Origin
Scaggsville, MD
Evening in Scaggsville on Friday
Local time
6:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Scaggsville, MD to Bethesda, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
18 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Scaggsville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Scaggsville, MD to Bethesda, MD is 18 miles and takes about 31 minutes via Columbia Pike and Capital Beltway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region toward the Northeast region. Expect a local drive with several turns, making it a straightforward, short journey. It's a practical option for a quick trip between these two Maryland locales, perfect for a day excursion.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 18 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m 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
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' suggesting frequent navigation adjustments rather than a continuous highway experience. With 100% of the drive on highways, you'll encounter a mix of speeds. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 9.6 miles on Columbia Pike. As you progress, the road will likely transition between different highway sections, requiring your attention to stay on course.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Columbia Pike is the longest continuous segment at about 9.6 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 0.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 18 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 11.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Enter roundabout toward US 29 South: Washington
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward US 29 South: Washington
7
11.3 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward I 495 West: Bethesda, Northern Virginia
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 495 West: Bethesda, Northern Virginia
8
14.6 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase
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 33
Toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase
8
15 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South, Chevy Chase
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South,...
6
15.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
Jones Bridge Road
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Scaggsville, MD and Bethesda, MD, road signs point toward Northern Virginia and Chevy Chase.
Northern Virginia
11.3 mi in
|
~17m
Chevy Chase
14.6 mi in
|
~22m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Pike | 9.6 mi | 14m |
| Capital Beltway | 3 mi | 4m |
| Jones Bridge Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Colesville Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Arlington Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Edgemoor Lane | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Columbia Pike
— 9.6 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Scaggsville, MD and Bethesda, MD.
1
Start on MD 216
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
MD 216
2
Enter roundabout
322 ft
·
5 sec
Toward US 29 South: Washington
3
Continue
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Toward US 29 South: Washington
4
Merge onto US 29
9.6 mi
·
14 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on US 29
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Colesville Road
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 495 West: Bethesda, Northern Virginia
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 495
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 33
Toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
246 ft
·
8 sec
Toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South, Chevy Chase
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto MD 185
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Connecticut Avenue
Use the right lane.
11
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Jones Bridge Road
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto MD 355
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Rockville Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Continue on MD 355
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Wisconsin Avenue
14
Turn right onto Commerce Lane
340 ft
·
17 sec
·
Commerce Lane
15
Continue on Edgemoor Lane
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Edgemoor Lane
16
Turn left onto Arlington Road
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
Arlington Road
17
Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue
510 ft
·
22 sec
·
Bethesda Avenue
18
Turn left
44 ft
·
3 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.98 one way
$5.97 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.27 | $6.54 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.49 | $6.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.97 | $7.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Bethesda, MD
Evening in Bethesda on Friday
Local time
6:04 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
31m 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 Scaggsville, MD to Bethesda, MD covers 18 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Columbia Pike, Capital Beltway, Jones Bridge Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9 miles from Scaggsville, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.98 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 13 decision points packed into just 18 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 11.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Scaggsville, MD and Bethesda, MD, road signs point toward Northern Virginia and Chevy Chase.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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