Origin
Chester, PA
Morning in Chester on Tuesday
Local time
8:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chester, PA to Philadelphia, 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
28m
Distance
15.6 mi
25 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chester, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Philadelphia, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Chester to Philadelphia is a short, straightforward 15.5-mile journey that typically takes about 25 minutes. Because this is a quick local trip, you can easily complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via Madison Street, East 9th Street, and Morton Avenue, keeping you entirely off the major highways. With an estimated fuel cost of just $2, this transit is highly economical for commuters or casual travelers. Since both cities are located within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, the transition between them is seamless and familiar. It is a practical, no-nonsense route perfect for those looking to move between these two Pennsylvania hubs efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware Expressway | 6.1 mi | 8m |
| Schuylkill Expressway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Penrose Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| South 26th Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Market Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| East 9th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Madison Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Chestnut Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Delaware Expressway
— 6.1 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chester, PA and Philadelphia, PA.
1
Start on East 5th Street
274 ft
·
17 sec
·
East 5th Street
2
Turn left onto PA 320
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Madison Street
3
Turn right onto US 13 Business
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
East 9th Street
4
Turn left onto US 13
424 ft
·
16 sec
·
Morton Avenue
5
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Chestnut Street
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
7
Merge onto I 95
6.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Delaware Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 13
Toward Valley Forge, Island Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 13
Toward Valley Forge, Island Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Valley Forge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on PA 291
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Penrose Avenue
12
Turn left onto South 26th Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South 26th Street
Use the left lane.
13
Merge onto I 76
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Schuylkill Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 345
Toward 30th Street
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn straight onto PA 3
276 ft
·
8 sec
·
Schuylkill Avenue
16
Turn right onto PA 3
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Market Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
At end of road, turn right onto PA 611
85 ft
·
1 sec
·
South 15th Street
Use the right lane.
18
Turn slight left onto PA 611
379 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Penn Square
19
Keep slight left at fork onto South Penn Square
167 ft
·
2 sec
·
South Penn Square
20
Arrive at destination
South Penn Square
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 7.2 and 15.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
7.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward Valley Forge, Island Avenue
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 13
Toward Valley Forge, Island Avenue
9
8.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Valley Forge, Island Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13
Toward Valley Forge, Island Avenue
8
8.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Valley Forge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Valley Forge
7
14.4 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward 30th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 345
Toward 30th Street
7
15.5 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
PA 611 / South 15th Street
At end of road, turn right onto PA 611 / South 15th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.59 one way
$5.17 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.83 | $5.67 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.03 | $6.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.44 | $6.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Philadelphia, PA
Morning in Philadelphia on Tuesday
Local time
8:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 0 to 15 mph
7% chance
Live forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 3:26PM EDT until April 14 at 4:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued April 14 at 2:51PM EDT until April 14 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
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
24 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
28m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate experience, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate through local streets, meaning there is no long-distance, uninterrupted stretch; in fact, the longest stretch on Madison Street is 0 miles. The character of this drive is defined by frequent turns and urban navigation, requiring your full attention behind the wheel. Because you are avoiding major highways, you will get a closer look at the local infrastructure connecting these two areas. Be prepared for a hands-on driving experience where the pace is dictated by local traffic patterns and street-level navigation.
54% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.1 mi on Delaware Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 7.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 15.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
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 Chester, PA to Philadelphia, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Valley Forge along the way.
Valley Forge
7.2 mi in
|
~11m
About the Cities
Starting in Chester, PA
Full guide →Founded 1682
Chester is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Chester is a suburb of the city of Philadelphia. The current population estimate is 30,409. The city is predominantly made up of African Americans, making up 79% of the population. Chester is known for poverty and high crime, as almost 40% of residents live below the poverty line.
Top landmarks
- • Chester Waterside Station of the Philadelphia Electric Company
- • 1724 Chester Courthouse — historic courthouse in Chester, Pennsylvania
- • William Penn Landing Site
Arriving in Philadelphia, PA
Full guide →“City of Brotherly Love” · Founded 1682
Top landmarks
- • Independence Hall — historic building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- • Liberty Bell — bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA that serves as a symbol of American inde...
- • Philadelphia Museum of Art — art museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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 28m. Total distance: 15.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (54%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.1 miles on Delaware Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Philadelphia, 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 7.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Philadelphia, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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