Origin
Bristol, PA
Morning in Bristol on Sunday
Local time
10:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 49m
Distance
251.4 mi
405 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bristol, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Coaldale, PA
Haneul Trac
Bristol, PA to Coaldale, PA is 251.4 miles and takes about 4h 49m via Keystone Shortway, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you across Pennsylvania, staying within the Northeast region. The route offers a mixed driving experience, with a significant portion on highways but also sections on surface roads. It's a manageable one-day drive, making it a good option if you're looking for a relatively quick transit across the state.
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
125.7 miles from Bristol, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 24m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Keystone Shortway | 143.2 mi | 2h 36m |
| Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension | 74.2 mi | 1h 20m |
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 24 mi | 28m |
| Winburne Road | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| Coaldale Road | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Casanova Spur | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Bristol Pike | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 26 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,092 veh/hr typical · worst 1,504
Quietest
2 AM
~185 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Bristol, PA and Coaldale, PA.
Start on this road
Turn right onto Washington Street
Turn left onto Wood Street
Turn left onto Jefferson Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Beaver Street
Turn slight right onto US 13
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 95
Keep slight left at fork onto I 276; PATP
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 476; PATP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 80
Take the exit
Turn right onto PA 53
Turn right onto Winburne Road
Turn straight onto SR 2037
Continue on Casanova Spur
Turn right onto Casanova Road
Turn sharp left onto Coaldale Road
Arrive at destination
Given the 4 hour 49 minute estimated drive time, leaving Bristol, PA in the morning is ideal to ensure you have plenty of daylight. This route is designed for a single day, so you can afford to be flexible with your stop. The longest stretch without exiting the highway is 143.2 miles on the Keystone Shortway, so plan for a fuel or rest break before or after this segment. Your estimated fuel cost is $42, which is a good benchmark for budgeting.
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 55 miles or 1h 6m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 125.7 miles or 2h 24m 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 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Coaldale, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Bristol, 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 Bristol, PA
This is one driving day of about 251.4 miles and 4h 49m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
126 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 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 125.7 miles from Bristol, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Keystone Shortway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 143.2 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 1.7 and 100.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Turnpike toward I 95: Philadelphia, New York
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South: Philadelphia, Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 276; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike toward I 276 Toll West, PATP West: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 476: Chester, Allentown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward PA 940, I 80: Hazleton, Mount Pocono
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$41.02 one way
$82.03 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.56 | $45.10 | $90.21 |
| premium | $4.86 | $48.13 | $96.26 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $53.48 | $106.95 |
Estimated Tolls: $12.77
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
$41
Tolls
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$79–$104
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 88 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 75.4 | 0 | $26.40 | $12.07 |
| Efficient EV | 62.9 | 0 | $22.00 | $10.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 100.6 | 1 | $35.20 | $16.09 |
Gas CO2
88 kg
EV CO2
29 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
Morning in Bristol on Sunday
Local time
10:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Coaldale on Sunday
Local time
10:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
45°F
Georgetown, PA
126 mi in
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.
You'll spend about 39% of this 251.4-mile trip on highways, with the longest continuous highway stretch measuring 143.2 miles on the Keystone Shortway. After that, you'll transition to surface roads for the remainder of your drive. Expect a mix of driving conditions, including what could be dense exits on the highway portions and more open cruising on the surface road segments.
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 1.7 miles in near Pennsylvania Turnpike.
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 21 significant decision points across 251.4 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 1.7 miles (Pennsylvania Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.9 miles (I 276; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bristol, PA and Coaldale, PA, road signs point toward Allentown and Mount Pocono.
Allentown
Mount Pocono
Founded 1681
Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This article also covers the neighboring communities of Tullytown and Levittown.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 49m. Total distance: 251.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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