How far is South Kensington, MD from Bowie, MD?

The driving distance from South Kensington, MD to Bowie, MD is about 24 miles (38.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 32m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 19.5 miles (31.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 05m 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
24.07 mi
00h 32m
Flight
19.5 mi
31.39 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from South Kensington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
19.5 mi
Kilometers
31.39 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
24.07 mi
Kilometers
38.73 km
Drive Time
00h 32m

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 32m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bowie
Sun, Apr 19, 7:02 AM EDT
Return by in South Kensington
Sun, Apr 19, 7:35 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave South Kensington
2026-04-19T06:29
Arrive Bowie
Sun, Apr 19, 7:02 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 32m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:33 AM to 7:33 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:24 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in South 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
Berwyn Heights
MD

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

From South Kensington
12 mi
00h 16m
To Bowie
12.1 mi
00h 16m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
61°F
Sunday

Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
13 to 17 mph NW
Destination
70°F
Sunday

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
9 to 15 mph W

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between South Kensington and Bowie.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    45 m · 16 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Franklin Street

    152 m · 16 sec · Franklin Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Connecticut Avenue

    1.5 km · 2 min · Connecticut Avenue

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 495 East: Baltimore

    1203 ft · 30 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

    14.6 mi · 19 min · Capital Beltway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward US 50 East: Annapolis

    1 mi · 2 min

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto John Hanson Highway

    5.7 mi · 7 min · John Hanson Highway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward MD 197: Bowie

    2050 ft · 50 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on MD 197

    83 m · 7 sec

  10. 10

    Turn straight onto Collington Road

    1.3 km · 2 min · Collington Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Evergreen Parkway

    956 ft · 36 sec · Evergreen Parkway

  12. 12

    Turn right

    79 m · 20 sec

  13. 13

    Turn left

    33 m · 8 sec

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between South Kensington 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
14 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
58.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Capital Beltway
14.6 mi · 61%
John Hanson Highway
5.68 mi · 24%
US 50 East
1.01 mi · 4%
Connecticut Avenue
0.96 mi · 4%
Collington Road
0.79 mi · 3%
MD 197
0.44 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Capital Beltway

Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway

14.6 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 32m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 06m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.5 mi
19.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Berwyn Heights
00h 16m from South Kensington
Leave By
7:24 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Rain Showers leaving South Kensington and Rain Showers Likely near Bowie.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from South Kensington to Bowie?

The road trip is about 24 miles (38.7 km) and usually takes 00h 32m 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?

Berwyn Heights is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12 miles from South Kensington and 12.1 miles from Bowie.

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

The direct path is about 19.5 miles (31.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.5 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 7:24 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.47 one way or $6.95 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers around South Kensington and Rain Showers Likely near Bowie.

Stop Ideas Near Berwyn Heights

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 Berwyn Heights and the surrounding midpoint area.
United States Capitol
Scenic stop 9.9 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 8.8 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 11.8 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 2.2 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 Berwyn Heights.

RAIL

New Carrollton station

6 mi away
4300 Garden City Drive
RAIL

Washington Union Station

14 mi away
50 Massachusetts Ave NE
RAIL

Rockville station

23 mi away
251 Hungerford Drive at Park Rd.
RAIL

Union Station

25 mi away
110 Callahan Drive

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between South Kensington and Bowie. Straight-line distance: 19.5 mi (31.39 km).

South Kensington

#1 South Kensington

Unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States of America

Population8,462
Coordinates39.0190000, -77.0799800
Altitude86
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: (-77.079694, 39.018841)
End: (-76.730357, 38.94261)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 39 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 48m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 36m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 24m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 20m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.85 gal
3.21 L · about $3.47
Round trip
$6.95
1.7 gal · 6.42 L
Estimated CO2
7.6 kg one way
Round trip: 15.1 kg / 33 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $3.47 $6.95
Mid-grade $4.60 $3.91 $7.82
Premium $4.95 $4.21 $8.42
Diesel $5.98 $5.08 $10.17

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 South Kensington and Bowie. The current time is 06:29:23.

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.