Origin
Jim Thorpe, PA
Late night in Jim Thorpe on Tuesday
Local time
5:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Jim Thorpe, PA to Reading, PA
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
1h 22m
Distance
54.2 mi
87 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jim Thorpe, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Stretching 54.2 miles across the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, this trip from Jim Thorpe to Reading is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 22 minutes to complete. You can easily manage this as a single-day excursion, meaning there is no need to worry about booking overnight accommodations along the way. Budgeting approximately $9 for fuel covers the trip comfortably, keeping your travel expenses low. Since the route relies heavily on local roads rather than major interstates, it offers a more grounded experience than a typical highway trek. Overall, this drive is a practical choice if you are looking to transition from the Jim Thorpe area into the heart of Reading without unnecessary complexity.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pottsville Pike | 10.2 mi | 12m |
| Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East | 7.4 mi | 11m |
| Summer Valley Road | 6.5 mi | 11m |
| Clamtown Road | 5.8 mi | 9m |
| Penn Drive | 5.5 mi | 8m |
| Centre Street | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Centre Avenue | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Mauch Chunk Street | 1.9 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Pottsville Pike
— 10.2 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jim Thorpe, PA and Reading, PA.
1
Start on West 6th Street
135 ft
·
8 sec
·
West 6th Street
2
Turn right onto PA 903
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto US 209
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
·
Lehigh Street
4
Turn left onto US 209
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Susquehanna Street
5
Continue on US 209
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Mauch Chunk Street
6
Continue on US 209
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North 1st Street
7
Continue on US 209
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North First Street
8
Continue on US 209
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bankway Street
9
Continue on US 209
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
East Bridge Street
10
Turn right onto PA 443
7.4 mi
·
11 min
·
Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on PA 443
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Penn Drive
12
Merge onto PA 309; PA 443
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West Penn Pike
13
Turn left onto PA 443
5.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Clamtown Road
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on PA 443
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Railroad Avenue
15
Turn right onto PA 443; PA 895
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Hughes Street
16
Continue on PA 443; PA 895
6.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Summer Valley Road
17
Turn left onto PA 61
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Centre Turnpike
18
Continue on PA 61
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Centre Street
19
Continue on PA 61
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
·
South 4th Street
20
Continue on PA 61
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Pottsville Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Continue on PA 61
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
·
Shoemaker Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
22
Continue on PA 61
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Pottsville Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Continue on PA 61
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Centre Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
24
Continue on PA 61
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Pottsville Pike
Use the straight lane.
25
Continue on PA 61
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Centre Avenue
Use the straight lane.
26
Continue on PA 61
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North 4th Street
27
Turn left onto US 422 Business
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Franklin Street
28
Turn left onto South 6th Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
South 6th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
29
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate
278 ft
·
4 sec
·
Penn Street
30
Arrive at destination
US 422 Business Alternate
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.1 miles from Jim Thorpe, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 54.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
PA 903 / North Street
Turn right onto PA 903 / North Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 209 / Lehigh Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 209 / Lehigh Street
Navigation decision point
5
5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
PA 443 / Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East
Turn right onto PA 443 / Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
18.8 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
PA 443 / Clamtown Road
Turn left onto PA 443 / Clamtown Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
54.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
South 6th Street
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.99 one way
$17.97 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.84 | $19.68 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.51 | $21.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.97 | $23.93 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.12
Centre Turnpike
(1.7 mi)
$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: 19 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 | 16.3 | 0 | $5.69 | $2.60 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.74 | $2.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.7 | 0 | $7.59 | $3.47 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Reading, PA
Late night in Reading on Tuesday
Local time
5:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
12 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 22m 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 drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel rather than drifting along a monotonous interstate. With only 3% of the journey spent on highways, you will spend the vast majority of your time navigating regional corridors like Pottsville Pike, Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East, and Summer Valley Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 10.2-mile segment on Pottsville Pike, which provides a brief moment of consistency amidst the otherwise winding local path. Because the route is technical and demands your attention, it feels far more intimate than high-speed travel. You should prepare for a steady, hands-on driving experience that changes character as you navigate the turn-heavy sections connecting these two Pennsylvania towns.
Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.2 mi on Pottsville Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near PA 903 / North Street.
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 54.2 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (PA 903 / North Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 209 / Lehigh Street): Navigation decision point; at 5 miles (PA 443 / Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Jim Thorpe, PA
Full guide →Founded 1818
Jim Thorpe is a borough in the Coal Region, near Lehighton, Allentown and the Lehigh Valley, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Top landmarks
- • Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway — coal-hauling railroad in the mountains of Pennsylvania (1828-1932)
- • Asa Packer Mansion — historic house museum in Pennsylvania
- • St. Mark's Episcopal Church — church building in Jim Thorpe, United States of America
Arriving in Reading, PA
Full guide →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.
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 22m. Total distance: 54.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.2 miles on Pottsville Pike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.12 in tolls one way, starting with Centre 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 Reading, 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: near the start (PA 903 / North Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 209 / Lehigh Street): Navigation decision point; at 5 miles (PA 443 / Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Appalachian National Scenic Trail. 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 Reading, 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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