Origin
Claymont, DE
Late night in Claymont on Sunday
Local time
12:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Claymont, DE to Newark, DE
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
20.7 mi
33 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Claymont, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Newark, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Claymont to Newark, this 20.7-mile journey is a quick, straightforward transit across Delaware. You can expect to spend about 28 minutes on the road, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel cost estimate of just $3, it is an incredibly economical drive for commuters or local travelers. Your route utilizes a mix of major thoroughfares, including the Delaware Turnpike, DE 273, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. Because the entire trip stays within the Northeast region, you will find the transition between these two Delaware hubs to be seamless and efficient. It is a practical, no-fuss drive that gets you to your destination without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway | 10.3 mi | 11m |
| DE 273 | 4.2 mi | 8m |
| Delaware Turnpike | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Wilmington Expressway | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| Philadelphia Pike | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Governor Printz Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
— 10.3 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Claymont, DE and Newark, DE.
1
Start on US 13
124 ft
·
4 sec
·
Governor Printz Boulevard
2
Turn right onto US 13
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Philadelphia Pike
Use the right lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 495 South: Port of Wilmington, Newark, Baltimore, Delaware Memorial Bridge
4
Merge onto I 495
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 95; US 202
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilmington Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 95
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Delaware Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 3
Toward DE 273: Christiana, Newark
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward DE 273 West: Newark
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn right onto DE 273
4.2 mi
·
8 min
·
DE 273
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn right
260 ft
·
18 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 16.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 13 / Philadelphia Pike
Turn right onto US 13 / Philadelphia Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 495 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 495 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
11.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 95; US 202 / Wilmington Expressway
Merge onto I 95; US 202 / Wilmington Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
16.1 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward DE 273: Christiana, Newark
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 3
Toward DE 273: Christiana, Newark
8
16.3 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward DE 273 West: Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward DE 273 West: Newark
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.43 one way
$6.86 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.76 | $7.52 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.01 | $8.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.57 | $9.14 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.24
Delaware Turnpike
(3.4 mi)
$0.24
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.17 | $0.99 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.81 | $0.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.90 | $1.32 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Newark, DE
Late night in Newark on Sunday
Local time
12:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
13 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
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip offers a mixed driving profile that transitions between high-speed infrastructure and local roadways. You will spend 44% of your time on highways, providing a balanced experience behind the wheel. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 10.3 miles along the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, allowing you to settle into a consistent pace before the route shifts. As you transition onto DE 273 and other local connectors, the character of the drive changes from open highway to a more standard road environment. Expect a functional, direct experience that prioritizes efficiency over technical winding roads or scenic detours.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.3 mi on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 early in the drive near US 13 / Philadelphia Pike.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 20.7 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: near the start (US 13 / Philadelphia Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (I 495 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles (I 95; US 202 / Wilmington Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
128 ft
7 ft
Total Climb
147 ft
Total Descent
41 ft
Highest Point
128 ft
~20.7 mi in
Elevation Range
120 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Claymont, DE
Full guide →Claymont is a town in northern Delaware. A largely blue-collar suburb of Wilmington, its borders are not clearly defined; it is generally accepted to have about 10,000 residents (2020).
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: 20.7 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 (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.3 miles on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.24 in tolls one way, starting with Delaware 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.
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 Newark, DE 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: near the start (US 13 / Philadelphia Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (I 495 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles (I 95; US 202 / Wilmington Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — First State National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Newark, DE 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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