Origin
Parkville, MD
Evening in Parkville on Friday
Local time
6:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Parkville, MD to Columbia, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
28 mi
45 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Parkville, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Parkville, MD to Columbia, MD covers 28 miles and takes about 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Baltimore Beltway, I 70, Columbia Pike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.8 miles on Baltimore Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.64 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 28 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m 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 39m drive with frequent turns across 28 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Baltimore Beltway is the longest continuous segment at about 17.8 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 1.1 miles in near I 695 / Baltimore Beltway.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 28 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (I 695 / Baltimore Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 695 / Baltimore Beltway
Merge onto I 695 / Baltimore Beltway toward Harford Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Harford Road
8
18.9 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Local Traffic, Frederick
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 16A; 16B
Toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Local Traffic, Fre...
8
19.1 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 70 West: Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 16A
Toward I 70 West: Frederick
8
23.3 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington, Ellicott City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 87A
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington, Ellic...
8
27.6 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
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 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Parkville, MD and Columbia, MD, road signs point toward Frederick, Washington and Ellicott City.
Frederick
18.9 mi in
|
~27m
Washington
23.3 mi in
|
~32m
Ellicott City
23.3 mi in
|
~32m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Beltway | 17.8 mi | 24m |
| I 70 | 3.7 mi | 3m |
| Columbia Pike | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| Harford Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Oak Forest Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Baltimore Beltway
— 17.8 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Parkville, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on Oak Forest Drive
32 ft
·
2 sec
·
Oak Forest Drive
2
Turn right onto MD 147
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Harford Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 695 West: Towson
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 695
18 mi
·
24 min
·
Baltimore Beltway
Toward Harford Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 16A; 16B
Toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Local Traffic, Frederick
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 16A
Toward I 70 West: Frederick
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 70
3.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I 70
8
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 87A
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington, Ellicott City
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto US 29
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Arrive at destination
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.64 one way
$9.28 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.08 | $10.17 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.43 | $10.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.18 | $12.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
| Efficient EV | 7 | 0 | $2.45 | $1.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.92 | $1.79 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Evening in Columbia on Friday
Local time
6:30 PM
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
2 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
39m 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 Parkville, MD to Columbia, MD covers 28 miles and takes about 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Baltimore Beltway, I 70, Columbia Pike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14 miles from Parkville, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.64 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 10 decision points packed into just 28 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (I 695 / Baltimore Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Parkville, MD and Columbia, MD, road signs point toward Frederick, Washington and Ellicott City.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
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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