How far is South Bel Air, MD from Towson, MD?

The driving distance from South Bel Air, MD to Towson, MD is about 25.5 miles (41.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 39m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 16.8 miles (27 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 18m 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
25.54 mi
00h 39m
Flight
16.78 mi
27.01 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from South Bel Air.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
16.78 mi
Kilometers
27.01 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
25.54 mi
Kilometers
41.1 km
Drive Time
00h 39m

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 39m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Towson
Wed, Oct 14, 10:44 PM EDT
Return by in South Bel Air
Wed, Oct 14, 11:23 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave South Bel Air
2026-10-14T22:05
Arrive Towson
Wed, Oct 14, 10:44 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 39m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:39 AM to 7:39 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:12 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in South Bel Air
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
White Marsh
MD

Community in Baltimore County Maryland

From South Bel Air
12.7 mi
00h 19m
To Towson
12.8 mi
00h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
85°F
Today

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Oct 14 10:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 8 mph W
Destination
86°F
Today

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Oct 14 10:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 9 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between South Bel Air and Towson.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between South Bel Air and Towson.

  1. 1

    Start on South Shamrock Road

    1811 ft · 1 min · South Shamrock Road

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto East MacPhail Road

    1341 ft · 45 sec · East MacPhail Road

  3. 3

    Turn left onto South Main Street

    151 m · 14 sec · South Main Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Emmorton Road

    3158 ft · 1 min · Emmorton Road

  5. 5

    Turn right onto West Ring Factory Road

    3105 ft · 2 min · West Ring Factory Road

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway

    3.9 mi · 6 min · Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South: Baltimore

    1 km · 1 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

    8.1 mi · 9 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

    3269 ft · 43 sec · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 43: White Marsh, Middle River

    870 ft · 21 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on MD 43 West: White Marsh

    2668 ft · 1 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto White Marsh Boulevard

    3.9 mi · 6 min · White Marsh Boulevard

  13. 13

    Merge slight right onto Baltimore Beltway

    4.4 mi · 6 min · Baltimore Beltway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 146 North: Dulaney Valley Road

    1251 ft · 36 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on MD 146 North

    53 m · 6 sec

  16. 16

    Turn straight onto Hampton Lane

    65 m · 14 sec · Hampton Lane

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Dulaney Valley Road

    1.3 km · 2 min · Dulaney Valley Road

  18. 18

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Towson Roundabout

    81 m · 5 sec · York Road

  19. 19

    Exit the rotary onto York Road

    152 m · 16 sec · York Road

  20. 20

    Continue on York Road

    156 m · 22 sec · York Road

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Shealy Avenue

    32 m · 5 sec · Shealy Avenue

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Shealy Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between South Bel Air and Towson.

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
22 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
3 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
86.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
8.77 mi · 34%
Baltimore Beltway
4.4 mi · 17%
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
3.91 mi · 15%
White Marsh Boulevard
3.88 mi · 15%
Dulaney Valley Road
0.83 mi · 3%
I 95 South
0.63 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

Merge slight left onto John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

8.15 mi · 00h 09m

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 39m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+8.7 mi
16.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
White Marsh
00h 19m from South Bel Air
Leave By
7:12 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving South Bel Air and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Towson.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from South Bel Air to Towson?

The road trip is about 25.5 miles (41.1 km) and usually takes 00h 39m 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?

White Marsh is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.7 miles from South Bel Air and 12.8 miles from Towson.

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

The direct path is about 16.8 miles (27 km), while the road route adds roughly 8.7 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 7:12 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.83 one way or $7.67 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around South Bel Air and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Towson.

Stop Ideas Near White Marsh

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around White Marsh, 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 White Marsh.

RAIL

Pennsylvania Station

18 mi away
1515 North Charles Street
RAIL

Aberdeen

27 mi away
18 East Bel Air Ave.
RAIL

BWI Rail Station

31 mi away
7 Amtrak Way
BUS

Kent Island, MD

49 mi away
3206 Main Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between South Bel Air and Towson. Straight-line distance: 16.78 mi (27.01 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 South Bel Air

A census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Population48,828
Coordinates39.5331600, -76.3374600
Altitude109
CountryUnited States
Towson

#2 Towson

Suburb of Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Population55,197
Coordinates39.4015000, -76.6019100
Altitude141
CountryUnited States
Start: South Bel Air (-76.33746, 39.53316)
End: Towson (-76.60191, 39.4015)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 41 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 51m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 30m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 19m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.9 gal
3.41 L · about $3.83
Round trip
$7.67
1.8 gal · 6.82 L
Estimated CO2
8 kg one way
Round trip: 16 kg / 35 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.26 $3.83 $7.67
Mid-grade $4.85 $4.36 $8.72
Premium $5.15 $4.64 $9.27
Diesel $6.36 $5.73 $11.45

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 · Oct 14, 2026

There is no time difference between South Bel Air and Towson. The current time is 22:05:15.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.