Origin
Goddard, MD
Afternoon in Goddard on Thursday
Local time
3:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Goddard, MD to Gaithersburg, MD
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
39m
Distance
27.5 mi
44 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Goddard, MD
RDNE Stock project
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Trip Overview
The drive from Goddard, MD to Gaithersburg, MD covers 27.5 miles and takes about 39m 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, Greenbelt Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.1 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.56 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 27.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (40%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Goddard, MD to Gaithersburg, MD covers 27.5 miles and takes about 39m, 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 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Capital Beltway is the longest continuous segment at about 13.1 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 2 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 16 decision points packed into just 27.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Silver Spring, Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Silver Spring,...
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway
Merge onto I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 495 / Capital Beltway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
8
15.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North: Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 35
Toward I 270 North: Frederick
7
19.1 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 270 North
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Goddard, MD and Gaithersburg, MD, road signs point toward Washington, Baltimore and Silver Spring.
Washington
1.7 mi in
|
~3m
Baltimore
2 mi in
|
~4m
Silver Spring
6 mi in
|
~9m
|
via I 495
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 13.1 mi | 16m |
| I 270 | 10.9 mi | 14m |
| Greenbelt Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Diamond Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Chestnut Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Southway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Meem Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cipriano Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 13.1 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Goddard, MD and Gaithersburg, MD.
1
Start on this road
425 ft
·
32 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Cipriano Road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Cipriano Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto MD 193
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Greenbelt Road
4
Turn sharp right onto MD 193-A
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Southway
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward Washington
6
Merge onto Baltimore-Washington Parkway
287 ft
·
4 sec
·
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Silver Spring, Baltimore
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 95; I 495
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
9.5 mi
·
12 min
·
Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
I 270
Exit 35
Toward I 270 North: Frederick
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
7.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 North
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward MD 117, MD 124 South: Clopper Road, West Diamond Avenue, Quince Orchard Road
13
Turn left onto MD 117
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Diamond Avenue
14
Turn left onto Meem Avenue
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Meem Avenue
15
Turn right onto Chestnut Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Chestnut Street
16
Turn right onto MD 355
251 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Frederick Avenue
17
Turn right
85 ft
·
6 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.56 one way
$9.12 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.99 | $9.99 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.33 | $10.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.07 | $12.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.89 | $1.32 |
| Efficient EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.41 | $1.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11 | 0 | $3.85 | $1.76 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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.
Destination
Gaithersburg, MD
Afternoon in Gaithersburg on Thursday
Local time
3:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
2 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
39m 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 Goddard, MD to Gaithersburg, MD covers 27.5 miles and takes about 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Capital Beltway, I 270, Greenbelt Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.8 miles from Goddard, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.56 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 16 decision points packed into just 27.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Goddard, MD and Gaithersburg, MD, road signs point toward Washington, Baltimore and Silver Spring.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield.
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