Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 46m
Distance
223 mi
359 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$37
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
Waterford, PA
Jack Pace
Allentown to Waterford is 223 miles and takes about 4h 46m via Pennsylvania Turnpike, William Penn Highway, and Lincoln Highway, with a fuel budget near $37 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It’s a fairly straightforward, single-day trip that offers a mixed driving experience. If you're looking for a direct way to get from point A to point B across the state without much fuss, this route is a solid choice.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
111.5 miles from Allentown, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 16m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 81.1 mi | 1h 29m |
| William Penn Highway | 43.1 mi | 51m |
| Lincoln Highway | 38.4 mi | 57m |
| I 81 | 36.6 mi | 44m |
| 78th Division Highway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| Tilghman Street | 5 mi | 8m |
| Waterford Laughlintown Road | 3 mi | 7m |
| Pitt Street | 2 mi | 4m |
Step-by-step road directions between Allentown, PA and Waterford, PA.
Start on Tilghman Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 22
Merge onto I 78; US 22
Continue on I 78; US 22
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 81
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto US 11
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 76; PATP
Take the exit
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto US 220 BUS
Turn right onto Weber Lane
Turn left onto Country Ridge Road
Turn right onto US 30
Continue on US 30
Continue on US 30
Continue on US 30
Continue on US 30
Turn right onto Beechwood Road
Turn left onto Hemlock Road
Turn right onto Walnut Road
Continue on State Road
Continue on Waterford Laughlintown Road
At end of road, turn right onto PA 271
Arrive at destination
Given the 4 hour 46 minute duration, starting your drive in Allentown in the morning is your best bet for a comfortable one-day trip. You'll encounter just one recommended stop, so plan to take that break about halfway through to stretch and refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially before heading onto longer stretches of highway like the 81.1 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike; the $37 fuel estimate suggests planning your fill-ups accordingly. This drive is manageable in a single day, allowing for flexibility in your departure time.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 49 miles or 1h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 111.5 miles or 2h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waterford, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Allentown, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Allentown, PA
This is one driving day of about 223 miles and 4h 46m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
112 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 49 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 111.5 miles from Allentown, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Pennsylvania Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 81.1 miles.
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 56.5 and 176.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork toward I 81 South: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward US 11: New Kingstown, Middlesex
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward US 11 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward I 76 West: Pittsburgh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Altoona, Johnstown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$36.97 one way
$73.94 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $40.49 | $80.98 |
| premium | $4.93 | $43.25 | $86.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $49.24 | $98.47 |
Estimated Tolls: $10.59
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Tolls
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 66.9 | 0 | $23.41 | $10.70 |
| Efficient EV | 55.8 | 0 | $19.51 | $8.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 89.2 | 1 | $31.22 | $14.27 |
Gas CO2
78 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Late night in Allentown on Sunday
Local time
12:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Waterford on Sunday
Local time
12:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Memorial
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
National Memorial
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This journey presents a mixed drive, with 53% of it on highways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, experiencing an uninterrupted stretch of 81.1 miles. The route transitions between the faster pace of the turnpike and the more local feel of the William Penn Highway and Lincoln Highway. Expect a varied road experience as you navigate these different types of thoroughfares across the state.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 56.5 miles in.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 223 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 56.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 93.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 94.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Allentown, PA and Waterford, PA, road signs point toward Middlesex, Patp, Altoona, Johnstown and Bedford.
Middlesex
Patp
Altoona
Johnstown
Bedford
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 46m. Total distance: 223 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface 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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