How far is Riverdale Park, MD from Columbia, MD?

The driving distance from Riverdale Park, MD to Columbia, MD is about 30.6 miles (49.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 19.8 miles (31.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 12m 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
30.63 mi
00h 36m
Flight
19.77 mi
31.81 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Riverdale Park.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
19.77 mi
Kilometers
31.81 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
30.63 mi
Kilometers
49.29 km
Drive Time
00h 36m

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 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Columbia
Sun, Apr 19, 12:43 PM EDT
Return by in Riverdale Park
Sun, Apr 19, 1:19 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Riverdale Park
2026-04-19T12:07
Arrive Columbia
Sun, Apr 19, 12:43 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:36 AM to 7:36 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:18 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Riverdale Park
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
West Laurel
MD

Census designated place

From Riverdale Park
15.3 mi
00h 18m
To Columbia
15.3 mi
00h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Sunday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
8 to 13 mph W
Destination
61°F
Sunday

Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
12 to 18 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Riverdale Park and Columbia.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Riverdale Park and Columbia.

  1. 1

    Start on Ravenswood Road

    72 m · 12 sec · Ravenswood Road

  2. 2

    Turn right onto 49th Avenue

    107 m · 19 sec · 49th Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East-West Highway

    3205 ft · 1 min · East-West Highway

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Kenilworth Avenue

    3.3 mi · 6 min · Kenilworth Avenue

  5. 5

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

    1626 ft · 40 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

    2.9 mi · 4 min · Capital Beltway

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on I-95 North: Baltimore

    16.3 mi · 19 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City

    1649 ft · 47 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    5.2 mi · 7 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on US 29 South: Washington

    3071 ft · 48 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight right onto Columbia Pike

    2504 ft · 31 sec · Columbia Pike

  12. 12

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

    2076 ft · 51 sec

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Riverdale Park 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
13 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
42.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I-95 North
16.3 mi · 53%
MD 100 West
5.56 mi · 18%
Kenilworth Avenue
3.3 mi · 11%
Capital Beltway
2.93 mi · 10%
East-West Highway
0.61 mi · 2%
US 29 South
0.58 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I-95 North

Keep slight right to continue on I-95 North: Baltimore

16.3 mi · 00h 19m

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 36m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+10.8 mi
19.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
West Laurel
00h 18m from Riverdale Park
Leave By
7:18 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Riverdale Park and Rain Showers near Columbia.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Riverdale Park to Columbia?

The road trip is about 30.6 miles (49.3 km) and usually takes 00h 36m 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?

West Laurel is a useful midpoint, sitting about 15.3 miles from Riverdale Park and 15.3 miles from Columbia.

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

The direct path is about 19.8 miles (31.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 10.8 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 7:18 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.41 one way or $8.83 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 9.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Riverdale Park and Rain Showers near Columbia.

Stop Ideas Near West Laurel

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around West Laurel, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to West Laurel.

RAIL

New Carrollton station

17 mi away
4300 Garden City Drive
RAIL

BWI Rail Station

20 mi away
7 Amtrak Way
RAIL

Rockville station

21 mi away
251 Hungerford Drive at Park Rd.
RAIL

Washington Union Station

24 mi away
50 Massachusetts Ave NE

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Riverdale Park and Columbia. Straight-line distance: 19.77 mi (31.81 km).

Riverdale Park

#1 Riverdale Park

Town of the United States in Prince George's County, Maryland

Population7,192
Coordinates38.9634400, -76.9316400
Altitude12
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Columbia

Columbia is a place in Maryland, United States.

Population0
Coordinates39.2403800, -76.8394200
Altitude124
CountryUnited States
Start: Ravenswood Road (-76.931533, 38.96378)
End: (-76.839402, 39.240355)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 49 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 01m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 45m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 36m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 26m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 22m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.08 gal
4.09 L · about $4.41
Round trip
$8.83
2.16 gal · 8.18 L
Estimated CO2
9.6 kg one way
Round trip: 19.2 kg / 42 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $4.41 $8.83
Mid-grade $4.60 $4.97 $9.93
Premium $4.95 $5.35 $10.70
Diesel $5.98 $6.46 $12.92

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 Riverdale Park and Columbia. The current time is 12:07:01.

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.