How far is Bethesda, MD from West Laurel, MD?

The driving distance from Bethesda, MD to West Laurel, MD is about 18.5 miles (29.8 km), with a travel time of about 00h 30m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 13.6 miles (21.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 00m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
18.53 mi
00h 30m
Flight
13.61 mi
21.9 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Bethesda.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
13.61 mi
Kilometers
21.9 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.53 mi
Kilometers
29.82 km
Drive Time
00h 30m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 30m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in West Laurel
Sun, Apr 19, 11:33 AM EDT
Return by in Bethesda
Sun, Apr 19, 12:04 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Bethesda
2026-04-19T11:03
Arrive West Laurel
Sun, Apr 19, 11:33 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 30m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:30 AM to 7:30 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:30 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Bethesda
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Hillandale
MD

Census-designated place Maryland, United States

From Bethesda
9.3 mi
00h 15m
To West Laurel
9.3 mi
00h 15m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
63°F
Sunday

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
9 to 13 mph W
Destination
61°F
Sunday

Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
12 to 18 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Bethesda and West Laurel.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda and West Laurel.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    14 m · 5 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue

    156 m · 25 sec · Bethesda Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Arlington Road

    1403 ft · 56 sec · Arlington Road

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Edgemoor Lane

    1451 ft · 51 sec · Edgemoor Lane

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Wisconsin Avenue

    1 km · 1 min · Wisconsin Avenue

  6. 6

    Continue on Rockville Pike

    628 ft · 20 sec · Rockville Pike

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Jones Bridge Road

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Connecticut Avenue

    1615 ft · 39 sec · Connecticut Avenue

  9. 9

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring

    1292 ft · 32 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

    6.5 mi · 8 min · Capital Beltway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 95 North: Baltimore

    1579 ft · 39 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on I 95 North: Baltimore, New York

    1.1 mi · 2 min

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    3.1 mi · 4 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 200 Toll, MD 198: Konterra Drive

    2393 ft · 31 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on MD 200 Toll West, MD 198

    1739 ft · 26 sec

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on MD 198: Konterra Drive

    2986 ft · 39 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on MD 198: Laurel, Burtonsville

    1.5 km · 1 min

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on MD 198 West: Burtonsville

    2970 ft · 39 sec

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on MD 198 West: Burtonsville

    2145 ft · 1 min

  20. 20

    Turn straight onto Sandy Spring Road

    3069 ft · 1 min · Sandy Spring Road

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Sweitzer Lane

    1205 ft · 59 sec · Sweitzer Lane

  22. 22

    Turn left onto Bounds Avenue

    66 m · 14 sec · Bounds Avenue

  23. 23

    Turn left onto Orly Lane

    129 m · 20 sec · Orly Lane

  24. 24

    Turn right onto Malaya Place

    102 m · 20 sec · Malaya Place

  25. 25

    Turn left onto Park Hall Drive West

    643 ft · 33 sec · Park Hall Drive West

  26. 26

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Sandy Street

    60 m · 9 sec · Sandy Street

  27. 27

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Sandy Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Bethesda and West Laurel.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
27 steps
13 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
145.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Capital Beltway
6.55 mi · 35%
I 95 North
4.49 mi · 24%
MD 198
1.51 mi · 8%
Jones Bridge Road
1.12 mi · 6%
MD 198 West
0.97 mi · 5%
Wisconsin Avenue
0.65 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Capital Beltway

Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

6.55 mi · 00h 08m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 30m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.9 mi
13.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hillandale
00h 15m from Bethesda
Leave By
7:30 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Rain Showers Likely leaving Bethesda and Rain Showers near West Laurel.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Bethesda to West Laurel?

The road trip is about 18.5 miles (29.8 km) and usually takes 00h 30m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Hillandale is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.3 miles from Bethesda and 9.3 miles from West Laurel.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 13.6 miles (21.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.9 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:30 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.70 one way or $5.39 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers Likely around Bethesda and Rain Showers near West Laurel.

Stop Ideas Near Hillandale

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Hillandale and the surrounding midpoint area.
United States Capitol
Scenic stop 9.2 mi away

United States Capitol

Washington , DC
First St SE, Washington, DC 20004, United States
Rating 4.6/5 4,243 reviews Tourist attraction,Historical place,Historical landmark,Landmark,Federal government office
Stop photo coming soon
Practical stop 7.8 mi away

D C Government

Washington , DC
77 P St NE, Washington, DC 20002
Rating 5.0/5 2 reviews City government office,Telephone answering service
THEARC: Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus
Meeting point 12.1 mi away

THEARC: Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus

Washington , DC
1901 Mississippi Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020
Rating 4.7/5 64 reviews Recreation center,City Hall
Town Hall Liquor And Bar
Nearby stop 2.6 mi away

Town Hall Liquor And Bar

College Park , MD
8135 Baltimore Ave, College Park, MD 20740
Rating 4.3/5 319 reviews Liquor store,Bar

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Hillandale.

RAIL

New Carrollton station

12 mi away
4300 Garden City Drive
RAIL

Washington Union Station

15 mi away
50 Massachusetts Ave NE
RAIL

Rockville station

16 mi away
251 Hungerford Drive at Park Rd.
RAIL

Union Station

26 mi away
110 Callahan Drive

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Bethesda and West Laurel. Straight-line distance: 13.61 mi (21.9 km).

Bethesda

#1 Bethesda

A census-designated place (CDP) in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Population62,448
Coordinates38.9806700, -77.1002600
Altitude97
CountryUnited States
West Laurel

#2 West Laurel

Census designated place

Population4,230
Coordinates39.1012200, -76.8997000
Altitude107
CountryUnited States
Start: Bethesda (-77.10026, 38.98067)
End: West Laurel (-76.8997, 39.10122)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 30 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 37m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.66 gal
2.48 L · about $2.70
Round trip
$5.39
1.32 gal · 4.96 L
Estimated CO2
5.9 kg one way
Round trip: 11.7 kg / 26 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $2.70 $5.39
Mid-grade $4.60 $3.04 $6.07
Premium $4.95 $3.27 $6.54
Diesel $5.98 $3.95 $7.89

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Maryland · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Bethesda and West Laurel. The current time is 11:03:31.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.