Origin
Kulpsville, PA
Night in Kulpsville on Saturday
Local time
10:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kulpsville, 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
49m
Distance
31.4 mi
51 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kulpsville, PA
Barnabas Davoti
Bethlehem, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 31.4-mile drive from Kulpsville, PA, to Bethlehem, PA, is a quick trip that can easily be completed in about 49 minutes, making it ideal for a single-day excursion. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $5, it's an economical option for exploring the Northeast region of Pennsylvania. The route primarily utilizes major highways, offering a straightforward journey. You'll spend most of your time on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, with segments on PA 378 and PA 309. Given its short duration and manageable distance, no overnight stay is necessary, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension | 13.3 mi | 14m |
| 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 |
| Sumneytown Pike | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
— 13.3 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kulpsville, PA and Bethlehem, PA.
1
Start on Reiff Road
50 ft
·
4 sec
·
Reiff Road
2
Turn right onto Sumneytown Pike
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Sumneytown Pike
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward I 476, PATP
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 476 North: Allentown
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
Merge onto I 476; PATP
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 44
Toward PA 663: Pottstown, Quakertown
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
227 ft
·
7 sec
Toward PA 663 North: Quakertown
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn left onto PA 663
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
John Fries Highway
Use the left lane.
9
Turn left onto Portzer Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Portzer Road
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on Portzer Road
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
Portzer Road
11
At end of road, turn right onto West Pumping Station Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Pumping Station Road
12
Turn left onto PA 309
5.1 mi
·
8 min
·
PA 309
13
Take the exit
420 ft
·
10 sec
14
Continue on PA 378
5.6 mi
·
9 min
·
PA 378
15
Turn right onto PA 412
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Broadway
16
Turn right onto PA 412
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
West 3rd Street
17
Turn left onto Fahy Bridge
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Fahy Bridge
18
Turn right onto Center Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Center Street
19
Turn right onto East Goepp Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
East Goepp Street
20
Turn right onto Linden Street
57 ft
·
1 sec
·
Linden Street
21
Arrive at destination
Linden Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.7 miles from Kulpsville, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 17.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 476 North: Allentown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 476 North: Allentown
8
14.3 mi into trip
|
~16m 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
14.8 mi into trip
|
~18m 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
17.5 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
Portzer Road
Turn left onto Portzer Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
17.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
Portzer Road
Enter roundabout onto Portzer Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.21 one way
$10.41 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.70 | $11.40 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.09 | $12.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.93 | $13.87 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.73
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(13.3 mi)
$1.73
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$2
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.30 | $1.51 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.75 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.40 | $2.01 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Night in Bethlehem on Saturday
Local time
10:50 PM
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
8 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
49m 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 highway-focused drive for this trip, with 76% of the mileage on major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 13.3 miles along the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, providing a consistent pace. While primarily highway, the route incorporates sections of PA 378 and PA 309, which may offer a slight change in scenery and traffic patterns as you approach your destination. This drive is designed for efficiency, minimizing slower local road travel.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and PA 378. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 31.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Kulpsville, PA to Bethlehem, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Quakertown along the way.
Quakertown
14.3 mi in
|
~16m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 31.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.3 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.73 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 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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