Origin
Saint Charles, MD
Morning in Saint Charles on Saturday
Local time
8:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saint Charles, MD to Annapolis, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
43 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Charles, MD
RDNE Stock project
Annapolis, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Saint Charles, MD to Annapolis, MD covers 43 miles and takes about 1h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Crain Highway, John Hanson Highway, South East Crain Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.4 miles on Crain Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.13 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 43 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m 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 1h 1m drive with frequent turns across 43 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Crain Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 21.4 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 29.4 miles in near US 301.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43 miles you will encounter 10 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 29.4 miles (US 301): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.5 miles (US 301): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
29.4 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
US 301
Take the exit onto US 301 toward US 50, US 301: Annapolis, Washington
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 US 50, US 301: Annapolis, Washington
6
29.5 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
US 301
Keep slight right at fork onto US 301 toward US 50 East, US 301 North: Annapolis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 50 East, US 301 North: Annapolis
8
40.9 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward MD 70: Rowe Boulevard, Bestgate Road, Annapolis, Maryland Fire-Rescue Memorial, Historic Annapolis State Capital
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 24
Toward MD 70: Rowe Boulevard, Bestgate Road, An...
7
41.2 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 70 : Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MD 70 : Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis South
6
42.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
School Street
Enter roundabout onto School Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Saint Charles, MD to Annapolis, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Washington along the way.
Washington
29.4 mi in
|
~43m
|
via US 301
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Crain Highway | 21.4 mi | 32m |
| John Hanson Highway | 10.8 mi | 12m |
| South East Crain Highway | 8 mi | 11m |
| Roscoe Rowe Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| US 301 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Northwest Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| School Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Crain Highway
— 21.4 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Charles, MD and Annapolis, 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 right at fork onto US 301
13 mi
·
18 min
·
Crain Highway
4
Continue on US 301
8.0 mi
·
11 min
·
South East Crain Highway
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the exit onto US 301
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
US 301
Toward US 50, US 301: Annapolis, Washington
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 301
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 301
Toward US 50 East, US 301 North: Annapolis
7
Merge onto US 50; US 301
11 mi
·
12 min
·
John Hanson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 24
Toward MD 70: Rowe Boulevard, Bestgate Road, Annapolis, Maryland Fire-Rescue Memorial, Historic Annapolis State Capital
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward MD 70 : Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis South
10
Turn straight onto MD 70
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Roscoe Rowe Boulevard
11
Keep slight right at fork onto Roscoe Rowe Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Roscoe Rowe Boulevard
12
Turn left onto Northwest Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Northwest Street
13
Enter roundabout onto School Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
School Street
14
Continue on School Street
137 ft
·
5 sec
·
School Street
15
Arrive at destination
School Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.5 mi from Saint Charles, MD · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Saint Charles, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Annapolis, MD
The final approach into Annapolis, MD usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.13 one way
$14.26 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.81 | $15.62 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.34 | $16.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.49 | $18.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Annapolis, MD
Morning in Annapolis on Saturday
Local time
8:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
1 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
1h 1m 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 Annapolis, MD covers 43 miles and takes about 1h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Crain Highway, John Hanson Highway, South East Crain Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.5 miles from Saint Charles, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.13 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 43 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 29.4 miles (US 301): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.5 miles (US 301): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Saint Charles, MD to Annapolis, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Washington along the way.
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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