Skip to main content

Trip from Silver Spring, MD to Adelphi, MD

Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026

Drive Time

8m

Distance

3.4 mi

6 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$1

one way

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 8m ★
6 AM
0h 9m
8 AM
0h 10m
10 AM
0h 9m
12 PM
0h 9m
3 PM
0h 9m
5 PM
0h 10m
8 PM
0h 8m ★

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

Downtown Silver Spring, MD, MD

Silver Spring, MD

www.kaboompics.com

Downtown Adelphi, MD, MD

Adelphi, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Silver Spring, MD to Adelphi, MD covers 3.4 miles and takes about 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Piney Branch Road, Sligo Avenue, Metzerott Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 1.8 miles on Piney Branch Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $0.56 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

This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.

Midpoint

1.7 miles from Silver Spring, MD

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 8m drive with frequent turns across 3.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 8 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Piney Branch Road is the longest continuous segment at about 1.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Mayor Lane.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 8m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Mayor Lane): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Sligo Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (MD 320 / Piney Branch Road): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 6 key points

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

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Mayor Lane

Turn right onto Mayor Lane

Navigation decision point

3
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Sligo Avenue

Turn left onto Sligo Avenue

Navigation decision point

4
0.9 mi into trip | ~2m in | MD 320 / Piney Branch Road

Turn left onto MD 320 / Piney Branch Road

Navigation decision point

4
2.9 mi into trip | ~7m in | Metzerott Road

Turn right onto Metzerott Road

Navigation decision point

6
3.4 mi into trip | ~8m in | MD 212 / Riggs Road

Turn right onto MD 212 / Riggs Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Piney Branch Road 1.8 mi 3m
Sligo Avenue 0.8 mi 2m
Metzerott Road 0.5 mi 1m
New Hampshire Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Mayor Lane <0.1 mi <1m
Riggs Road <0.1 mi

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Piney Branch Road — 1.8 mi, about 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Silver Spring, MD and Adelphi, MD.

1

Start on this road

80 ft · 7 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Mayor Lane

204 ft · 14 sec · Mayor Lane
3

Turn left onto Sligo Avenue

0.8 mi · 2 min · Sligo Avenue
4

Turn left onto MD 320

1.8 mi · 3 min · Piney Branch Road
5

At end of road, turn left onto MD 650

0.2 mi · 35 sec · New Hampshire Avenue
6

Turn right onto Metzerott Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Metzerott Road
7

Turn right onto MD 212

17 ft · 0 sec · Riggs Road
Use the right lane.
8

Arrive at destination

MD 212

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 1.7 miles from Silver Spring, MD, or about 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 1.8 miles.

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 3 miles or 7m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 1.7 miles or 4m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 6m

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

Before You Leave

+

Have your navigation ready before leaving Silver Spring, MD.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Silver Spring, MD

This is one driving day of about 3.4 miles and 8m.

At 3.4 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Piney Branch Road for about 1.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 1.7 mi from Silver Spring, MD · 4m into the drive

Pacing Suggestions

Kemp Mill, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Kemp Mill, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 1.7 miles from Silver Spring, 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

$0.56 one way

$1.13 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 1 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $0.62 $1.23
premium $4.93 $0.66 $1.32
diesel $5.61 $0.75 $1.50

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$1

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$26–$51

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 1.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $0 in charging · 0 stops · 100% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 1 0 $0.36 $0.16
Efficient EV 0.9 0 $0.30 $0.14
EV Truck/SUV 1.4 0 $0.48 $0.22

Gas CO2

1 kg

EV CO2

0 kg (100% 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 13, 2026

Origin

Silver Spring, MD

Evening in Silver Spring on Wednesday

Local time

7:53 PM

EDT

Current temp

80°F

Scattered Rain Showers

SW 17 mph 29% chance Live forecast

Destination

Adelphi, MD

Evening in Adelphi on Wednesday

Local time

7:53 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

28 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

8m on the road

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Silver Spring, MD to Adelphi, MD covers 3.4 miles and takes about 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Piney Branch Road, Sligo Avenue, Metzerott Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 1.7 miles from Silver Spring, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $0.56 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 straightforward 8m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Mayor Lane): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Sligo Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (MD 320 / Piney Branch Road): Navigation decision point.
The route from Silver Spring, MD to Adelphi, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Silver Spring, MD or browse trips ending in Adelphi, MD.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.

Explore maps for Silver Spring, MD or Adelphi, MD on MapSof.net.