Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
57.5 mi
93 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockville, MD
Jonathan Borba
La Plata, MD
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Rockville, MD to La Plata, MD covers 57.5 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Capital Beltway, Crain Highway, Branch Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 25.7 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.53 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 25.7 mi | 33m |
| Crain Highway | 13.6 mi | 21m |
| Branch Avenue | 8.1 mi | 10m |
| I 270 | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| MD 337 | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Great Falls Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Charles Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West Montgomery Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Rockville, MD and La Plata, MD.
Start on South Washington Street
Turn left onto West Montgomery Avenue
Continue on Great Falls Road
Turn right onto MD 189
Continue on MD 189
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Turn right onto MD 337
Turn slight right onto MD 337
Turn left
Merge onto MD 5
Merge onto US 301; MD 5
Turn left onto MD 6
Turn left onto Kent Avenue
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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.
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 28.7 miles from Rockville, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 32.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 270 South
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto I 495 / Capital Beltway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
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
Turn right onto MD 337 / Forestville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$9.53 one way
$19.07 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.44 | $20.88 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.15 | $22.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.70 | $25.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.04 | $2.76 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23 | 0 | $8.05 | $3.68 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Rockville on Saturday
Local time
4:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Afternoon in La Plata on Saturday
Local time
4:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
57.5 mi in 1h 24m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
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 miles in.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.5 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.7 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Rockville, MD and La Plata, MD, road signs point toward College Park and Morningside.
College Park
Morningside
La Plata is a city in Southern Maryland. It is the county seat of Charles County.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 57.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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