Origin
North Bethesda, MD
Morning in North Bethesda on Friday
Local time
11:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Bethesda, MD to Brandywine, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
40 mi
64 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Bethesda, MD
Kelly
Brandywine, MD
Jonathan Borba
Trip Overview
The drive from North Bethesda, MD to Brandywine, MD covers 40 miles and takes about 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Capital Beltway, Branch Avenue, MD 337 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 25.5 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.63 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 40 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m 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.
Drive Character
Expect a 58m drive with frequent turns across 40 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 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 25.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 0.5 miles in near MD 355 / Rockville Pike.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 40 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (MD 355 / Rockville Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
MD 355 / Rockville Pike
Turn right onto MD 355 / Rockville Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
2.3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
8
28.1 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward MD 337: Andrews Air Force Base Main Gate, Morningside
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 9
Toward MD 337: Andrews Air Force Base Main Gate...
6
28.4 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
MD 337 / Forestville Road
Turn right onto MD 337 / Forestville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
38 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
Spine Road
Turn left onto Spine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between North Bethesda, MD and Brandywine, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring and Morningside.
Silver Spring
2.3 mi in
|
~5m
Morningside
28.1 mi in
|
~39m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 25.5 mi | 33m |
| Branch Avenue | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| MD 337 | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Brandywine Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Rockville Pike | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Nicholson Lane | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Spine Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Tudor Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 25.5 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Bethesda, MD and Brandywine, MD.
1
Start on Tudor Lane
146 ft
·
8 sec
·
Tudor Lane
2
At end of road, turn left onto Tudor Lane
338 ft
·
20 sec
·
Tudor Lane
3
Turn left onto Commonwealth Drive
347 ft
·
17 sec
·
Commonwealth Drive
4
Turn right onto Nicholson Lane
0.3 mi
·
58 sec
·
Nicholson Lane
5
Turn right onto MD 355
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Rockville Pike
Use the right lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Merge onto I 495
26 mi
·
33 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 9
Toward MD 337: Andrews Air Force Base Main Gate, Morningside
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto MD 337
426 ft
·
12 sec
·
Forestville Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
10
Turn slight right onto MD 337
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
MD 337
Toward MD 337 South
11
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
Toward MD 5 South: Waldorf
12
Merge onto MD 5
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Branch Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn left onto Spine Road
494 ft
·
14 sec
·
Spine Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Turn right onto Brandywine Road
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Brandywine Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Arrive at destination
MD 381
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20 mi from North Bethesda, MD · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20 miles from North Bethesda, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Brandywine, MD
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Brandywine, 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
$6.63 one way
$13.26 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.26 | $14.53 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.76 | $15.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.83 | $17.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12 | 0 | $4.20 | $1.92 |
| Efficient EV | 10 | 0 | $3.50 | $1.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16 | 0 | $5.60 | $2.56 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Brandywine, MD
Morning in Brandywine on Friday
Local time
11:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
58m 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 North Bethesda, MD to Brandywine, MD covers 40 miles and takes about 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Capital Beltway, Branch Avenue, MD 337. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20 miles from North Bethesda, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.63 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 13 decision points packed into just 40 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (MD 355 / Rockville Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between North Bethesda, MD and Brandywine, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring and Morningside.
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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