Origin
Fairview, PA
Morning in Fairview on Sunday
Local time
9:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairview, PA to Bethlehem, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 27m
Distance
61.5 mi
99 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethlehem, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Fairview to Bethlehem is a straightforward 71.1-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 18 minutes to complete. Because of the manageable distance, this route is perfectly suited for a quick day trip rather than an overnight excursion. You will navigate a mix of Fairview Road, Macdade Boulevard, and I-476 North to reach your destination within the Northeast region. Budgeting approximately $11 for fuel should cover your travel costs comfortably. Since there are no mandatory stops required, you have the freedom to decide your own pace throughout the drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension | 24.3 mi | 26m |
| Mid-County Expressway | 19 mi | 25m |
| PA 378 | 5.6 mi | 9m |
| PA 309 | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| John Fries Highway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Portzer Road | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Center Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West Pumping Station Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
— 24.3 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairview, PA and Bethlehem, PA.
1
Start on Essex Avenue
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Essex Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto Fairview Road
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Fairview Road
3
Turn left onto Macdade Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Macdade Boulevard
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
5
Merge onto I 476
19 mi
·
25 min
·
Mid-County Expressway
6
Turn slight left onto I 476
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Mid-County Expressway
7
Continue on I 476; PATP
24 mi
·
26 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 44
Toward PA 663: Pottstown, Quakertown
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
227 ft
·
7 sec
Toward PA 663 North: Quakertown
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto PA 663
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
John Fries Highway
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto Portzer Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Portzer Road
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on Portzer Road
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
Portzer Road
13
At end of road, turn right onto West Pumping Station Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Pumping Station Road
14
Turn left onto PA 309
5.1 mi
·
8 min
·
PA 309
15
Take the exit
420 ft
·
10 sec
16
Continue on PA 378
5.6 mi
·
9 min
·
PA 378
17
Turn right onto PA 412
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Broadway
18
Turn right onto PA 412
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
West 3rd Street
19
Turn left onto Fahy Bridge
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Fahy Bridge
20
Turn right onto Center Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Center Street
21
Turn right onto East Goepp Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
East Goepp Street
22
Turn right onto Linden Street
57 ft
·
1 sec
·
Linden Street
23
Arrive at destination
Linden Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.8 miles from Fairview, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 44.4 and 61.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
44.4 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward PA 663: Pottstown, Quakertown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 44
Toward PA 663: Pottstown, Quakertown
7
44.8 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Keep slight left at fork toward PA 663 North: Quakertown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward PA 663 North: Quakertown
5
47.6 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
Portzer Road
Turn left onto Portzer Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
48 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
Portzer Road
Enter roundabout onto Portzer Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
61.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
|
Linden Street
Turn right onto Linden Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.20 one way
$20.39 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $11.17 | $22.33 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.93 | $23.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.58 | $27.16 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.16
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(24.3 mi)
$3.16
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$3
Total
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.46 | $2.95 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.38 | $2.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.6 | 0 | $8.61 | $3.94 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Bethlehem, PA
Morning in Bethlehem on Sunday
Local time
9:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°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
18 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
1h 27m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy, local-style driving experience rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. With 0% of the drive on highways, you will spend your time navigating through local infrastructure, which keeps the journey feeling hands-on and active. The longest stretch you will encounter is 0 miles on Fairview Road, meaning you should prepare for frequent adjustments behind the wheel. The route’s personality is defined by its technical, winding nature rather than long, monotonous highway corridors. It is an engaging drive that requires your full attention as you transition between local roads.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.3 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and Mid-County Expressway. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 44.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.5 miles you will encounter 17 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 44.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 47.6 miles (Portzer Road): 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 Fairview, PA to Bethlehem, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Quakertown along the way.
Quakertown
44.4 mi in
|
~54m
About the Cities
Arriving in Bethlehem, PA
Full guide →Bethlehem is one of three cities, along with Allentown and Easton, that are the urban population centers of the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania. In the Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem borders Nazareth to its northwest, Allentown to its west, Hellertown to its southeast, and Easton to its east. The city is about 70 miles (110 km) north of Philadelphia, the sixth-largest city in the United States, and about 80 miles (130 km) west of New York City, the nation's largest city.
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 1h 27m. Total distance: 61.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.3 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.16 in tolls one way, starting with Pennsylvania 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 Bethlehem, 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 44.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 47.6 miles (Portzer Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Valley Forge National Historical Park, Independence National Historical Park and Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial (4 total within detour distance). 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 Bethlehem, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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