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Trip from North Bethesda, MD to Takoma Park, MD

Drive Time

19m

Distance

9.6 mi

16 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 18m ★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown North Bethesda, MD, MD

North Bethesda, MD

Kelly

Downtown Takoma Park, MD, MD

Takoma Park, MD

JINISH RAJAGOPAL

Trip Overview

The drive from North Bethesda, MD to Takoma Park, MD covers 9.6 miles and takes about 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Capital Beltway, Georgia Avenue, Rockville Pike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 3.5 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.59 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

4.8 miles from North Bethesda, MD

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 8m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 19m drive with frequent turns across 9.6 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.
Capital Beltway is the longest continuous segment at about 3.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Tudor Lane.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 9.6 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: near the start (Tudor Lane): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Commonwealth Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (MD 355 / Rockville Pike): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Tudor Lane

At end of road, turn left onto Tudor Lane

Navigation decision point

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Commonwealth Drive

Turn left onto Commonwealth Drive

Navigation decision point

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
6.1 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit toward MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue South, Silver Spring

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 31B Toward MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue South, Silve...

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from North Bethesda, MD to Takoma Park, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Silver Spring along the way.

Silver Spring

2.3 mi in | ~5m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Capital Beltway 3.5 mi 4m
Georgia Avenue 2 mi 4m
Rockville Pike 1.8 mi 3m
Philadelphia Avenue 1.1 mi 3m
Nicholson Lane 0.3 mi <1m
Burlington Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Tudor Lane <0.1 mi <1m
Commonwealth Drive <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Capital Beltway — 3.5 mi, about 4m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between North Bethesda, MD and Takoma Park, MD.

1

Start on Tudor Lane

148 ft · 9 sec · Tudor Lane
2

At the end of the road, turn left onto Tudor Lane

338 ft · 21 sec · Tudor Lane
3

Turn left onto Commonwealth Drive

348 ft · 17 sec · Commonwealth Drive
4

Turn right onto Nicholson Lane

0.3 mi · 59 sec · Nicholson Lane
5

Turn right onto Rockville Pike

1.8 mi · 3 min · Rockville Pike
6

Take the ramp slight left toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring

0.3 mi · 36 sec · I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
7

Merge slight right onto Capital Beltway

3.5 mi · 4 min · Capital Beltway
8

Take the exit slight right toward MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue South, Silver Spring

0.3 mi · 36 sec · MD 97 South: Georgia Avenue South, Silver Spring
9

Turn right onto Georgia Avenue

2.0 mi · 4 min · Georgia Avenue
10

Turn right

95 ft · 11 sec
11

Turn left onto East-West Highway

220 ft · 11 sec · East-West Highway
12

Turn left onto Burlington Avenue

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Burlington Avenue
13

Continue on Philadelphia Avenue

1.1 mi · 3 min · Philadelphia Avenue
14

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 4.8 miles from North Bethesda, MD, or about 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 3.5 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 9.6 miles or 19m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 4.8 miles or 8m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 15m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Takoma Park, MD than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving North Bethesda, MD so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from North Bethesda, MD

This is one driving day of about 9.6 miles and 19m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from North Bethesda, MD.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Capital Beltway for about 3.5 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 4.8 mi from North Bethesda, MD · 8m into the drive

Downtown Washington, DC, DC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Washington, DC

5 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

Washington, DC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 9.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Rockville, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 4.8 miles from North Bethesda, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Takoma Park, MD

The final approach into Takoma Park, MD usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Takoma Park, MD.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Preserving America's early transportation history, the C&O Canal began as a dream of passage to Western wealth. Operating for nearly 100 years the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potoma...

8 mi from route ~19 min detour $20
View on nps.gov
Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

National Scenic Trail

The Potomac River corridor is rich in both history and recreation, offering a chance to both explore your heritage and choose your adventure along the way. Start your journey here!

23 mi from route ~57 min detour Free
View on nps.gov
Monocacy National Battlefield

Monocacy National Battlefield

National Battlefield

During the summer of 1864, the Confederacy carried out a bold plan to turn the tide of the Civil War in their favor. They planned to capture Washington, DC and influence the election of 1864. On July...

26 mi from route ~66 min detour Free
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.59 one way

$3.18 round trip

$4.20/gal 25.4 MPG avg 3 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.60 $1.74 $3.48
premium $4.92 $1.86 $3.72
diesel $5.64 $2.13 $4.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$2

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$27–$52

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 3.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 2.9 0 $1.01 $0.46
Efficient EV 2.4 0 $0.84 $0.38
EV Truck/SUV 3.8 0 $1.34 $0.61

Gas CO2

3 kg

EV CO2

1 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.

Forecast data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

North Bethesda, MD

Morning in North Bethesda on Monday

Local time

8:28 AM

EDT

Current temp

88°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Takoma Park, MD

Morning in Takoma Park on Monday

Local time

8:28 AM

EDT

Current temp

88°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

68°F

Washington, DC

5 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

19m 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 Takoma Park, MD covers 9.6 miles and takes about 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Capital Beltway, Georgia Avenue, Rockville Pike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.8 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 $1.59 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 9.6 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.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Tudor Lane): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Commonwealth Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (MD 355 / Rockville Pike): Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from North Bethesda, MD to Takoma Park, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Silver Spring along the way.

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