Origin
Lima, PA
Afternoon in Lima on Sunday
Local time
12:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lima, PA to Reading, PA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
48.1 mi
77 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lima, PA
Enzo Sebastian
Reading, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lima, PA to Reading, PA is 48.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 7 minutes via Pennsylvania Turnpike and Morgantown Expressway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. Given its short duration and mostly highway profile, this route is ideal for a quick, straightforward drive without much fuss. You won't need an overnight stay, making it a convenient option for a single-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 13.5 mi | 14m |
| Morgantown Expressway | 11.3 mi | 12m |
| PA 100 | 7.5 mi | 11m |
| North Middletown Road | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| West Chester Pike | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| West Shore Bypass | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| South Chester Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| West Chester Bypass | 1.2 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike
— 13.5 mi, about 14m
Traffic on I-176
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~921 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~48 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 27 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lima, PA and Reading, PA.
1
Start on this road
30 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
149 ft
·
12 sec
3
Turn sharp left onto PA 352
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
North Middletown Road
4
Continue on PA 352
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Chester Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Turn left onto PA 3; PA 352
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
West Chester Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
Toward US 322 West, US 202 North: King of Prussia, Downingtown
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto US 202; US 322
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
West Chester Bypass
8
Take the exit onto PA 100
7.5 mi
·
11 min
·
PA 100
Toward PA 100 North: Exton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward PATP
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 76 West: Harrisburg
11
Merge onto I 76; PATP
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 298
Toward I 176, PA 10: Morgantown, Reading
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on I 176
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Morgantown Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 11B
Toward US 422 West: Reading
15
Merge onto US 422
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Shore Bypass
Toward US 422 West: Reading
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward US 222 Business: Lancaster Avenue
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
17
Turn right onto US 222 BUS
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Bingaman Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Continue on US 222 BUS
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Laurel Street
Use the left lane.
19
Turn left onto US 222 BUS
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
South 5th Street
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto US 422 Business
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Franklin Street
21
Turn left onto South 6th Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
South 6th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
22
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate
278 ft
·
4 sec
·
Penn Street
23
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
24 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 miles from Lima, 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 195 decision points cluster between mile 9.4 and 46.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
9.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward US 322 West, US 202 North: King of Prussia, Downingtown
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 US 322 West, US 202 North: King of Pruss...
6
10.8 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
PA 100
Take the exit onto PA 100 toward PA 100 North: Exton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward PA 100 North: Exton
8
32.5 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward I 176, PA 10: Morgantown, Reading
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 298
Toward I 176, PA 10: Morgantown, Reading
6
44.1 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 422 West: Reading
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 11B
Toward US 422 West: Reading
6
46.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward US 222 Business: Lancaster Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward US 222 Business: Lancaster Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.85 one way
$15.69 round trip
$4.14/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.56 | $8.63 | $17.26 |
| premium | $4.86 | $9.21 | $18.42 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $10.23 | $20.46 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.75
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(13.5 mi)
$1.75
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.21 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.73 | $3.08 |
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
Reading, PA
Afternoon in Reading on Sunday
Local time
12:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Rain
E 10 to 15 mph
96% chance
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
19 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 7m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 67% of the total distance on faster roads. You'll experience a stretch of 13.5 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which is the longest continuous segment. Expect highway driving for the initial part of your trip, transitioning to surface roads for the remainder. The route features a significant amount of highway driving, so be prepared for typical highway conditions like merging and passing.
67% 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: 13.5 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and Morgantown Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.1 miles you will encounter 19 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 9.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.8 miles (PA 100): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.5 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 Lima, PA and Reading, PA, road signs point toward Downingtown and Patp.
Downingtown
9.4 mi in
|
~16m
Patp
18.3 mi in
|
~30m
About the Cities
Arriving in Reading, PA
Full guide →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
- • Frederick Lauer Monument — monument in City Park, Reading, Pennsylvania, United States
- • Skew Arch Bridge
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 7m. Total distance: 48.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.5 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.75 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 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: at 9.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.8 miles (PA 100): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — First State National Historical Park, Valley Forge National Historical Park and Independence National Historical Park (5 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 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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