Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
49.7 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ashland, PA
Michael Taccetta
Reading, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Ashland, PA to Reading, PA is 49.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 7 minutes via Center Avenue and Pottsville Pike, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, traversing parts of the Northeast region. It's a straightforward trip that primarily uses surface roads, making it a good option for a quick local excursion or an easy addition to a larger trip. You'll find it to be a practical route with a low fuel cost and a short duration, ideal for a same-day excursion.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Center Avenue | 10.6 mi | 12m |
| Pottsville Pike | 10.2 mi | 12m |
| Centre Street | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Skyline Drive | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| Fountain Street | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Route 61 South | 3 mi | 3m |
| Centre Avenue | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| North Claude A. Lord Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Ashland, PA and Reading, PA.
Start on PA 54; PA 61
Turn right onto PA 61
Turn slight left onto PA 61
Turn left onto PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Turn right onto PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
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
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 24.9 miles from Ashland, 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 0.5 and 49.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto PA 61 / South Hoffman Boulevard
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto PA 61 / South Lehigh Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate / Penn Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$8.11 one way
$16.22 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.56 | $8.92 | $17.83 |
| premium | $4.86 | $9.52 | $19.03 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $10.57 | $21.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.39 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.35 | $1.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.96 | $3.18 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Ashland on Sunday
Local time
12:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Afternoon in Reading on Sunday
Local time
12:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Chance Rain Showers
45°F
New Philadelphia, PA
25 mi in
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 route is mostly surface roads, with only about 6% of the drive on highways. You'll spend most of your time on Center Avenue and Pottsville Pike. The longest continuous stretch on surface roads is 10.6 miles along Center Avenue. Expect to navigate through built-up areas and potential traffic as you transition between towns.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near PA 61 / South Hoffman Boulevard.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 7m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (PA 61 / South Hoffman Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 7.2 miles (PA 61 / South Lehigh Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 49.4 miles (US 422 Business / Franklin Street): Navigation decision point.
Founded 1748
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.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 49.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (6%). Straightforward navigation.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Ashland, PA or browse trips ending in Reading, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.
