Origin
Kettering, MD
Afternoon in Kettering on Friday
Local time
1:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kettering, MD to Gaithersburg, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
34.1 mi
55 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kettering, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Trip Overview
The drive from Kettering, MD to Gaithersburg, MD covers 34.1 miles and takes about 47m 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, Landover Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.5 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.65 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 34.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Kettering, MD to Gaithersburg, MD covers 34.1 miles and takes about 47m, 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 14 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 18.5 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 3.6 miles in near I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 34.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.6 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.6 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.1 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
3.6 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
12.6 mi into trip
|
~17m 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
22.1 mi into trip
|
~30m 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
25.7 mi into trip
|
~34m 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
5
33 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward MD 117, MD 124 South: Clopper Road, West Diamond Avenue, Quince Orchard Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MD 117, MD 124 South: Clopper Road, West...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Kettering, MD and Gaithersburg, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore and Silver Spring.
Baltimore
3 mi in
|
~4m
Silver Spring
12.6 mi in
|
~17m
|
via I 495
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 18.5 mi | 24m |
| I 270 | 10.9 mi | 14m |
| Landover Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Largo Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Diamond Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Chestnut Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Meem Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Frederick Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 18.5 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kettering, MD and Gaithersburg, MD.
1
Start on MD 202
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Largo Road
2
Continue on MD 202
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Landover Road
3
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: College Park, Baltimore
4
Merge onto I 95; I 495
9.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
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.
6
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.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
7.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 North
Use the slight right lane.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward MD 117, MD 124 South: Clopper Road, West Diamond Avenue, Quince Orchard Road
9
Turn left onto MD 117
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Diamond Avenue
10
Turn left onto Meem Avenue
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Meem Avenue
11
Turn right onto Chestnut Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Chestnut Street
12
Turn right onto MD 355
251 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Frederick Avenue
13
Turn right
85 ft
·
6 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.1 mi from Kettering, MD · 23m 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.1 miles from Kettering, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Gaithersburg, MD
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Gaithersburg, 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
$5.65 one way
$11.31 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.19 | $12.38 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.61 | $13.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.53 | $15.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 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 | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.77 | $2.18 |
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.
Destination
Gaithersburg, MD
Afternoon in Gaithersburg on Friday
Local time
1:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 13 mph
3% chance
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
42 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
47m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Kettering, MD to Gaithersburg, MD covers 34.1 miles and takes about 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Capital Beltway, I 270, Landover Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.1 miles from Kettering, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.65 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 34.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.6 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.6 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.1 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Kettering, MD and Gaithersburg, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore and Silver Spring.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield.
How this page is built
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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