Trip from South Bel Air, MD to Chevy Chase, MD

Drive Time

1h 27m

Distance

64 mi

103 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min
4 AM
1h 20m ★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m

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

Downtown South Bel Air, MD, MD

South Bel Air, MD

Da Khatri

Downtown Chevy Chase, MD, MD

Chevy Chase, MD

Connor Scott McManus

Trip Overview

The drive from South Bel Air, MD to Chevy Chase, MD covers 64 miles and takes about 1h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on East MacPhail Road, South Main Street, Emmorton Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.59 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

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

32 miles from South Bel Air, MD

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 43m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 27m drive with frequent turns across 64 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East MacPhail Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from South Bel Air, MD to Chevy Chase, MD is easy. At 1h 27m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from South Bel Air, MD to Chevy Chase, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
East MacPhail Road Unavailable Refreshing
South Main Street Unavailable Refreshing
Emmorton Road Unavailable Refreshing
West Ring Factory Road Unavailable Refreshing
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway Unavailable Refreshing
I 95 South Unavailable Refreshing
John F Unavailable Refreshing
Express Toll Lanes Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: East MacPhail Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between South Bel Air, MD and Chevy Chase, MD.

1

Start on South Shamrock Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · South Shamrock Road
2

At the end of the road, turn right onto East MacPhail Road

0.3 mi · 45 sec · East MacPhail Road
3

Turn left onto South Main Street

495 ft · 14 sec · South Main Street
4

Continue on Emmorton Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Emmorton Road
5

Turn right onto West Ring Factory Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Ring Factory Road
6

Turn left onto Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway

3.9 mi · 5 min · Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
7

Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South: Baltimore

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 95 South: Baltimore
8

Merge slight left onto John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

8.1 mi · 9 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
9

Keep slight left to continue on Express Toll Lanes

6.5 mi · 7 min · Express Toll Lanes
10

Keep slight left to continue on Express Toll Lanes

1.2 mi · 1 min · Express Toll Lanes
11

Merge slight right onto Harbor Tunnel Thruway

3.8 mi · 5 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway
12

Continue on Baltimore Harbor Tunnel

1.4 mi · 2 min · Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
13

Continue on Harbor Tunnel Thruway

2.2 mi · 3 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway
14

Continue on Harbor Tunnel Throughway

0.5 mi · 40 sec · Harbor Tunnel Throughway
15

Keep slight left to continue on Harbor Tunnel Throughway

0.5 mi · 42 sec · Harbor Tunnel Throughway
16

Continue on Harbor Tunnel Thruway

6.0 mi · 7 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway
17

Merge slight left

18 mi · 20 min
18

Take the exit slight right toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, College Park

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, College Park
19

Keep slight right to continue on I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda

0.8 mi · 1 min · I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda
20

Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

6.4 mi · 8 min · Capital Beltway
21

Take the exit slight right toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase

0.4 mi · 54 sec · MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase
22

Keep slight left to continue on MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South, Chevy Chase

246 ft · 8 sec · MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South, Chevy Chase
23

Turn left onto Connecticut Avenue

0.5 mi · 51 sec · Connecticut Avenue
24

Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road

0.2 mi · 29 sec · Jones Bridge Road
25

Continue on Jones Bridge Road

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Jones Bridge Road
26

Turn left onto Kensington Parkway

0.1 mi · 22 sec · Kensington Parkway
27

Turn right onto Montrose Driveway

522 ft · 27 sec · Montrose Driveway
28

Turn left onto Stewart Driveway

0.1 mi · 27 sec · Stewart Driveway
29

Continue on Montgomery Avenue

443 ft · 20 sec · Montgomery Avenue
30

Continue on Kenilworth Driveway

364 ft · 22 sec · Kenilworth Driveway
31

Turn left onto Clifford Avenue

449 ft · 24 sec · Clifford Avenue
32

Turn right onto Hutch Place

135 ft · 6 sec · Hutch Place
33

Arrive at your destination

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 32 miles from South Bel Air, MD, or about 43m into the drive.

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 64 miles or 1h 27m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 32 miles or 43m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 14m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving South Bel Air, MD so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from South Bel Air, MD

This is one driving day of about 64 miles and 1h 27m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from South Bel Air, MD.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 32 mi from South Bel Air, MD · 43m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

32 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

North Bethesda, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 64 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 32 miles from South Bel Air, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Chevy Chase, MD

The final approach into Chevy Chase, MD usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Chevy Chase, MD.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.59 one way

$21.18 round trip

$4.20/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.60 $11.59 $23.18
premium $4.92 $12.40 $24.80
diesel $5.64 $14.22 $28.44

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 22.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 19.2 0 $6.72 $3.07
Efficient EV 16 0 $5.60 $2.56
EV Truck/SUV 25.6 0 $8.96 $4.10

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (68% 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 data refreshed 11 hours ago

Origin

South Bel Air, MD

Evening in South Bel Air on Sunday

Local time

6:38 PM

EDT

Current temp

81°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chevy Chase, MD

Evening in Chevy Chase on Sunday

Local time

6:38 PM

EDT

Current temp

88°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

7 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 27m 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 South Bel Air, MD to Chevy Chase, MD covers 64 miles and takes about 1h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East MacPhail Road, South Main Street, Emmorton Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 32 miles from South Bel Air, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.59 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.
The drive from South Bel Air, MD to Chevy Chase, MD is easy. At 1h 27m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from South Bel Air, MD to Chevy Chase, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from South Bel Air, MD to Chevy Chase, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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