Origin
Rockville, MD
Afternoon in Rockville on Saturday
Local time
12:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockville, MD to Arbutus, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
34.4 mi
55 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Arbutus, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Rockville, MD to Arbutus, MD covers 34.4 miles and takes about 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 95, Intercounty Connector, Norbeck Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.5 miles on I 95. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.70 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 34.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Rockville, MD to Arbutus, MD covers 34.4 miles and takes about 48m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 95 is the longest continuous segment at about 12.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near MD 28 / West Jefferson Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 19 decision points packed into just 34.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (MD 28 / West Jefferson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MD 28 / West Jefferson Street
Turn left onto MD 28 / West Jefferson Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
15.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward I 95: Laurel, Burtonsville
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 19C
Toward I 95: Laurel, Burtonsville
7
17.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 198 West: Burtonsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 198 West: Burtonsville
8
31.6 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward I 195 East, MD 166: BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, Catonsville
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 47A-B
Toward I 195 East, MD 166: BWI Thurgood Marshal...
8
32 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 166: Catonsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 47B
Toward MD 166: Catonsville
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Rockville, MD and Arbutus, MD, road signs point toward Burtonsville and Catonsville.
Burtonsville
15.9 mi in
|
~23m
Catonsville
31.6 mi in
|
~42m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 12.5 mi | 14m |
| Intercounty Connector | 10.1 mi | 12m |
| Norbeck Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Hilltop Circle | 0.5 mi | 2m |
| Veirs Mill Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| First Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Metropolitan Boulevard | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Jefferson Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 12.5 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockville, MD and Arbutus, MD.
1
Start on South Washington Street
300 ft
·
16 sec
·
South Washington Street
2
Turn left onto MD 28
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Jefferson Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on MD 28
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Veirs Mill Road
4
Turn left onto MD 28
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
First Street
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on MD 28
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Norbeck Road
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto MD 97
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Georgia Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward MD 200 Toll East
8
Merge onto MD 200 Toll
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Intercounty Connector
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 19C
Toward I 95: Laurel, Burtonsville
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
Toward MD 198: Konterra Drive
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward MD 198: Laurel, Burtonsville
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
Toward MD 198 West: Burtonsville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
14
Merge onto I 95
12 mi
·
14 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 47A-B
Toward I 195 East, MD 166: BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, Catonsville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 47B
Toward MD 166: Catonsville
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto MD 166
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
Metropolitan Boulevard
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
Toward UMBC Campus
Use the slight right lane.
19
Turn straight onto UMBC Boulevard
384 ft
·
13 sec
·
UMBC Boulevard
20
Enter roundabout onto UMBC Boulevard
190 ft
·
5 sec
·
UMBC Boulevard
21
Continue on UMBC Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
UMBC Boulevard
22
Enter roundabout onto Hilltop Circle
116 ft
·
3 sec
·
Hilltop Circle
23
Continue on Hilltop Circle
0.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Hilltop Circle
24
Turn right onto Poplar Avenue
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Poplar Avenue
25
Turn left onto Shelbourne Road
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Shelbourne Road
26
Arrive at destination
Shelbourne Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.2 mi from Rockville, MD · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.2 miles from Rockville, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Arbutus, MD
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Arbutus, 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
$5.70 one way
$11.41 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.25 | $12.49 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.67 | $13.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.60 | $15.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.61 | $1.65 |
| Efficient EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.01 | $1.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.82 | $2.20 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Arbutus, MD
Afternoon in Arbutus on Saturday
Local time
12:03 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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
48m 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 Rockville, MD to Arbutus, MD covers 34.4 miles and takes about 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 95, Intercounty Connector, Norbeck Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.2 miles from Rockville, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.70 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 19 decision points packed into just 34.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (MD 28 / West Jefferson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Rockville, MD and Arbutus, MD, road signs point toward Burtonsville and Catonsville.
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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