How far is College Park, MD from Ellicott City, MD?

The driving distance from College Park, MD to Ellicott City, MD is about 27.7 miles (44.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 41m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 21.1 miles (34 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 22m 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
27.7 mi
00h 41m
Flight
21.15 mi
34.04 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from College Park.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
21.15 mi
Kilometers
34.04 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
27.7 mi
Kilometers
44.58 km
Drive Time
00h 41m

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 41m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Ellicott City
Sun, Apr 12, 1:53 AM EDT
Return by in College Park
Sun, Apr 12, 2:34 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave College Park
2026-04-12T01:11
Arrive Ellicott City
Sun, Apr 12, 1:53 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 41m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:41 AM to 7:41 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:08 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in College Park
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
North Laurel
MD

Census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States

From College Park
13.9 mi
00h 20m
To Ellicott City
13.9 mi
00h 20m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
71°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 2:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 10 mph SE
Destination
69°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 12 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between College Park and Ellicott City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between College Park and Ellicott City.

  1. 1

    Start on Knox Road

    83 m · 15 sec · Knox Road

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Baltimore Avenue

    2.7 mi · 7 min · Baltimore Avenue

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silver Spring

    1016 ft · 25 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

    1.3 km · 57 sec · Capital Beltway

  5. 5

    Keep slight right to continue on I-95 North: Baltimore

    16.3 mi · 19 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City

    1649 ft · 47 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    4.8 mi · 7 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward Long Gate Parkway

    1052 ft · 26 sec

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Long Gate Parkway

    1558 ft · 52 sec · Long Gate Parkway

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Montgomery Road

    2556 ft · 1 min · Montgomery Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Old Columbia Pike

    1.5 mi · 4 min · Old Columbia Pike

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Old Columbia Pike

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between College Park and Ellicott City.

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
12 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
43.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I-95 North
16.3 mi · 59%
MD 100 West
5.12 mi · 18%
Baltimore Avenue
2.71 mi · 10%
Old Columbia Pike
1.48 mi · 5%
Capital Beltway
0.82 mi · 3%
Long Gate Parkway
0.49 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I-95 North

Keep slight right to continue on I-95 North: Baltimore

16.3 mi · 00h 19m

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 41m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.6 mi
21.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
North Laurel
00h 20m from College Park
Leave By
7:08 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving College Park and Mostly Sunny near Ellicott City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from College Park to Ellicott City?

The road trip is about 27.7 miles (44.6 km) and usually takes 00h 41m 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?

North Laurel is a useful midpoint, sitting about 13.9 miles from College Park and 13.9 miles from Ellicott City.

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

The direct path is about 21.1 miles (34 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.6 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 7:08 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.00 one way or $8.01 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around College Park and Mostly Sunny near Ellicott City.

Stop Ideas Near North Laurel

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around North Laurel, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to North Laurel.

RAIL

BWI Rail Station

16 mi away
7 Amtrak Way
RAIL

New Carrollton station

21 mi away
4300 Garden City Drive
RAIL

Rockville station

25 mi away
251 Hungerford Drive at Park Rd.
RAIL

Washington Union Station

29 mi away
50 Massachusetts Ave NE

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between College Park and Ellicott City. Straight-line distance: 21.15 mi (34.04 km).

College Park

#1 College Park

Public research university in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland

Population32,173
Coordinates38.9806700, -76.9369200
Altitude21
CountryUnited States
Ellicott City

#2 Ellicott City

Unincorporated community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Population65,834
Coordinates39.2673300, -76.7983100
Altitude55
CountryUnited States
Start: College Park (-76.93692, 38.98067)
End: Ellicott City (-76.79831, 39.26733)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 45 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 55m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 41m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 33m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 27m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 23m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.98 gal
3.7 L · about $4.00
Round trip
$8.01
1.96 gal · 7.4 L
Estimated CO2
8.7 kg one way
Round trip: 17.4 kg / 38 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $4.00 $8.01
Mid-grade $4.60 $4.51 $9.01
Premium $4.95 $4.85 $9.71
Diesel $5.98 $5.86 $11.72

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 12, 2026

There is no time difference between College Park and Ellicott City. The current time is 01:11:45.

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.