How far is Maryland City, MD from Columbia, MD?

The driving distance from Maryland City, MD to Columbia, MD is about 18.6 miles (30 km), with a travel time of about 00h 25m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 10.3 miles (16.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 50m 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
18.67 mi
00h 25m
Flight
10.31 mi
16.6 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Maryland City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
10.31 mi
Kilometers
16.6 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.67 mi
Kilometers
30.04 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 Columbia
Sun, Apr 19, 12:02 AM EDT
Return by in Maryland City
Sun, Apr 19, 12:28 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Maryland City
2026-04-18T23:37
Arrive Columbia
Sun, Apr 19, 12:02 AM 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
7:25 AM to 7:25 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:40 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Maryland City
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
Jessup
MD

Locality in Howard and Anne Arundel counties, Maryland, United States

From Maryland City
7.5 mi
00h 12m
To Columbia
11.2 mi
00h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
84°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 10 mph SE
Destination
84°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 14 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Maryland City and Columbia.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Maryland City and Columbia.

  1. 1

    Start on Vale Summit South

    140 m · 25 sec · Vale Summit South

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Wye Mills South

    859 ft · 40 sec · Wye Mills South

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Park Hall South

    617 ft · 30 sec · Park Hall South

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Old Line Avenue

    2108 ft · 2 min · Old Line Avenue

  5. 5

    Continue on Laureldale Drive

    146 m · 30 sec · Laureldale Drive

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Laurel Fort Meade Road

    1276 ft · 34 sec · Laurel Fort Meade Road

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Brock Bridge Road

    3033 ft · 1 min · Brock Bridge Road

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Whiskey Bottom Road

    1.1 km · 2 min · Whiskey Bottom Road

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Washington Boulevard

    4.6 mi · 8 min · Washington Boulevard

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Rouse Parkway

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Rouse Parkway

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Waterloo Road

    1.9 mi · 4 min · Waterloo Road

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Snowden River Parkway

    1426 ft · 39 sec · Snowden River Parkway

  13. 13

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City

    51 m · 3 sec

  14. 14

    Exit the roundabout onto MD 100 West: Ellicott City

    1249 ft · 31 sec

  15. 15

    Merge slight left

    3 mi · 4 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on US 29 South: Washington

    3071 ft · 48 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight right onto Columbia Pike

    2504 ft · 31 sec · Columbia Pike

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice

    2076 ft · 51 sec

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Maryland City and Columbia.

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
19 steps
12 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
101.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Washington Boulevard
4.58 mi · 25%
MD 100 West
3.22 mi · 17%
Waterloo Road
1.92 mi · 10%
Rouse Parkway
1.18 mi · 6%
Whiskey Bottom Road
0.67 mi · 4%
US 29 South
0.58 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Washington Boulevard

Turn right onto Washington Boulevard

4.58 mi · 00h 08m

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 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+8.3 mi
10.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Jessup
00h 12m from Maryland City
Leave By
7:40 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Maryland City and Mostly Sunny near Columbia.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Maryland City to Columbia?

The road trip is about 18.6 miles (30 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?

Jessup is a useful midpoint, sitting about 7.5 miles from Maryland City and 11.2 miles from Columbia.

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 8.3 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 7:40 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.70 one way or $5.39 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Maryland City and Mostly Sunny near Columbia.

Stop Ideas Near Jessup

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 Jessup and the surrounding midpoint area.
Stop photo coming soon
Scenic stop 11.9 mi away

City of Bowie

Bowie , MD
8614 Chestnut Ave, Bowie, MD 20715
Museum
Baltimore City Hall
Meeting point 12.3 mi away

Baltimore City Hall

Baltimore , MD
100 Holliday St, Baltimore, MD 21202
Rating 4.0/5 63 reviews City government office
Stop photo coming soon
Nearby stop 5.5 mi away

Relay Town Hall

Halethorpe , MD
1710 Arlington Ave, Halethorpe, MD 21227
Event venue

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Jessup.

RAIL

BWI Rail Station

8 mi away
7 Amtrak Way
RAIL

Pennsylvania Station

22 mi away
1515 North Charles Street
RAIL

New Carrollton station

23 mi away
4300 Garden City Drive
RAIL

Rockville station

33 mi away
251 Hungerford Drive at Park Rd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Maryland City and Columbia. Straight-line distance: 10.31 mi (16.6 km).

Maryland City

#1 Maryland City

Census designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States

Population16,093
Coordinates39.0920500, -76.8177500
Altitude65
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Columbia

Columbia is a place in Maryland, United States.

Population0
Coordinates39.2403800, -76.8394200
Altitude124
CountryUnited States
Start: Vale Summit South (-76.818201, 39.091967)
End: (-76.839402, 39.240355)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 30 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 37m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 28m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 16m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.66 gal
2.49 L · about $2.70
Round trip
$5.39
1.32 gal · 4.98 L
Estimated CO2
5.9 kg one way
Round trip: 11.7 kg / 26 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $2.70 $5.39
Mid-grade $4.60 $3.04 $6.07
Premium $4.95 $3.27 $6.54
Diesel $5.98 $3.95 $7.89

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Maryland City and Columbia. The current time is 23:37:30.

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.