Spanning 308.9 miles across Pennsylvania, this trip connects Cecil to Haverford in approximately 6 hours and 1 minute. You will primarily navigate the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Penn-Lincoln Parkway East, and West Montgomery Avenue to complete the journey. Given the duration, this route is perfectly manageable as a single-day drive for most travelers. Budgeting around $51 for fuel will cover your transit across the state. Because the entire route remains within the Northeast region, you can expect a consistent atmosphere throughout your time on the road.
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
154.5 miles from Cecil, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 4m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pennsylvania Turnpike
270.5 mi
4h 54m
Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
14.5 mi
20m
West Montgomery Avenue
4.3 mi
9m
Greentree Road
3.9 mi
6m
I 76
3.9 mi
6m
PA 50
3.6 mi
5m
Penn-Lincoln Parkway West
2.3 mi
3m
Washington Pike
2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike
— 270.5 mi, about 4h 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cecil, PA and Haverford, PA.
1
Start on Hickory Grade Road
0.3 mi·1 min·Hickory Grade Road
2
Turn left onto Parks Road
0.8 mi·3 min·Parks Road
3
Turn right onto PA 50
3.6 mi·5 min·PA 50
4
Turn left onto PA 50
208 ft·3 sec·Washington Pike
5
Continue on PA 50
0.6 mi·1 min·Washington Avenue
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on PA 50
2.0 mi·3 min·Washington Pike
7
Turn right onto Greentree Road
1.6 mi·2 min·Greentree Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn left onto PA 121
2.3 mi·4 min·Greentree Road
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward I 376 East: Pittsburgh
10
Merge onto I 376; US 22; US 30
2.3 mi·3 min·Penn-Lincoln Parkway West
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 376; US 22; US 30
15 mi·20 min·Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Toward I 376 East: MonroevilleUse the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·1 min
Exit 85Toward I 76, PATP: Ohio, Harrisburg
13
Continue on this road
0.2 mi·30 sec·this road
Use the straight lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward I 76 East: HarrisburgUse the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto I 76; PATP
271 mi·4 hr 54 min·Pennsylvania Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit onto I 76
3.9 mi·6 min·I 76
Exit 326Toward I 76 East: Valley Forge, PhiladelphiaUse the slight right lane.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 330Toward PA 320: Gulph MillsUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork
340 ft·9 sec
Toward PA 320 South: VillanovaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn straight onto PA 320
0.6 mi·1 min·South Gulph Road
20
Continue on PA 320
4.3 mi·9 min·West Montgomery Avenue
21
Turn left onto Woodside Road
525 ft·23 sec·Woodside Road
22
Turn left onto Winsor Lane
343 ft·18 sec·Winsor Lane
23
Turn left
10 ft·0 sec
24
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To keep your 6-hour journey comfortable, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and refresh. Leaving early in the morning is your best strategy to avoid potential congestion on the heavier traffic sections of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Since this is a highway-heavy route, monitor your fuel levels before merging onto the Turnpike to ensure you don't pay premium prices at remote service plazas. If you find the 308.9-mile haul draining, remember that you have the flexibility to pace yourself, as the route is straightforward enough to handle at a relaxed, steady speed.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 154.5 miles from Cecil, PA, or about 3h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 270.5 miles.
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 68 miles or 1h 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 154.5 miles or 3h 4m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Haverford, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cecil, 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 Cecil, PA
This is one driving day of about 308.9 miles and 6h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 68 miles from Cecil, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Pennsylvania Turnpike for about 270.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 14 and 303.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
14 mi into trip|~25m in|I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Keep slight right at fork onto I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East toward I 376 East: Monroeville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 376 East: Monroeville
8
28.9 mi into trip|~47m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 76 East: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 76 East: Harrisburg
8
299.6 mi into trip|~5h 42m in|I 76
Take the exit onto I 76 toward I 76 East: Valley Forge, Philadelphia
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 326
Toward I 76 East: Valley Forge, Philadelphia
7
303.5 mi into trip|~5h 48m in
Take the exit toward PA 320: Gulph Mills
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 330
Toward PA 320: Gulph Mills
7
303.8 mi into trip|~5h 49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward PA 320 South: Villanova
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward PA 320 South: Villanova
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.21 one way
$102.42 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg108 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$56.09
$112.18
premium
$4.93
$59.91
$119.81
diesel
$5.61
$68.20
$136.40
Estimated Tolls: $35.17
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(270.5 mi)$35.17
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
$51
Tolls
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$111–$136
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 108.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
92.7
1
$32.43
$14.83
Efficient EV
77.2
0
$27.03
$12.36
EV Truck/SUV
123.6
1
$43.25
$19.77
Gas CO2
108 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 18, 2026
Origin
Cecil, PA
Late night
in Cecil on Sunday
Local time
12:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Haverford, PA
Late night
in Haverford on Sunday
Local time
12:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Hancock, MD
154 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
12 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
6h 1m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Valley Forge National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Valley Forge is the place where George Washington and the Continental Army took refuge during the winter of 1777-1778. Today the park protects 3,500 acres of meadows, woodlands, historic landscapes, a...
1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Free
near mile 298.3
Park Closure: Sun, Apr 19 - Park Entrance and Tour Roads Temporarily Closed for Rev Run
Park Closure: Admin Parking Lot Closed Fri 4/17 Until Sun 4/19 at Noon for Rev Run Setup
Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
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...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 202.4
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...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
Free
near mile 95.9
The park represents the founding ideals of the nation, and preserves national and international symbols of freedom and democracy, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The Declaration of I...
Visit the house where wounded Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko lived and hear how this brilliant military engineer designed successful fortifications during the American Revolution. See the...
9 mi from route
~23 min detour
Free
near mile 308.9
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...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 245
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 95% of your travel occurring on major thoroughfares. You should prepare for a significant interstate experience, highlighted by a 270.5-mile uninterrupted stretch along the Pennsylvania Turnpike. While the route is efficient for covering long distances, the character is defined by steady, high-speed travel rather than technical turns. As you transition from the Penn-Lincoln Parkway East into the final local segments, the pace shifts slightly, but the majority of your time is spent in the steady rhythm of highway driving.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 270.5 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and Penn-Lincoln Parkway East. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14 miles in near I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East.
Driving Effort9/10
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 18 significant decision points across 308.9 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 14 miles (I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 299.6 miles (I 76): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,053 ft547 ft
Total Climb
1,060 ft
Total Descent
1,506 ft
Highest Point
2,053 ft
~77.2 mi in
Elevation Range
1,506 ft
Notable High Points
2,053 ft at ~77.2 miles+669 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cecil, PA and Haverford, PA, road signs point toward Patp: Ohio and Harrisburg.
Patp: Ohio
28.5 mi in|~45m
Harrisburg
28.5 mi in|~45m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 1m. Total distance: 308.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 1m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 270.5 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $35.17 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.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Haverford, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 14 miles (I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 299.6 miles (I 76): 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, Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument and Flight 93 National Memorial (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 12.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Haverford, PA before the return drive.
