The highway, which has a speed limit of , expands to four lanes on a viaduct over local roads and CSX Transportation's Capital Subdivision railroad line and MARC Train's Camden Line. I-895 crosses the Patapsco River (the Howard–Baltimore county line) and US 1 (Washington Boulevard), then receives the exit 1 flyover ramps from northbound US 1 and to southbound US 1 before passing under I-195 with no access. I-895 continues east parallel to the Patapsco River. The highway passes along the southern edge of Halethorpe, where it crosses Amtrak's Northeast Corridor railroad line and MARC Train's Penn Line along with Herbert Run. I-895 meets I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) at exit 3, which includes a loop ramp from eastbound I-695 and a ramp to westbound I-695. The highway crosses Hammonds Ferry Road in Baltimore Highlands before exit 4 with MD 295 (B–W Parkway), which includes a loop ramp to southbound MD 295 and a ramp from northbound MD 295. The speed limit drops to , then the highway crosses MD 648 (Annapolis Road) and curves northeast across marshland, the main line of the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA)'s Baltimore Light RailLink, and the Patapsco River into Anne Arundel County. East of the river, I-895 receives flyover ramps from the thruway's southern approach, unsigned I-895B, at exit 6 in Brooklyn Park. The highway enters the city of Baltimore and curves to the east over Patapsco Avenue before exit 7 with MD 2 (Potee Street), which includes a loop ramp to southbound MD 2 and a ramp from the intersection of MD 2 and MD 173 (Patapsco Avenue). I-895 parallels CSX Transportation's Curtis Bay Branch as the highway passes along the northern edge of the Brooklyn neighborhood. The highway crosses the Curtis Bay Branch on a steel K-truss bridge ahead of exits 8A and 8B. Exit 8A includes a loop ramp to and a flyover ramp from Shell Road, which heads toward the Curtis Bay neighborhood. Exit 8B includes ramps from eastbound Frankfurst Avenue and to westbound Frankfurst Avenue; that street leads to Hanover Street and Downtown Baltimore. I-895 passes through the 14-booth toll plaza for the tunnel; immediately to the east of the toll plaza is exit 9, a half diamond interchange with Childs Street for traffic to and from the toll plaza. The speed limit decreases to as the highway curves to the northeast through the Fairfield unit of the Port of Baltimore