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Trip from Ambler, PA to Bristol, PA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

35m

Distance

24.3 mi

39 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 32m ★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 33m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States

Ambler, PA

Wikimedia Commons

borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States

Bristol, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 24.3-mile drive from Ambler, PA, to Bristol, PA, is designed for efficiency, taking about 35 minutes to complete. With a 77% highway share, it's a route focused on getting you there quickly, making it an ideal candidate for a day trip. The estimated fuel cost is around $4, which is quite budget-friendly for a journey of this nature. Since it's a short, direct trip within Pennsylvania, there's no need to plan for overnight stays, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule. You'll be traversing familiar Northeast territory for the entire duration.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Pennsylvania Turnpike 18.7 mi 21m
South Bethlehem Pike 1.2 mi 2m
Bristol Pike 0.6 mi 1m
Pennsylvania Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
Jefferson Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
Lindenwold Avenue 0.3 mi 1m
Beaver Street 0.2 mi <1m
Pond Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Pennsylvania Turnpike — 18.7 mi, about 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ambler, PA and Bristol, PA.

1

Start on South Ridge Avenue

33 ft · 6 sec · South Ridge Avenue
2

Turn right onto East Butler Avenue

0.1 mi · 26 sec · East Butler Avenue
3

Turn slight right onto Lindenwold Avenue

0.3 mi · 1 min · Lindenwold Avenue
4

Turn right onto South Bethlehem Pike

1.2 mi · 2 min · South Bethlehem Pike
5

Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · Pennsylvania Avenue
Use the left lane.
6

Take the ramp

142 ft · 3 sec
Toward PATP, PA 309
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 15 sec
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 56 sec
Toward I 276, PATP: PA Turnpike
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Toward I 276 East: New Jersey
10

Merge onto I 276; PATP

19 mi · 21 min · Pennsylvania Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

1.0 mi · 2 min
Exit 42 Toward US 13: Levittown, Bristol
12

Continue on Pennsylvania Turnpike

360 ft · 8 sec · Pennsylvania Turnpike
13

Keep slight right at fork

357 ft · 8 sec
Toward US 13 South: Bristol Use the right lane.
14

Merge onto US 13

0.6 mi · 1 min · Bristol Pike
Use the left lane.
15

Turn slight left onto Beaver Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Beaver Street
Use the left lane.
16

Turn left onto Jefferson Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Jefferson Avenue
17

Turn right onto Pond Street

0.2 mi · 33 sec · Pond Street
18

Turn left

91 ft · 12 sec
19

Arrive at destination

1 ft

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | East Butler Avenue

Turn right onto East Butler Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
1.7 mi into trip | ~4m in | Pennsylvania Avenue

Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
2.4 mi into trip | ~5m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 276, PATP: PA Turnpike

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 276, PATP: PA Turnpike
6
21.7 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward US 13: Levittown, Bristol

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 42 Toward US 13: Levittown, Bristol
8
22.8 mi into trip | ~31m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 13 South: Bristol

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward US 13 South: Bristol

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.03 one way

$8.06 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $4.41 $8.82
premium $4.93 $4.71 $9.43
diesel $5.61 $5.37 $10.73

Estimated Tolls: $2.43

Pennsylvania Turnpike (18.7 mi) $2.43

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Tolls

$2

Total

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.3 0 $2.55 $1.17
Efficient EV 6.1 0 $2.13 $0.97
EV Truck/SUV 9.7 0 $3.40 $1.56

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 13, 2026

Origin

Ambler, PA

Morning in Ambler on Tuesday

Local time

11:20 AM

EDT

Current temp

80°F

Mostly Cloudy

SW 5 to 15 mph 12% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 7:41AM EDT by NWS Pittsburgh PA

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 5:13AM EDT by NWS State College PA

Destination

Bristol, PA

Morning in Bristol on Tuesday

Local time

11:20 AM

EDT

Current temp

82°F

Mostly Cloudy

SW 5 to 15 mph 10% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 7:41AM EDT by NWS Pittsburgh PA

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 5:13AM EDT by NWS State College PA

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

2 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

35m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience, with 77% of the journey utilizing faster roads. The main arteries guiding you are the Pennsylvania Turnpike, South Bethlehem Pike, and Bristol Pike. You'll encounter one significant continuous stretch of 18.7 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, offering a chance to settle into a rhythm. While the profile is highway-centric, the transition between these roads will feel like a typical commute, prioritizing speed and directness over leisurely cruising.

77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.7 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and South Bethlehem Pike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Butler Avenue.

Driving Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 24.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Butler Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (Pennsylvania Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

249 ft 23 ft

Total Climb

79 ft

Total Descent

272 ft

Highest Point

249 ft

~6.9 mi in

Elevation Range

226 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Ambler, PA and Bristol, PA, road signs point toward Patp and Patp: Pa Turnpike.

Patp

2.2 mi in | ~5m

Patp: Pa Turnpike

2.4 mi in | ~5m

About the Cities

Starting in Ambler, PA

Full guide →

Founded 1859

Arriving in Bristol, PA

Full guide →

Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This article also covers the neighboring communities of Tullytown and Levittown.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 24.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

35m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 18.7 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $2.43 in tolls one way, starting with Pennsylvania Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Bristol, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Butler Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (Pennsylvania Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Valley Forge National Historical Park, Independence National Historical Park and Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bristol, PA before heading back.

How this page is built

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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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