How far is Kensington, MD from Silver Spring, MD?

The driving distance from Kensington, MD to Silver Spring, MD is about 4.5 miles (7.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 14m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 3.6 miles (5.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 29m 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
4.52 mi
00h 14m
Flight
3.62 mi
5.83 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Kensington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
3.62 mi
Kilometers
5.83 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
4.52 mi
Kilometers
7.28 km
Drive Time
00h 14m

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 14m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Silver Spring
Thu, Apr 23, 2:38 AM EDT
Return by in Kensington
Thu, Apr 23, 2:53 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Kensington
2026-04-23T02:24
Arrive Silver Spring
Thu, Apr 23, 2:38 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 14m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:15 AM to 7:15 PM EDT

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

Leave by
8:00 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Kensington
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
Forest Glen
MD

Unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

From Kensington
2.3 mi
00h 07m
To Silver Spring
2.2 mi
00h 07m

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
2 to 6 mph NW
Destination
79°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 7 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Kensington and Silver Spring.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kensington and Silver Spring.

  1. 1

    Start on Connecticut Avenue

    1477 ft · 44 sec · Connecticut Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Plyers Mill Road

    94 m · 13 sec · Plyers Mill Road

  3. 3

    Turn slight right onto Metropolitan Avenue

    3225 ft · 2 min · Metropolitan Avenue

  4. 4

    Continue on Capitol View Avenue

    1.1 mi · 3 min · Capitol View Avenue

  5. 5

    Continue on Seminary Road

    1.1 km · 2 min · Seminary Road

  6. 6

    Continue on Seminary Road

    85 m · 11 sec · Seminary Road

  7. 7

    Continue on Seminary Road

    1068 ft · 24 sec · Seminary Road

  8. 8

    Turn right onto Georgia Avenue

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Georgia Avenue

  9. 9

    Continue on Georgia Avenue

    28 m · 10 sec · Georgia Avenue

  10. 10

    Turn right

    48 m · 14 sec

  11. 11

    Turn right

    26 m · 6 sec

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Kensington and Silver Spring.

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
12 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
266.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Georgia Avenue
1.53 mi · 34%
Capitol View Avenue
1.07 mi · 24%
Seminary Road
0.95 mi · 21%
Metropolitan Avenue
0.61 mi · 14%
Connecticut Avenue
0.28 mi · 6%
Plyers Mill Road
0.06 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Georgia Avenue

Turn right onto Georgia Avenue

1.51 mi · 00h 03m

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 14m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+0.9 mi
3.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Forest Glen
00h 07m from Kensington
Leave By
8:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Kensington and Sunny near Silver Spring.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Kensington to Silver Spring?

The road trip is about 4.5 miles (7.3 km) and usually takes 00h 14m 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?

Forest Glen is a useful midpoint, sitting about 2.3 miles from Kensington and 2.2 miles from Silver Spring.

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

The direct path is about 3.6 miles (5.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 0.9 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 8:00 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $0.65 one way or $1.31 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 1.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Kensington and Sunny near Silver Spring.

Stop Ideas Near Forest Glen

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 Forest Glen 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 7.5 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 12.4 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 6.5 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 Forest Glen.

RAIL

Rockville station

11 mi away
251 Hungerford Drive at Park Rd.
RAIL

Washington Union Station

14 mi away
50 Massachusetts Ave NE
RAIL

New Carrollton station

18 mi away
4300 Garden City Drive
RAIL

Union Station

23 mi away
110 Callahan Drive

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Kensington and Silver Spring. Straight-line distance: 3.62 mi (5.83 km).

Kensington

#1 Kensington

Town in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

Population2,330
Coordinates39.0256700, -77.0763700
Altitude87
CountryUnited States
Silver Spring

#2 Silver Spring

A city in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Population71,452
Coordinates38.9906700, -77.0260900
Altitude104
CountryUnited States
Start: Connecticut Avenue (-77.076415, 39.025658)
End: (-77.026096, 38.9908)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 7 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 09m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 06m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 05m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 04m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 03m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 03m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.16 gal
0.6 L · about $0.65
Round trip
$1.31
0.32 gal · 1.2 L
Estimated CO2
1.4 kg one way
Round trip: 2.8 kg / 6 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $0.65 $1.31
Mid-grade $4.60 $0.74 $1.47
Premium $4.95 $0.79 $1.59
Diesel $5.98 $0.96 $1.91

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 Kensington and Silver Spring. The current time is 02:24:04.

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.