How far is Columbia, MD from Damascus, MD?

The driving distance from Columbia, MD to Damascus, MD is about 30.7 miles (49.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 39m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 19.8 miles (31.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 19m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.
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
30.71 mi
00h 39m
Flight
19.78 mi
31.83 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Columbia.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
19.78 mi
Kilometers
31.83 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
30.71 mi
Kilometers
49.42 km
Drive Time
00h 39m

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 39m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Damascus
Fri, Nov 6, 11:00 AM EST
Return by in Columbia
Fri, Nov 6, 11:40 AM EST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Columbia
2026-11-06T10:20
Arrive Damascus
Fri, Nov 6, 11:00 AM EST
Route Timing
00h 39m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:40 AM to 7:40 PM EST

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

Leave by
7:10 PM EST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Columbia
10:00 PM EST
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
Sykesville
MD

Town in Carroll County, Maryland, United States

From Columbia
15.3 mi
00h 19m
To Damascus
15.4 mi
00h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
68°F
Friday

Patchy Fog then Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Fri, Nov 6 6:00 AM EST
Wind
1 to 5 mph NW
Destination
68°F
Friday

Slight Chance Light Rain

Starts
Fri, Nov 6 6:00 AM EST
Wind
5 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Columbia and Damascus.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Columbia and Damascus.

  1. 1

    Start on MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice

    123 m · 10 sec

  2. 2

    Turn straight onto Clarksville Pike

    1031 ft · 19 sec · Clarksville Pike

  3. 3

    Continue on Clarksville Pike

    2328 ft · 56 sec · Clarksville Pike

  4. 4

    Take the ramp straight toward US 29 North: Baltimore

    1475 ft · 36 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Columbia Pike

    4.3 mi · 6 min · Columbia Pike

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward I 70 West: Frederick

    1677 ft · 41 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    10 mi · 11 min

  8. 8

    Continue straight

    8.8 mi · 9 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 27: Damascus, Mount Airy

    1829 ft · 47 sec

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Ridge Road

    4.9 mi · 9 min · Ridge Road

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Woodfield Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · Woodfield Road

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Main Street

    646 ft · 13 sec · Main Street

  13. 13

    Turn right

    11 m · 3 sec

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Columbia and Damascus.

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
14 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
45.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 70 West
19.1 mi · 62%
Ridge Road
4.93 mi · 16%
Columbia Pike
4.33 mi · 14%
Woodfield Road
0.87 mi · 3%
Clarksville Pike
0.64 mi · 2%
MD 27
0.35 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 70 West

Merge slight left

10 mi · 00h 11m

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 39m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 20m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+10.9 mi
19.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Sykesville
00h 19m from Columbia
Leave By
7:10 PM EST
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog then Mostly Cloudy leaving Columbia and Slight Chance Light Rain near Damascus.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Columbia to Damascus?

The road trip is about 30.7 miles (49.4 km) and usually takes 00h 39m 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?

Sykesville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 15.3 miles from Columbia and 15.4 miles from Damascus.

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

The direct path is about 19.8 miles (31.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 10.9 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 EST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:10 PM EST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.28 one way or $8.57 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 9.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Mostly Cloudy around Columbia and Slight Chance Light Rain near Damascus.

Stop Ideas Near Sykesville

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Sykesville, 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 Sykesville.

RAIL

Pennsylvania Station

31 mi away
1515 North Charles Street
RAIL

BWI Rail Station

31 mi away
7 Amtrak Way
BUS

Frederick Airport, MD

36 mi away
1341 Hughes Ford Road
RAIL

Rockville station

36 mi away
251 Hungerford Drive at Park Rd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Columbia and Damascus. Straight-line distance: 19.78 mi (31.83 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Columbia

Columbia is a place in Maryland, United States.

Population0
Coordinates39.2403800, -76.8394200
Altitude124
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Damascus

Damascus is a place in Maryland, United States.

Population0
Coordinates39.2884400, -77.2038700
Altitude264
CountryUnited States
Start: Columbia (-76.83942, 39.24038)
End: Damascus (-77.20387, 39.28844)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 49 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 01m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 46m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 36m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 26m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 22m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.08 gal
4.1 L · about $4.28
Round trip
$8.57
2.16 gal · 8.2 L
Estimated CO2
9.6 kg one way
Round trip: 19.2 kg / 42 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.97 $4.28 $8.57
Mid-grade $4.58 $4.95 $9.89
Premium $4.90 $5.29 $10.59
Diesel $6.31 $6.82 $13.63

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 · Nov 05, 2026

There is no time difference between Columbia and Damascus. The current time is 10:20:54.

Distance to Other Cities

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