Origin
Delaware City, DE
Late night in Delaware City on Tuesday
Local time
4:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Delaware City, DE to New Castle, DE
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
17m
Distance
9.8 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Delaware City, DE
Wikimedia Commons
New Castle, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Delaware City, DE to New Castle, DE is 9.8 miles and takes about 17 minutes via River Road, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Delaware and the Northeast region, offering a quick connection between two points. Given its brief duration, this route is ideal for a same-day excursion or as part of a larger travel plan. The drive primarily utilizes local roads, making it a straightforward, low-mileage journey. You won't need to worry about extensive travel time or significant fuel expenses for this particular leg.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| River Road | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| Wrangle Hill Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| West 7th Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| 5th Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Clinton Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West 6th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cherry Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
River Road
— 6.1 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Delaware City, DE and New Castle, DE.
1
Start on Clinton Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Clinton Street
2
Turn right onto DE 9
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
5th Street
3
Continue on DE 9
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Wrangle Hill Road
4
Turn right
126 ft
·
5 sec
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto DE 9
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
River Road
6
Continue on DE 9
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West 7th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Continue on DE 9 Alternate
362 ft
·
11 sec
·
South Street
8
Turn left onto DE 9 Alternate
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
West 6th Street
9
Turn right onto Cherry Street
105 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cherry Street
10
Arrive at destination
Cherry Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 9.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
DE 9 / 5th Street
Turn right onto DE 9 / 5th Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Turn right
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
9.6 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
DE 9 Alternate / West 6th Street
Turn left onto DE 9 Alternate / West 6th Street
Navigation decision point
5
9.8 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
Cherry Street
Turn right onto Cherry Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.62 one way
$3.25 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.78 | $3.56 |
| premium | $4.93 | $1.90 | $3.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.16 | $4.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.03 | $0.47 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.86 | $0.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.63 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
New Castle, DE
Late night in New Castle on Tuesday
Local time
4:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°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
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
17m 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 route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be navigating a series of turns rather than cruising on a highway. With 0% highway share, expect a consistent local road experience throughout the 9.8 miles. The longest stretch without a significant turn is 6.1 miles on River Road, offering a brief period of more consistent driving before encountering more local road navigation. You'll primarily be on River Road, Wrangle Hill Road, and West 7th Street, all of which contribute to the route's local feel. Be prepared for frequent adjustments in direction as you make your way.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.1 mi on River Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near DE 9 / 5th Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 17m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (DE 9 / 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (DE 9 Alternate / West 6th Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 17m. Total distance: 9.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.1 miles on River Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.5 miles (DE 9 / 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (DE 9 Alternate / West 6th Street): Navigation decision point.
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 New Castle, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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