How far is Essex, MD from Catonsville, MD?

The driving distance from Essex, MD to Catonsville, MD is about 16.6 miles (26.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 25m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 14 miles (22.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 51m 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
16.61 mi
00h 25m
Flight
13.98 mi
22.5 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Essex.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
13.98 mi
Kilometers
22.5 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
16.61 mi
Kilometers
26.73 km
Drive Time
00h 25m

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 25m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Catonsville
Tue, Jun 2, 8:20 PM EDT
Return by in Essex
Tue, Jun 2, 8:46 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Essex
2026-06-02T19:55
Arrive Catonsville
Tue, Jun 2, 8:20 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 25m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:26 AM to 7:26 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:38 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Essex
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
Baltimore
MD

The thirty-first most populous city in the United States and the center of the Baltimore metropolitan area.

From Essex
8.2 mi
00h 12m
To Catonsville
8.4 mi
00h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
78°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Tue, Jun 2 9:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph NE
Destination
75°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Tue, Jun 2 8:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph NE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Essex and Catonsville.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Essex and Catonsville.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    109 m · 32 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left

    56 m · 16 sec

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Eastern Boulevard

    1.6 km · 2 min · Eastern Boulevard

  4. 4

    Continue on Eastern Avenue

    2.5 mi · 5 min · Eastern Avenue

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 95 South: Washington

    1750 ft · 43 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    2.1 mi · 3 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight right

    7 mi · 9 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 695 West: Towson

    3248 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Baltimore Beltway

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Baltimore Beltway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 144: Catonsville

    1337 ft · 39 sec

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Frederick Road

    2417 ft · 1 min · Frederick Road

  12. 12

    Turn right

    11 m · 3 sec

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Essex and Catonsville.

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
13 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
78.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 95 South
9.38 mi · 56%
Eastern Avenue
2.46 mi · 15%
Baltimore Beltway
2.18 mi · 13%
Eastern Boulevard
0.99 mi · 6%
I 695 West
0.62 mi · 4%
Frederick Road
0.46 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

I 95 South

Keep slight right

6.96 mi · 00h 09m

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 25m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.6 mi
14 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Baltimore
00h 12m from Essex
Leave By
7:38 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Essex and Sunny near Catonsville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Essex to Catonsville?

The road trip is about 16.6 miles (26.7 km) and usually takes 00h 25m 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?

Baltimore is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.2 miles from Essex and 8.4 miles from Catonsville.

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

The direct path is about 14 miles (22.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.6 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 7:38 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.41 one way or $4.82 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Essex and Sunny near Catonsville.

Stop Ideas Near Baltimore

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

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

RAIL

Pennsylvania Station

2 mi away
1515 North Charles Street
RAIL

BWI Rail Station

13 mi away
7 Amtrak Way
RAIL

New Carrollton station

43 mi away
4300 Garden City Drive
RAIL

Aberdeen

46 mi away
18 East Bel Air Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Essex and Catonsville. Straight-line distance: 13.98 mi (22.5 km).

Essex

#1 Essex

This Baltimore County community is situated at an elevation of 39 feet.

Population1,832,752
Coordinates39.3092700, -76.4749600
Altitude12
CountryUnited States
Catonsville

#2 Catonsville

A city in Baltimore County, Maryland.

Population41,567
Coordinates39.2720500, -76.7319200
Altitude146
CountryUnited States
Start: (-76.474993, 39.309318)
End: (-76.731988, 39.272037)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 27 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 33m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 24m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 19m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 16m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 14m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 12m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.59 gal
2.22 L · about $2.41
Round trip
$4.82
1.18 gal · 4.44 L
Estimated CO2
5.2 kg one way
Round trip: 10.5 kg / 23 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $2.41 $4.82
Mid-grade $4.60 $2.71 $5.43
Premium $4.95 $2.92 $5.85
Diesel $5.98 $3.53 $7.06

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 · Jun 02, 2026

There is no time difference between Essex and Catonsville. The current time is 19:55:00.

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.