How far is Greenbelt, MD from Bowie, MD?

The driving distance from Greenbelt, MD to Bowie, MD is about 12.6 miles (20.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 17m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 8.9 miles (14.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 35m 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
12.63 mi
00h 17m
Flight
8.89 mi
14.31 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Greenbelt.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
8.89 mi
Kilometers
14.31 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
12.63 mi
Kilometers
20.33 km
Drive Time
00h 17m

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 17m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bowie
Sat, Apr 18, 6:43 AM EDT
Return by in Greenbelt
Sat, Apr 18, 7:01 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Greenbelt
2026-04-18T06:26
Arrive Bowie
Sat, Apr 18, 6:43 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 17m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:18 AM to 7:18 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:54 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Greenbelt
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
Glenarden
MD

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

From Greenbelt
6.3 mi
00h 08m
To Bowie
6.3 mi
00h 08m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
85°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph SE
Destination
83°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 10 mph E

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Crescent Road

    2062 ft · 1 min · Crescent Road

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Southway

    1679 ft · 54 sec · Southway

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Washington

    891 ft · 24 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Baltimore-Washington Parkway

    1865 ft · 29 sec · Baltimore-Washington Parkway

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South, I 495 South: Richmond, Andrews Air Force Base

    1447 ft · 1 min

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

    2.9 mi · 4 min · Capital Beltway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward US 50 East: Annapolis

    1 mi · 2 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto John Hanson Highway

    5.7 mi · 7 min · John Hanson Highway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 197: Bowie

    2050 ft · 50 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on MD 197

    83 m · 7 sec

  11. 11

    Turn straight onto Collington Road

    1.3 km · 2 min · Collington Road

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Evergreen Parkway

    956 ft · 36 sec · Evergreen Parkway

  13. 13

    Turn right

    79 m · 20 sec

  14. 14

    Turn left

    33 m · 8 sec

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Greenbelt 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
15 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
119 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
John Hanson Highway
5.68 mi · 45%
Capital Beltway
2.94 mi · 23%
US 50 East
1.01 mi · 8%
Collington Road
0.79 mi · 6%
MD 197
0.44 mi · 3%
Crescent Road
0.39 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

John Hanson Highway

Merge slight left onto John Hanson Highway

5.68 mi · 00h 07m

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 17m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 36m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.7 mi
8.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Glenarden
00h 08m from Greenbelt
Leave By
7:54 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Greenbelt and Mostly Sunny near Bowie.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 12.6 miles (20.3 km) and usually takes 00h 17m 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 6.3 miles from Greenbelt and 6.3 miles from Bowie.

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

The direct path is about 8.9 miles (14.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.7 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 7:54 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.84 one way or $3.68 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Greenbelt and Mostly 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 10 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 9.5 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 10.3 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 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 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 Greenbelt and Bowie. Straight-line distance: 8.89 mi (14.31 km).

Greenbelt

#1 Greenbelt

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

Population23,229
Coordinates39.0045500, -76.8755300
Altitude48
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: Crescent Road (-76.875555, 39.004523)
End: (-76.730357, 38.94261)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 20 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 25m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 18m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 15m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 12m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 10m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.45 gal
1.69 L · about $1.84
Round trip
$3.68
0.9 gal · 3.38 L
Estimated CO2
4 kg one way
Round trip: 8 kg / 18 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $1.84 $3.68
Mid-grade $4.60 $2.07 $4.14
Premium $4.95 $2.23 $4.46
Diesel $5.98 $2.69 $5.38

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 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Greenbelt and Bowie. The current time is 06:26:09.

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.