Road Trippin’: Cost of Driving from Arlington, VA to Baltimore, MD

Thinking about taking a road trip from Arlington, VA to Baltimore, MD? It’s a great idea! But before you go, let’s take a look at the cost of the trip based on current gas prices.

Route 1: Straight Through

The distance between Arlington, VA and Baltimore, MD is approximately 45 miles. If you take the most direct route via I-395 N and I-95 N, the trip should take you around 1 hour.

Gas

Assuming the current gas price in Arlington, VA is $2.50/gallon and your car gets an average of 25 miles per gallon, you will need to use 1.8 gallons of gas for this trip. The total cost of gas would be around $4.50.

Tolls

You won’t encounter any tolls on this route, so your total cost is just $4.50 for gas.

Route 2: Scenic Route

If you would rather take your time and enjoy the scenery, you can take Route 50 E and I-97 N to get to Baltimore. This route is approximately 52 miles and will take you around 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Gas

Assuming the current gas price in Arlington, VA is $2.50/gallon and your car gets an average of 25 miles per gallon, you will need to use 2.1 gallons of gas for this trip. The total cost of gas would be around $5.25.

Tolls

You will encounter two tolls on this route: one for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (currently $8) and one for the Fort McHenry Tunnel (currently $4). Your total cost for gas and tolls on this route would be around $17.25.

Route 3: Avoiding Tolls

If you want to avoid tolls altogether, you can take Route 50 E to Route 3 N to Route 301 N to get to Baltimore. This route is approximately 70 miles and will take you around 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Gas

Assuming the current gas price in Arlington, VA is $2.50/gallon and your car gets an average of 25 miles per gallon, you will need to use 2.8 gallons of gas for this trip. The total cost of gas would be around $7.

Tolls

You won’t encounter any tolls on this route, so your total cost is just $7 for gas.

Conclusion

As you can see, the total cost of your trip will vary based on the route you choose to take. The most direct route will cost you just $4.50 in gas, while the scenic route will cost you around $17.25 in gas and tolls. If you want to save money, Route 3 is the way to go, costing you only $7 in gas. Whichever route you choose, make sure to have fun along the way!