Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
66.3 mi
107 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elsmere, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Harrington, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Elsmere, DE to Harrington, DE is 66.3 miles and takes about 1h 23m via Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway and South Dupont Highway, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Delaware, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. The drive is primarily on surface roads after a stretch of highway, making it a straightforward trip for a single day. You can expect a fairly direct route with minimal complexity. It's a good option if you're looking for a quick, uncomplicated drive within the state.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 41.2 mi | 47m |
| South Dupont Highway | 14.4 mi | 17m |
| Puncheon Run Connector | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Delaware Turnpike | 2 mi | 2m |
| Delaware Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| South Dupont Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East Newport Pike | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Maryland Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 57 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~5,816 veh/hr typical · worst 6,859
Quietest
1 AM
~581 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 46 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Elsmere, DE and Harrington, DE.
Start on DE 2
Turn right onto DE 100
Turn right onto DE 4
Continue on DE 4
Continue on DE 4
Turn left onto North James Street
Turn left onto DE 4
Take the ramp
Merge onto DE 141
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto DE 1
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
Keep slight right at fork onto Puncheon Run Connector
Turn left onto US 13
Turn slight right onto Delaware Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto DE 14
Turn right onto Hanley Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 33.1 miles from Elsmere, DE, 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 2.9 and 48.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto North James Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward DE 141 South: New Castle
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Newark, Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward DE 1 South, DE 7 South: Mall Road, Dover, Beaches
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto Puncheon Run Connector toward Salisbury, Norfolk
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$11.73 one way
$23.45 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.92 | $12.84 | $25.68 |
| premium | $5.24 | $13.69 | $27.38 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $13.96 | $27.93 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.14
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Tolls
$0
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.96 | $3.18 |
| Efficient EV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.80 | $2.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.5 | 0 | $9.28 | $4.24 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Afternoon in Elsmere on Wednesday
Local time
2:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Afternoon in Harrington on Wednesday
Local time
2:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Clear
60°F
Smyrna, DE
33 mi in
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.
This route is on surface roads for most of its length, with just 40% on highways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 41.2 miles on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway before transitioning to surface roads like South Dupont Highway and Puncheon Run Connector. Expect a more suburban feel with frequent intersections and traffic signals once you leave the main highway. The latter half of the drive will involve navigating through local areas.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in near North James Street.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.3 miles you will encounter 16 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 2.9 miles (North James Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
125 ft
Total Descent
165 ft
Highest Point
99 ft
Elevation Range
85 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Elsmere, DE and Harrington, DE, road signs point toward Baltimore, Dover, Beaches, Salisbury and Norfolk.
Baltimore
Dover
Beaches
Salisbury
Norfolk
Founded 1909
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 66.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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