Charlestown, PA to Bensalem, PA is 184.9 miles and takes about 3h 35m via Pennsylvania Turnpike, Path Valley Road, and Mountain Road, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This highway-focused drive stays within Pennsylvania, making it a straightforward trip. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, offering a consistent pace for your journey. With only one recommended stop and a recommended single day of travel, this route is ideal for a quick transit between these two points in the Northeast region.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
92.5 miles from Charlestown, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 54m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pennsylvania Turnpike
162.8 mi
2h 55m
Path Valley Road
14.3 mi
25m
Mountain Road
3.6 mi
6m
Street Road
1.7 mi
2m
Fort Loudon Road
0.7 mi
1m
Buchanan Trail West
0.6 mi
1m
Willow Hill Interchange
0.3 mi
<1m
Knights Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike
— 162.8 mi, about 2h 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charlestown, PA and Bensalem, PA.
1
Start on PA 16
0.6 mi·1 min·Buchanan Trail West
2
Turn sharp right onto Mountain Road
3.6 mi·6 min·Mountain Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto PA 75
0.7 mi·1 min·Fort Loudon Road
4
Continue on PA 75
14 mi·25 min·Path Valley Road
5
Turn left onto Willow Hill Interchange
0.3 mi·29 sec·Willow Hill Interchange
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PATP
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 76 East: Harrisburg
8
Merge onto I 76; PATP
163 mi·2 hr 55 min·Pennsylvania Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
Exit 352Toward PA 132: Street RoadUse the slight right lane.
10
Turn left onto PA 132
1.7 mi·2 min·Street Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
11
Turn right onto Knights Road
261 ft·8 sec·Knights Road
12
Turn right
135 ft·9 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the manageable 3h 35m duration, starting your drive in Charlestown, PA, anytime after morning rush hour should allow you ample daylight to reach Bensalem, PA. With only one stop recommended and a substantial 162.8-mile stretch on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly before you get onto that long highway segment. The $31 fuel cost is a good estimate, but always check current prices. Being a single-day trip, you have flexibility; consider leaving a bit earlier if you prefer a more relaxed pace.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 92.5 miles from Charlestown, PA, or about 1h 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 162.8 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 41 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 92.5 miles or 1h 54m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bensalem, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Charlestown, 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 Charlestown, PA
This is one driving day of about 184.9 miles and 3h 35m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 41 miles from Charlestown, 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 162.8 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 184.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|Mountain Road
Turn sharp right onto Mountain Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
19.7 mi into trip|~35m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 76 East: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 76 East: Harrisburg
5
20 mi into trip|~36m in|I 76; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike
Merge onto I 76; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
182.8 mi into trip|~3h 31m in
Take the exit toward PA 132: Street Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 352
Toward PA 132: Street Road
5
184.9 mi into trip|~3h 35m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.65 one way
$61.31 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg65 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$33.57
$67.15
premium
$4.93
$35.86
$71.72
diesel
$5.61
$40.82
$81.65
Estimated Tolls: $21.16
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(162.8 mi)$21.16
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
$31
Tolls
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 64.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
20 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Giant - Tesla Supercharger
Harrisburg, PA
Tesla
12 DCFC
Dunkn' Middletown
Middletown, PA
NAYAX_ENERGY
12 DCFC
McKinney Station Ice Cream and Farm Market - Tesla Supercharger
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
55.5
0
$19.41
$8.88
Efficient EV
46.2
0
$16.18
$7.40
EV Truck/SUV
74
0
$25.89
$11.83
Gas CO2
65 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Charlestown, PA
Morning
in Charlestown on Sunday
Local time
9:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bensalem, PA
Morning
in Bensalem on Sunday
Local time
9:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
22 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
3h 35m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
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...
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
~32 min detour
Free
near mile 95.6
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...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
$1
near mile 165.8
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...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 165.8
Famous as the First State to ratify the Constitution, Delaware was born out of a conflict among three world powers for dominance of the Delaware Valley. From this beginning, the region developed a dis...
16 mi from route
~41 min detour
Free
near mile 146.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 88% of it utilizing major roadways. You'll experience the longest uninterrupted stretch of 162.8 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which will likely be the main artery for much of your travel. While the majority is highway, the inclusion of Path Valley Road and Mountain Road suggests a shift in pace and potentially more varied scenery or road conditions on those segments. Expect a generally efficient journey with stretches of consistent speed.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 162.8 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and Path Valley Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Mountain Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 35m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Mountain Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 19.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 20 miles (I 76; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Charlestown, PA to Bensalem, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Patp along the way.
Patp
19.5 mi in|~35m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 35m. Total distance: 184.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 162.8 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $21.16 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.
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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Mountain Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 19.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 20 miles (I 76; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument, Valley Forge National Historical Park and Appalachian National Scenic Trail (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Bensalem, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
