Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
52.1 mi
84 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Downingtown, PA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Croydon, PA to Downingtown, PA covers 52.1 miles and takes about 1h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Pennsylvania Turnpike, Street Road, West Uwchlan Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 38.9 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.71 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 38.9 mi | 41m |
| Street Road | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| West Uwchlan Avenue | 4 mi | 7m |
| State Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Pottstown Pike | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East Lancaster Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Lincoln Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Brandywine Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Croydon, PA and Downingtown, PA.
Start on State Road
Turn right onto Street Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 1
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 276; PATP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto PA 100
Turn right onto PA 113
Continue on PA 113
Turn straight onto US 30 BUS; US 322 Truck; US 322 Alternate Truck
Turn left onto US 322
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 26.1 miles from Croydon, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 1.6 and 46.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Street Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 276, PATP
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 276 Toll West: Harrisburg, Allentown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward PA 100: Downingtown, Pottstown, West Chester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward PA 100 South: Downingtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$8.71 one way
$17.41 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $9.58 | $19.16 |
| premium | $5.01 | $10.28 | $20.56 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $11.48 | $22.97 |
Estimated Tolls: $5.05
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$5
Total
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.47 | $2.50 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.56 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.29 | $3.33 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Croydon on Saturday
Local time
2:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Late night in Downingtown on Saturday
Local time
2:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Clear
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
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.
52.1 mi in 1h 7m, mostly highway — 38.9 mi of that is on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and Street Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near Street Road.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.1 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (Street Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
834 ft
Total Descent
622 ft
Highest Point
617 ft
~41 mi in
Elevation Range
590 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Croydon, PA and Downingtown, PA, road signs point toward Patp, Allentown, Pottstown and Chester.
Patp
Allentown
Pottstown
Chester
Downingtown is a city of 7,900 people in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 52.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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