fort Meade Road | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| Baltimore Avenue | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Sunrise Beach Road | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| Generals Highway | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| South Frederick Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Shady Grove Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Gaithersburg, MD and Arden on the Severn, 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
Merge onto MD 3
Take the exit
Continue on Veterans Highway
Turn right onto MD 178
Turn left onto Sunrise Beach Road
Continue on Omar Drive
Turn left onto Shore View Circle
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21 mi from Gaithersburg, MD · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 21 miles from Gaithersburg, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Arden on the Severn, MD usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$6.98 one way
$13.96 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.64 | $15.29 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.16 | $16.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.30 | $18.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 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 | 12.6 | 0 | $4.42 | $2.02 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.89 | $2.69 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Afternoon in Gaithersburg on Friday
Local time
4:39 PM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Arden on the Severn on Friday
Local time
4:39 PM
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
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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