Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
48.5 mi
78 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
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.
La Plata, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Silver Spring, MD
www.kaboompics.com
The drive from La Plata, MD to Silver Spring, MD covers 48.5 miles and takes about 1h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Capital Beltway, Crain Highway, Branch Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 22.5 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.04 one way before food or hotel costs.
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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 48.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m 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 10m drive with frequent turns across 48.5 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 14.4 miles in near MD 5 / Branch Avenue.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.5 miles you will encounter 11 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 14.4 miles (MD 5 / Branch Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.7 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway): 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.
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5 / Branch Avenue toward MD 5 North: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
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
Take the exit toward US 29 South: Silver Spring
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 La Plata, MD to Silver Spring, MD, road signs begin pointing toward College Park along the way.
College Park
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 22.5 mi | 29m |
| Crain Highway | 14 mi | 22m |
| Branch Avenue | 9 mi | 11m |
| Colesville Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Georgia Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Charles Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Kent Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between La Plata, MD and Silver Spring, MD.
Start on this road
Turn left onto Kent Avenue
Turn right onto MD 6
Turn right onto US 301
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95; I 495
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
Take the exit
Merge onto US 29
Turn left onto US 29
Continue on US 29
Turn right
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.3 mi from La Plata, MD · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 24.3 miles from La Plata, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Silver Spring, 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
$8.04 one way
$16.08 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.81 | $17.61 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.41 | $18.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.71 | $21.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.09 | $2.33 |
| Efficient EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.24 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.79 | $3.10 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in La Plata on Saturday
Local time
7:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Morning in Silver Spring on Saturday
Local time
7:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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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