Origin
Ambler, PA
Afternoon in Ambler on Tuesday
Local time
12:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ambler, PA to Reading, PA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
58.4 mi
94 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ambler, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Ambler to Reading is 58.4 miles and takes about 1h 10m via Pennsylvania Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused trip entirely within Pennsylvania, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its short duration and primary use of major roadways, this route is ideal for a quick transit or a segment of a longer journey. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained turnpikes and expressways, making for an efficient drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 39.7 mi | 42m |
| Morgantown Expressway | 11.3 mi | 12m |
| West Shore Bypass | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| South Bethlehem Pike | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South 5th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Lindenwold Avenue | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Bingaman Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike
— 39.7 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ambler, PA and Reading, 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 right at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 276 West: Harrisburg
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 276; PATP
40 mi
·
42 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 298
Toward I 176, PA 10: Morgantown, Reading
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on I 176
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Morgantown Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 11B
Toward US 422 West: Reading
14
Merge onto US 422
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Shore Bypass
Toward US 422 West: Reading
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward US 222 Business: Lancaster Avenue
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
16
Turn right onto US 222 BUS
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Bingaman Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Continue on US 222 BUS
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Laurel Street
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left onto US 222 BUS
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
South 5th Street
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto US 422 Business
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Franklin Street
20
Turn left onto South 6th Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
South 6th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
21
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate
278 ft
·
4 sec
·
Penn Street
22
Arrive at destination
US 422 Business Alternate
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.2 miles from Ambler, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 57 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
7
2.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 276 West: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 276 West: Harrisburg
8
42.8 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward I 176, PA 10: Morgantown, Reading
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 298
Toward I 176, PA 10: Morgantown, Reading
6
54.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 422 West: Reading
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 11B
Toward US 422 West: Reading
6
57 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward US 222 Business: Lancaster Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward US 222 Business: Lancaster Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.68 one way
$19.36 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.60 | $21.21 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.33 | $22.65 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.89 | $25.79 |
Estimated Tolls: $5.16
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(39.7 mi)
$5.16
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$5
Total
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.13 | $2.80 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.4 | 0 | $8.18 | $3.74 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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.
Destination
Reading, PA
Afternoon in Reading on Tuesday
Local time
12:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
15 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 10m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 87% of the drive utilizing major expressways. You'll experience a consistent driving pace for much of the journey, including a significant stretch of 39.7 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The Morgantown Expressway and West Shore Bypass continue this high-speed character. Expect a straightforward driving experience with minimal interruptions, allowing for a smooth and direct passage between Ambler and Reading.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.7 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and Morgantown Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.4 miles you will encounter 18 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 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Ambler, PA
Full guide →Founded 1859
Arriving in Reading, PA
Full guide →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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 58.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.7 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $5.16 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 Reading, 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: at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Valley Forge National Historical Park, Independence National Historical Park and Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial (5 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 Reading, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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