Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
35.5 mi
57 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Allentown, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Allentown to Reading is 35.5 miles and takes about 54 minutes via West Hamilton Boulevard and US 222, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Pennsylvania, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a local driving experience with frequent turns rather than a high-speed highway journey. Given its brief duration, this route is ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing ample time for activities at either end.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Hamilton Boulevard | 6 mi | 8m |
| Allentown Pike | 6 mi | 10m |
| US 222 | 5.9 mi | 7m |
| Kutztown Road | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| North 5th Street Highway | 5 mi | 8m |
| Hamilton Boulevard | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Tilghman Street | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| North Cedar Crest Boulevard | 1 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Allentown, PA and Reading, PA.
Start on Tilghman Street
Turn left onto North Cedar Crest Boulevard
Turn right onto PA 222
Continue on PA 222
Continue on US 222
Continue on US 222
Enter roundabout onto US 222
Continue on US 222
Continue on US 222
Keep slight left at fork onto US 222
Enter roundabout onto US 222
Continue on US 222
Continue on US 222
Continue on US 222
Enter roundabout onto US 222
Continue on US 222
Enter roundabout onto US 222
Continue on US 222
Continue on US 222
Continue on US 222
Continue on US 222 BUS
Continue on US 222 BUS
Continue on US 222 BUS
Turn left onto US 422 Business
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 35.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 17.8 miles from Allentown, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 12.4 and 35.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Enter roundabout onto US 222 / Hamilton Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Keep slight left at fork onto US 222
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Enter roundabout onto US 222 / Allentown Pike
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Turn left onto US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$5.89 one way
$11.77 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.45 | $12.89 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.88 | $13.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.84 | $15.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.73 | $1.70 |
| Efficient EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.11 | $1.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.97 | $2.27 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Allentown on Tuesday
Local time
8:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Reading on Tuesday
Local time
8:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive is characterized by its "turn-heavy local drive" profile, with only 16% of the route on highways. You'll navigate through a series of local roads, including West Hamilton Boulevard and Allentown Pike, before merging onto US 222. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 6 miles on West Hamilton Boulevard. This means you should anticipate frequent changes in speed and direction, keeping you engaged behind the wheel as you transition between neighborhoods and towns.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 12.4 miles in near US 222 / Hamilton Boulevard.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 35.5 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.4 miles (US 222 / Hamilton Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 16.9 miles (US 222): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.7 miles (US 222 / Allentown Pike): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Allentown is the largest city in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, the county seat and largest city in Lehigh County, and the third-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with a population of 125,845 as of 2020.
Reading is a historic city of about 95,000 (2020 Census) in Pennsylvania, about 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia, 35 miles southwest of Allentown and 55 miles east of Harrisburg. It punches above its weight in culture, and its downtown features some iconic buildings, so consider making it a stopover on your way between any of these and other area cities.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 35.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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