How far is District Heights, MD from Gaithersburg, MD?

The driving distance from District Heights, MD to Gaithersburg, MD is about 40.1 miles (64.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 48m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 25.9 miles (41.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 36m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
40.05 mi
00h 48m
Flight
25.9 mi
41.68 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from District Heights.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
25.9 mi
Kilometers
41.68 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
40.05 mi
Kilometers
64.46 km
Drive Time
00h 48m

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 48m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Gaithersburg
Sun, Apr 19, 4:03 PM EDT
Return by in District Heights
Sun, Apr 19, 4:51 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave District Heights
2026-04-19T15:14
Arrive Gaithersburg
Sun, Apr 19, 4:03 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 48m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:48 AM to 10:48 AM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:54 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in District Heights
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

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
Hillandale
MD

Census-designated place Maryland, United States

From District Heights
18.8 mi
00h 24m
To Gaithersburg
21.3 mi
00h 24m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Sunday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 to 14 mph W
Destination
61°F
Sunday

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
9 to 14 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between District Heights and Gaithersburg.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between District Heights and Gaithersburg.

  1. 1

    Start on Gateway Boulevard

    1001 ft · 28 sec · Gateway Boulevard

  2. 2

    Turn right

    52 m · 9 sec

  3. 3

    Turn straight onto Mason Street

    637 ft · 26 sec · Mason Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Kipling Parkway

    1.4 km · 2 min · Kipling Parkway

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Ritchie Road

    1.5 km · 2 min · Ritchie Road

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Ritchie Spur Road

    1531 ft · 43 sec · Ritchie Spur Road

  7. 7

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Walker Mill Road

    89 m · 7 sec · Walker Mill Road

  8. 8

    Continue on Ritchie Marlboro Road

    549 ft · 11 sec · Ritchie Marlboro Road

  9. 9

    Continue on Ritchie Marlboro Road

    97 m · 5 sec · Ritchie Marlboro Road

  10. 10

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Ritchie Marlboro Road

    41 m · 2 sec · Ritchie Marlboro Road

  11. 11

    Exit the roundabout onto Ritchie Marlboro Road

    1594 ft · 27 sec · Ritchie Marlboro Road

  12. 12

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward I 95 North, I 495 North

    87 m · 5 sec

  13. 13

    Exit the roundabout onto I 95 North, I 495 North

    2187 ft · 53 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

    12.5 mi · 17 min · Capital Beltway

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on Capital Beltway

    9.5 mi · 12 min · Capital Beltway

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on I 270 North: Frederick

    3.6 mi · 5 min

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on I 270 North

    7.3 mi · 10 min

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 117, MD 124 South: Clopper Road, West Diamond Avenue, Quince Orchard Road

    1387 ft · 42 sec

  19. 19

    Turn left onto West Diamond Avenue

    2537 ft · 51 sec · West Diamond Avenue

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Meem Avenue

    616 ft · 29 sec · Meem Avenue

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Chestnut Street

    1033 ft · 35 sec · Chestnut Street

  22. 22

    Turn right onto North Frederick Avenue

    77 m · 7 sec · North Frederick Avenue

  23. 23

    Turn right

    26 m · 6 sec

  24. 24

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between District Heights and Gaithersburg.

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
24 steps
15 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
1 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
59.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Capital Beltway
22 mi · 55%
I 270 North
10.9 mi · 27%
Ritchie Road
0.93 mi · 2%
Kipling Parkway
0.87 mi · 2%
Ritchie Marlboro Road
0.49 mi · 1%
West Diamond Avenue
0.48 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Capital Beltway

Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

12.5 mi · 00h 17m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 48m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 36m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+14.2 mi
25.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hillandale
00h 24m from District Heights
Leave By
4:54 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving District Heights and Rain Showers Likely near Gaithersburg.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from District Heights to Gaithersburg?

The road trip is about 40.1 miles (64.5 km) and usually takes 00h 48m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Hillandale is a useful midpoint, sitting about 18.8 miles from District Heights and 21.3 miles from Gaithersburg.

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

The direct path is about 25.9 miles (41.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 14.2 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:54 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.76 one way or $11.52 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 12.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around District Heights and Rain Showers Likely near Gaithersburg.

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 8.9 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 7.6 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 3.6 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 District Heights and Gaithersburg. Straight-line distance: 25.9 mi (41.68 km).

District Heights

#1 District Heights

City in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States

Population5,979
Coordinates38.8576100, -76.8894200
Altitude81
CountryUnited States
Gaithersburg

#2 Gaithersburg

The second most populous city in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Population67,741
Coordinates39.1434400, -77.2013700
Altitude153
CountryUnited States
Start: Gateway Boulevard (-76.88942, 38.857677)
End: (-77.201269, 39.143361)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 64 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 20m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 00m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 48m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 40m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 34m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 29m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.41 gal
5.35 L · about $5.76
Round trip
$11.52
2.82 gal · 10.7 L
Estimated CO2
12.5 kg one way
Round trip: 25.1 kg / 55 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $5.76 $11.52
Mid-grade $4.60 $6.48 $12.97
Premium $4.95 $6.99 $13.97
Diesel $5.98 $8.43 $16.86

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 District Heights and Gaithersburg. The current time is 15:14:52.

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.