Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
52.7 mi
85 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Harleigh, PA
Haneul Trac
Reading, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Harleigh, PA to Reading, PA is 52.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 21 minutes via Pottsville Pike, Summer Valley Road, and North Church Street, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, offering a straightforward drive between two points in the state. The route primarily utilizes surface roads, making it a more relaxed pace than a highway-only trip. Given its manageable distance and duration, this is an ideal same-day excursion for anyone looking to explore local Pennsylvania scenery without a lengthy commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pottsville Pike | 10.2 mi | 12m |
| Summer Valley Road | 6.5 mi | 11m |
| North Church Street | 6 mi | 8m |
| Clamtown Road | 5.8 mi | 9m |
| Claremont Avenue | 5.3 mi | 9m |
| Centre Street | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Centre Avenue | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Mile Hill Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
Step-by-step road directions between Harleigh, PA and Reading, PA.
Start on Silt Court
Turn left onto PA 940
Turn left onto PA 940
Turn right onto PA 940
Turn left onto PA 309
Continue on PA 309
Continue on PA 309
Continue on PA 309
Continue on PA 309
Turn right onto PA 443
Continue on PA 443
Turn right onto PA 443; PA 895
Continue on PA 443; PA 895
Turn left onto PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Turn left onto US 422 Business
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate
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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 26.3 miles from Harleigh, 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 0.1 and 52.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto PA 940
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto PA 443; PA 895 / Hughes Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate / Penn Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$8.60 one way
$17.20 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.56 | $9.45 | $18.91 |
| premium | $4.86 | $10.09 | $20.18 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $11.21 | $22.42 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.12
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$0
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.53 | $2.53 |
| Efficient EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.61 | $2.11 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.1 | 0 | $7.38 | $3.37 |
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
Morning in Harleigh on Sunday
Local time
10:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Rain Showers
Destination
Morning in Reading on Sunday
Local time
10:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Rain
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 drive is mostly on surface roads, with only a minimal highway share of 4%. You'll experience a longest stretch of 10.2 miles on Pottsville Pike before transitioning to local roads. Expect to navigate through varied terrain as you move from one town to the next. The majority of your time will be spent on these surface streets, offering a more connected feel to the communities you pass through.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near PA 940.
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 52.7 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (PA 940): Navigation decision point; at 24 miles (PA 443; PA 895 / Hughes Street): Navigation decision point; at 52.3 miles (US 422 Business / Franklin Street): Navigation decision point.
Founded 1748
Reading is a historic city of about 95,000 (2020 Census) in Pennsylvania, about 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia, 35 miles southwest of Allentown and 55 miles east of Harrisburg. It punches above its weight in culture, and its downtown features some iconic buildings, so consider making it a stopover on your way between any of these and other area cities.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 52.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (4%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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