Trip from Saint Charles, MD to Adelphi, MD

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are Capital Beltway, Branch Avenue, Crain Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 19.8 miles from Saint Charles, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.58 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

56m

Distance

39.7 mi

64 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min

4 AM

0h 52m ★

6 AM

0h 57m

8 AM

1h 6m

10 AM

1h 0m

12 PM

0h 59m

3 PM

1h 1m

5 PM

1h 6m

8 PM

0h 54m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

Trip Overview

The drive from Saint Charles, MD to Adelphi, MD covers 39.7 miles and takes about 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Capital Beltway, Branch Avenue, Crain Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.3 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.58 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 39.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

56m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 56m drive with frequent turns across 39.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 12 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 20.3 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 8.4 miles in near MD 5 / Branch Avenue.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 39.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 8.4 miles (MD 5 / Branch Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.7 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

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

7

8.4 mi into trip | ~13m in | MD 5 / Branch Avenue

Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5 / Branch Avenue toward MD 5 North: Washington

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward MD 5 North: Washington

7

17.3 mi into trip | ~25m in

Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Coll...

5

17.7 mi into trip | ~26m in | I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway

Merge onto I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

6

36.1 mi into trip | ~50m in | I 495 / Capital Beltway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring

7

38.1 mi into trip | ~53m in

Take the exit toward MD 650 South: Takoma Park

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 28B Toward MD 650 South: Takoma Park

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Saint Charles, MD and Adelphi, MD, road signs point toward College Park and Silver Spring.

College Park

17.3 mi in | ~25m

Silver Spring

36.1 mi in | ~50m | via I 495

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Capital Beltway	20.3 mi	26m
Branch Avenue	9 mi	11m
Crain Highway	8.4 mi	13m
New Hampshire Avenue	0.6 mi	1m
Adelphi Road	0.6 mi	1m
Edwards Way	0.1 mi	<1m
Riggs Road	0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: Capital Beltway — 20.3 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Saint Charles, MD and Adelphi, MD.

1

Start on US 301

0.3 mi · 29 sec · Crain Highway

2

Continue on US 301

8.0 mi · 13 min · Crain Highway

Use the straight lane.

3

Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5

9.0 mi · 11 min · Branch Avenue

Toward MD 5 North: Washington Use the straight / slight right lanes.

4

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec

Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park Use the slight right lane.

5

Merge onto I 95; I 495

18 mi · 24 min · Capital Beltway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 495

2.0 mi · 2 min · Capital Beltway

Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring

7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec

Exit 28B Toward MD 650 South: Takoma Park Use the right lane.

8

Turn straight onto MD 650

0.6 mi · 1 min · New Hampshire Avenue

9

Turn left onto Adelphi Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Adelphi Road

10

Turn right onto Edwards Way

0.1 mi · 20 sec · Edwards Way

11

Turn right onto MD 212

0.1 mi · 13 sec · Riggs Road

12

Arrive at destination

MD 212

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 19.8 mi from Saint Charles, MD · 29m into the drive

census-designated place in Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Forestville, MD

20 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

Silver Spring, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 39.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Forestville, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 19.8 miles from Saint Charles, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Adelphi, MD

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Adelphi, 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

$6.58 one way

$13.16 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.61	$7.21	$14.42
premium	$4.93	$7.70	$15.40
diesel	$5.61	$8.77	$17.53

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 13.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	11.9	$4.17	$1.91
Efficient EV	9.9	$3.47	$1.59
EV Truck/SUV	15.9	$5.56	$2.54

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Saint Charles, MD

Evening in Saint Charles on Thursday

Local time

6:53 PM

EDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Adelphi, MD

Evening in Adelphi on Thursday

Local time

6:53 PM

EDT

Current temp

52°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

17 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

56m 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 Saint Charles, MD to Adelphi, MD covers 39.7 miles and takes about 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.