Origin
Fort Washington, PA
Night in Fort Washington on Saturday
Local time
10:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fort Washington, PA to Allentown, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
49 mi
79 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fort Washington, PA
Michael Taccetta
Allentown, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Fort Washington to Allentown is 49 miles and takes about 59 minutes via Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, highway-focused drive will take you from the Northeast region of Pennsylvania to its own Northeast region. It's a straightforward trip, ideal for a quick journey or as part of a larger itinerary. Given its brevity, you won't need to worry about extensive planning for this leg.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension | 36.7 mi | 39m |
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| Tilghman Street | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| PA 309 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Lehigh Valley Thruway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Fort Washington Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Spring Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
— 36.7 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Washington, PA and Allentown, PA.
1
Start on Washington Lane
31 ft
·
3 sec
·
Washington Lane
2
Turn right onto Spring Avenue
373 ft
·
18 sec
·
Spring Avenue
3
Turn right onto Fort Washington Avenue
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
Fort Washington Avenue
4
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
5
Take the ramp
142 ft
·
3 sec
Toward PATP, PA 309
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 276, PATP: PA Turnpike
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 276 West: Harrisburg
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 276; PATP
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 476: Chester, Allentown
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 476 North: Allentown
12
Merge onto I 476; PATP
37 mi
·
39 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
2 min
Exit 56
Toward I 78, US 22, PA 309: Allentown, Harrisburg
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn slight right
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 22 East: Allentown
15
Merge onto US 22
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Lehigh Valley Thruway
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward PA 309 South: Quakertown
Use the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto PA 309
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
·
PA 309
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Tilghman Street East
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn straight onto Tilghman Street
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Tilghman Street
20
Arrive at destination
Tilghman Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Fort Washington, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 44.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 276, PATP: PA Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 276, PATP: PA Turnpike
7
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 276 West: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 276 West: Harrisburg
7
5.9 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 476: Chester, Allentown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 476: Chester, Allentown
8
43.1 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward I 78, US 22, PA 309: Allentown, Harrisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 56
Toward I 78, US 22, PA 309: Allentown, Harrisbu...
6
44.3 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward PA 309 South: Quakertown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward PA 309 South: Quakertown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.12 one way
$16.25 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.90 | $17.79 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.50 | $19.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.82 | $21.64 |
Estimated Tolls: $5.31
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(40.9 mi)
$5.31
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$5
Total
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.15 | $2.35 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.29 | $1.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.86 | $3.14 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Allentown, PA
Night in Allentown on Saturday
Local time
10:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
44°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
8 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
59m 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 drive is predominantly highway, with 84% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll spend most of your time on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, which offers a consistent and efficient travel experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 36.7 miles on this turnpike. Expect a smooth, direct journey with minimal deviations from high-speed travel.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.7 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and Pennsylvania Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 49 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Fort Washington, PA and Allentown, PA, road signs point toward Harrisburg and Tilghman Street East.
Harrisburg
43.1 mi in
|
~49m
Tilghman Street East
45.2 mi in
|
~53m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 49 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.7 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $5.31 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 Allentown, 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 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Allentown, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Allentown, PA
More from Fort Washington, PA
More trips to Allentown, PA
Explore more options from Fort Washington, PA or browse trips ending in Allentown, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.