How far is Friendly, MD from Bowie, MD?

The driving distance from Friendly, MD to Bowie, MD is about 27.2 miles (43.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 33m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 18.8 miles (30.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 07m 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
27.13 mi
00h 33m
Flight
18.78 mi
30.22 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Friendly.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
18.78 mi
Kilometers
30.22 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
27.13 mi
Kilometers
43.66 km
Drive Time
00h 33m

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 33m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bowie
Fri, Apr 17, 2:50 AM EDT
Return by in Friendly
Fri, Apr 17, 3:24 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Friendly
2026-04-17T02:16
Arrive Bowie
Fri, Apr 17, 2:50 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 33m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:34 AM to 7:34 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:22 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Friendly
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
Lake Arbor
MD

Census designated place in Prince George’s County, Maryland, United States

From Friendly
12.2 mi
00h 17m
To Bowie
15 mi
00h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
84°F
Friday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 7 mph NW
Destination
84°F
Friday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 14 mph NW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Allentown Road

    2.6 mi · 5 min · Allentown Road

  2. 2

    Continue on Allentown Road

    5.6 mi · 10 min · Allentown Road

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park

    1130 ft · 28 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

    8.4 mi · 11 min · Capital Beltway

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward US 50 East: Annapolis

    2938 ft · 1 min

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto John Hanson Highway

    5.5 mi · 6 min · John Hanson Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 197: Bowie

    2050 ft · 50 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on MD 197

    83 m · 7 sec

  9. 9

    Turn straight onto Collington Road

    1.3 km · 2 min · Collington Road

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Evergreen Parkway

    956 ft · 36 sec · Evergreen Parkway

  11. 11

    Turn right

    79 m · 20 sec

  12. 12

    Turn left

    33 m · 8 sec

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Friendly 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
13 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
48 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Capital Beltway
8.39 mi · 31%
Allentown Road
8.22 mi · 30%
John Hanson Highway
5.51 mi · 20%
Collington Road
0.79 mi · 3%
US 50 East
0.56 mi · 2%
MD 197
0.44 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Capital Beltway

Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

8.39 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 33m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 08m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+8.4 mi
18.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lake Arbor
00h 17m from Friendly
Leave By
7:22 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Friendly and Chance Rain Showers near Bowie.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 27.2 miles (43.7 km) and usually takes 00h 33m 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?

Lake Arbor is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.2 miles from Friendly and 15 miles from Bowie.

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

The direct path is about 18.8 miles (30.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 8.4 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 7:22 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.92 one way or $7.85 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Friendly and Chance Rain Showers near Bowie.

Stop Ideas Near Lake Arbor

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 Lake Arbor and the surrounding midpoint area.
United States Capitol
Scenic stop 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 9.1 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 7.4 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 9.3 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 Lake Arbor.

RAIL

New Carrollton station

6 mi away
4300 Garden City Drive
RAIL

Washington Union Station

15 mi away
50 Massachusetts Ave NE
RAIL

Union Station

23 mi away
110 Callahan Drive
RAIL

BWI Rail Station

33 mi away
7 Amtrak Way

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Friendly and Bowie. Straight-line distance: 18.78 mi (30.22 km).

Friendly

#1 Friendly

Census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States

Population9,250
Coordinates38.7517800, -76.9785900
Altitude71
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: Old Fort Road (-76.978592, 38.751776)
End: (-76.730357, 38.94261)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 44 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 54m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 40m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 32m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 27m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 23m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.96 gal
3.62 L · about $3.92
Round trip
$7.85
1.92 gal · 7.24 L
Estimated CO2
8.5 kg one way
Round trip: 17.1 kg / 38 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $3.92 $7.85
Mid-grade $4.60 $4.42 $8.83
Premium $4.95 $4.76 $9.51
Diesel $5.98 $5.74 $11.48

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 17, 2026

There is no time difference between Friendly and Bowie. The current time is 02:16:36.

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.