How far is Ellicott City, MD from Frederick, MD?

The driving distance from Ellicott City, MD to Frederick, MD is about 38 miles (61.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 40m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 34.2 miles (55.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 21m 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
38.02 mi
00h 40m
Flight
34.26 mi
55.13 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Ellicott City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
34.26 mi
Kilometers
55.13 km
Flight Time
00h 04m

Driving Distance

Road route
38.02 mi
Kilometers
61.19 km
Drive Time
00h 40m

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 40m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Frederick
Wed, Apr 22, 11:46 PM EDT
Return by in Ellicott City
Thu, Apr 23, 12:26 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Ellicott City
2026-04-22T23:05
Arrive Frederick
Wed, Apr 22, 11:46 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 40m
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 Ellicott City
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
Mount Airy
MD

City in Surry County, North Carolina, United States

From Ellicott City
18.7 mi
00h 20m
To Frederick
19.3 mi
00h 20m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
73°F
Today

Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 11:00 AM EDT
Wind
8 mph W
Destination
71°F
Wednesday

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 8 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ellicott City and Frederick.

  1. 1

    Start on Old Columbia Pike

    34 m · 13 sec · Old Columbia Pike

  2. 2

    Turn sharp left onto Main Street

    1060 ft · 40 sec · Main Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Ellicott Mills Drive

    2709 ft · 1 min · Ellicott Mills Drive

  4. 4

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Court House Drive

    1079 ft · 22 sec · Court House Drive

  5. 5

    Continue on Rogers Avenue

    2215 ft · 47 sec · Rogers Avenue

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Baltimore National Pike

    2286 ft · 54 sec · Baltimore National Pike

  7. 7

    Take the ramp slight right toward US 29 North: Frederick

    2419 ft · 52 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Columbia Pike

    1.6 km · 1 min · Columbia Pike

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 70 West: Frederick

    1677 ft · 41 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    10 mi · 11 min

  11. 11

    Continue straight

    11.8 mi · 13 min

  12. 12

    Continue straight

    10.8 mi · 12 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick

    758 ft · 19 sec

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on Downtown Frederick, East Street

    128 m · 10 sec

  15. 15

    Turn straight onto Buckeystown Pike

    130 m · 9 sec · Buckeystown Pike

  16. 16

    Continue on East Street

    773 ft · 15 sec · East Street

  17. 17

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward East Street

    36 m · 2 sec · East Street

  18. 18

    Exit the roundabout onto East Street

    1640 ft · 33 sec · East Street

  19. 19

    Turn left onto East South Street

    610 ft · 24 sec · East South Street

  20. 20

    Turn right onto South Carroll Street

    1280 ft · 45 sec · South Carroll Street

  21. 21

    Turn left onto East Patrick Street

    812 ft · 25 sec · East Patrick Street

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Patrick Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
22 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
2 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
57.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 70 West
32.9 mi · 87%
Columbia Pike
0.96 mi · 3%
Ellicott Mills Drive
0.51 mi · 1%
East Street
0.48 mi · 1%
US 29 North
0.46 mi · 1%
Baltimore National Pike
0.43 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 70 West

Continue straight

11.8 mi · 00h 13m

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 40m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.8 mi
34.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mount Airy
00h 20m from Ellicott City
Leave By
7:08 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Ellicott City and Rain Showers Likely near Frederick.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Ellicott City to Frederick?

The road trip is about 38 miles (61.2 km) and usually takes 00h 40m 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?

Mount Airy is a useful midpoint, sitting about 18.7 miles from Ellicott City and 19.3 miles from Frederick.

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

The direct path is about 34.2 miles (55.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.8 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 $5.48 one way or $10.95 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 11.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Ellicott City and Rain Showers Likely near Frederick.

Stop Ideas Near Mount Airy

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

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

BUS

Frederick Airport, MD

20 mi away
1341 Hughes Ford Road
RAIL

Frederick, MD

22 mi away
100 South East Street
RAIL

Rockville station

32 mi away
251 Hungerford Drive at Park Rd.
RAIL

BWI Rail Station

45 mi away
7 Amtrak Way

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Ellicott City and Frederick. Straight-line distance: 34.26 mi (55.13 km).

Ellicott City

#1 Ellicott City

Unincorporated community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Population65,834
Coordinates39.2673300, -76.7983100
Altitude55
CountryUnited States
Frederick

#2 Frederick

The second most populous city in Frederick County, Maryland.

Population73,308
Coordinates39.4142700, -77.4105400
Altitude87
CountryUnited States
Start: Old Columbia Pike (-76.798274, 39.267288)
End: East Patrick Street (-77.410551, 39.414165)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 61 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 16m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 57m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 45m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 38m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 32m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 28m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.34 gal
5.08 L · about $5.48
Round trip
$10.95
2.68 gal · 10.16 L
Estimated CO2
11.9 kg one way
Round trip: 23.8 kg / 52 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $5.48 $10.95
Mid-grade $4.60 $6.16 $12.33
Premium $4.95 $6.64 $13.28
Diesel $5.98 $8.01 $16.03

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Ellicott City and Frederick. The current time is 23:05:42.

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.