How far is Forestville, MD from Bowie, MD?

The driving distance from Forestville, MD to Bowie, MD is about 16.2 miles (26 km), with a travel time of about 00h 20m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 10.3 miles (16.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 41m 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
16.13 mi
00h 20m
Flight
10.3 mi
16.58 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Forestville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
10.3 mi
Kilometers
16.58 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
16.13 mi
Kilometers
25.96 km
Drive Time
00h 20m

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 20m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bowie
Thu, Apr 23, 8:33 AM EDT
Return by in Forestville
Thu, Apr 23, 8:54 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Forestville
2026-04-23T08:12
Arrive Bowie
Thu, Apr 23, 8:33 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 20m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:21 AM to 7:21 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:48 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Forestville
10:00 PM EDT
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
Glenarden
MD

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

From Forestville
8.1 mi
00h 10m
To Bowie
8.1 mi
00h 10m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
79°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 mph NW
Destination
77°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Forestville and Bowie.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Forestville and Bowie.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    12 m · 6 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Pumphrey Drive

    23 m · 5 sec · Pumphrey Drive

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Marlboro Pike

    107 m · 9 sec · Marlboro Pike

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Forestville Road

    1243 ft · 37 sec · Forestville Road

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue

    2333 ft · 42 sec · Pennsylvania Avenue

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park

    1512 ft · 51 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

    7.5 mi · 10 min · Capital Beltway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward US 50 East: Annapolis

    2938 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto John Hanson Highway

    5.5 mi · 6 min · John Hanson Highway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 197: Bowie

    2050 ft · 50 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on MD 197

    83 m · 7 sec

  12. 12

    Turn straight onto Collington Road

    1.3 km · 2 min · Collington Road

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Evergreen Parkway

    956 ft · 36 sec · Evergreen Parkway

  14. 14

    Turn right

    79 m · 20 sec

  15. 15

    Turn left

    33 m · 8 sec

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Forestville and Bowie.

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
16 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
99.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Capital Beltway
7.51 mi · 47%
John Hanson Highway
5.51 mi · 34%
Collington Road
0.79 mi · 5%
US 50 East
0.56 mi · 3%
Pennsylvania Avenue
0.44 mi · 3%
MD 197
0.44 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Capital Beltway

Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

7.51 mi · 00h 10m

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 20m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.9 mi
10.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Glenarden
00h 10m from Forestville
Leave By
7:48 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Forestville and Sunny near Bowie.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Forestville to Bowie?

The road trip is about 16.2 miles (26 km) and usually takes 00h 20m 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?

Glenarden is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.1 miles from Forestville and 8.1 miles from Bowie.

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

The direct path is about 10.3 miles (16.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.9 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 EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:48 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.33 one way or $4.66 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Forestville and Sunny near Bowie.

Stop Ideas Near Glenarden

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 Glenarden and the surrounding midpoint area.
United States Capitol
Scenic stop 8.8 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 8.3 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 9 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 5.7 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 Glenarden.

RAIL

New Carrollton station

3 mi away
4300 Garden City Drive
RAIL

Washington Union Station

13 mi away
50 Massachusetts Ave NE
RAIL

Union Station

22 mi away
110 Callahan Drive
RAIL

Rockville station

30 mi away
251 Hungerford Drive at Park Rd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Forestville and Bowie. Straight-line distance: 10.3 mi (16.58 km).

Forestville

#1 Forestville

Place in Maryland, USA

Population2,929
Coordinates38.8451100, -76.8749700
Altitude85
CountryUnited States
Bowie

#2 Bowie

The most populous city in Prince George's County, Maryland.

Population58,212
Coordinates38.9427800, -76.7302800
Altitude42
CountryUnited States
Start: (-76.875007, 38.845078)
End: (-76.730357, 38.94261)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 26 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 32m
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 13m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 12m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.57 gal
2.15 L · about $2.33
Round trip
$4.66
1.14 gal · 4.3 L
Estimated CO2
5.1 kg one way
Round trip: 10.1 kg / 22 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $2.33 $4.66
Mid-grade $4.60 $2.62 $5.24
Premium $4.95 $2.82 $5.65
Diesel $5.98 $3.41 $6.82

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 Forestville and Bowie. The current time is 08:12:25.

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.