Trip from Rockville, MD to Frederick, MD

Drive Time

34m

Distance

29 mi

47 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 31m ★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m

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

Downtown Rockville, MD, MD

Rockville, MD

Jonathan Borba

Downtown Frederick, MD, MD

Frederick, MD

RDNE Stock project

Trip Overview

The drive from Rockville, MD to Frederick, MD covers 29 miles and takes about 34m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on West Montgomery Avenue, West Jefferson Street, I 270 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.80 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

14.5 miles from Rockville, MD

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 17m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 34m drive with frequent turns across 29 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.
West Montgomery Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Rockville, MD to Frederick, MD is easy. At 34m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rockville, MD to Frederick, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
West Montgomery Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
West Jefferson Street Unavailable Refreshing
I 270 North Unavailable Refreshing
MD 85 Unavailable Refreshing
Buckeystown Pike Unavailable Refreshing
East Street Unavailable Refreshing
East South Street Unavailable Refreshing
South Carroll Street Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: West Montgomery Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rockville, MD and Frederick, MD.

1

Start on South Washington Street

62 ft · 9 sec · South Washington Street
2

Turn left onto West Montgomery Avenue

0.2 mi · 28 sec · West Montgomery Avenue
3

Turn straight onto West Jefferson Street

292 ft · 11 sec · West Jefferson Street
4

Continue on West Montgomery Avenue

0.7 mi · 1 min · West Montgomery Avenue
5

Take the ramp slight right toward I 270 North: Frederick

0.3 mi · 33 sec · I 270 North: Frederick
6

Merge slight left onto I 270 North

24 mi · 30 min · I 270 North
7

Take the exit slight right toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown

0.3 mi · 48 sec · MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown
8

Turn right onto Buckeystown Pike

1.3 mi · 2 min · Buckeystown Pike
9

Continue on Buckeystown Pike

0.3 mi · 31 sec · Buckeystown Pike
10

Continue on East Street

0.1 mi · 15 sec · East Street
11

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward East Street

118 ft · 2 sec · East Street
12

Exit the roundabout onto East Street

0.3 mi · 33 sec · East Street
13

Turn left onto East South Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · East South Street
14

Turn right onto South Carroll Street

0.2 mi · 43 sec · South Carroll Street
15

Turn left onto East Patrick Street

0.2 mi · 25 sec · East Patrick Street
16

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 14.5 miles from Rockville, MD, or about 17m into the drive.

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 29 miles or 34m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 14.5 miles or 17m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 29m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Rockville, 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 Rockville, MD

This is one driving day of about 29 miles and 34m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Rockville, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 14.5 mi from Rockville, MD · 17m into the drive

Downtown North Bethesda, MD, MD

Mid-route town

Meal stop

North Bethesda, MD

15 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.

Popular next leg

North Bethesda, MD to Frederick, MD

34 mi · 42m

Pacing Suggestions

Washington, DC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

North Bethesda, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 14.5 miles from Rockville, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Frederick, MD

The final approach into Frederick, 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 Frederick, MD.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.80 one way

$9.60 round trip

$4.20/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.60 $5.25 $10.50
premium $4.92 $5.62 $11.24
diesel $5.64 $6.44 $12.89

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$5

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$30–$55

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.7 0 $3.04 $1.39
Efficient EV 7.3 0 $2.54 $1.16
EV Truck/SUV 11.6 0 $4.06 $1.86

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.

Forecast data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

Rockville, MD

Morning in Rockville on Monday

Local time

11:52 AM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Frederick, MD

Morning in Frederick on Monday

Local time

11:52 AM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

34m 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 Frederick, MD covers 29 miles and takes about 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Montgomery Avenue, West Jefferson Street, I 270 North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.5 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 $4.80 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.
The drive from Rockville, MD to Frederick, MD is easy. At 34m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rockville, MD to Frederick, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Rockville, MD to Frederick, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Frederick, MD to Rockville, MD

Plan the drive back the other way.

29.6 mi 36m

Explore more options from Rockville, MD or browse trips ending in Frederick, MD.

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