Origin
La Plata, MD
Morning in La Plata on Saturday
Local time
9:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from La Plata, MD to Columbia, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
65.5 mi
105 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
La Plata, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from La Plata, MD to Columbia, MD covers 65.5 miles and takes about 1h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Kent Avenue, Charles Street, Crain Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.86 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in La Plata, MD
Full guide →La Plata is a city in Southern Maryland. It is the county seat of Charles County.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 65.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 18m drive with frequent turns across 65.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Kent Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from La Plata, MD to Columbia, MD is easy. At 1h 18m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from La Plata, MD to Columbia, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kent Avenue | — | — |
| Charles Street | — | — |
| Crain Highway | — | — |
| Branch Avenue | — | — |
| I 95 North | — | — |
| Capital Beltway | — | — |
| I-95 North | — | — |
| MD 100 West | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Kent Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between La Plata, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on the route
10 ft
·
5 sec
·
the route
2
Turn left onto Kent Avenue
56 ft
·
4 sec
·
Kent Avenue
3
Turn right onto Charles Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Charles Street
4
Turn right onto Crain Highway
14 mi
·
22 min
·
Crain Highway
5
Keep slight left to continue on Branch Avenue
9.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Branch Avenue
6
Take the exit slight right toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
7
Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway
18 mi
·
24 min
·
Capital Beltway
8
Keep slight right to continue on I-95 North: Baltimore
16 mi
·
19 min
·
I-95 North: Baltimore
9
Take the exit slight right toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
MD 100 West: Ellicott City
10
Merge slight left
5.2 mi
·
7 min
11
Keep slight left to continue on US 29 South: Washington
0.6 mi
·
48 sec
·
US 29 South: Washington
12
Merge slight right onto Columbia Pike
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
·
Columbia Pike
13
Take the exit slight right toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
14
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 32.8 mi from La Plata, MD · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.8 miles from La Plata, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Columbia, MD
The final approach into Columbia, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.86 one way
$21.72 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $11.89 | $23.79 |
| premium | $4.93 | $12.70 | $25.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.46 | $28.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.88 | $3.14 |
| Efficient EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.2 | 0 | $9.17 | $4.19 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Columbia, MD
Morning in Columbia on Saturday
Local time
9:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°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
3 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
1h 18m 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 La Plata, MD to Columbia, MD covers 65.5 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Kent Avenue, Charles Street, Crain Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 32.8 miles from La Plata, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.86 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.
The drive from La Plata, MD to Columbia, MD is easy. At 1h 18m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from La Plata, MD to Columbia, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from La Plata, MD to Columbia, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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