Origin
Limerick, PA
Late night in Limerick on Tuesday
Local time
4:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Limerick, PA to Philadelphia, 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
50m
Distance
34.8 mi
56 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Limerick, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Philadelphia, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 34.8-mile drive from Limerick, PA, to Philadelphia, PA, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 50 minutes. Primarily utilizing the Schuylkill Expressway, Pottstown Expressway, and County Line Expressway, this route is heavily highway-focused, with 88% of it being interstate driving. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $6, it's an economical option for a short journey. Given its brevity and lack of designated stops, you can expect a direct and efficient transit between these two locations within the Northeast region. This drive is ideal for those looking for a straightforward commute or a swift transition into the city.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Schuylkill Expressway | 16.4 mi | 23m |
| Pottstown Expressway | 11.2 mi | 15m |
| County Line Expressway | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| North Lewis Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Vine Street Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North 15th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Ridge Pike | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Penn Square | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Schuylkill Expressway
— 16.4 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Limerick, PA and Philadelphia, PA.
1
Start on South Limerick Road
34 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Limerick Road
2
Turn left onto West Ridge Pike
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
West Ridge Pike
3
Turn left onto North Lewis Road
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
North Lewis Road
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward US 422 East
5
Merge onto US 422
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Pottstown Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on US 422
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
County Line Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 202 North, I 76 West, I 76 East: Turnpike, King of Prussia, Philadelphia
8
Keep slight right at fork
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 76 East: Philadelphia
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 76
16 mi
·
23 min
·
Schuylkill Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 676; US 30
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Vine Street Expressway
Toward I 676 East, US 30 East: Central Philadelphia
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward Central Philadelphia
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
313 ft
·
11 sec
Toward 15th Street, Central Philadelphia
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto North 15th Street
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
North 15th Street
Use the right lane.
14
Turn slight left onto PA 611
379 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Penn Square
15
Keep slight left at fork onto South Penn Square
167 ft
·
2 sec
·
South Penn Square
16
Arrive at destination
South Penn Square
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.4 miles from Limerick, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 15.5 and 34.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
15.5 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 202 North, I 76 West, I 76 East: Turnpike, King of Prussia, Philadelphia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 202 North, I 76 West, I 76 East: Turn...
7
15.7 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 76 East: Philadelphia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 76 East: Philadelphia
8
33.3 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
I 676; US 30 / Vine Street Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 676; US 30 / Vine Street Expressway toward I 676 East, US 30 East: Central Philadelphia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward I 676 East, US 30 East: Central Philadel...
6
34.1 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward Central Philadelphia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Central Philadelphia
9
34.2 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 15th Street, Central Philadelphia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward 15th Street, Central Philadelphia
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.77 one way
$11.54 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.32 | $12.64 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.75 | $13.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.68 | $15.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.65 | $1.67 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.87 | $2.23 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Philadelphia, PA
Late night in Philadelphia on Tuesday
Local time
4:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°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
19 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
50m 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 experience for most of this 34.8-mile journey. With 88% of the route on interstates, the drive is characterized by fast-paced travel on major expressways like the Schuylkill Expressway and Pottstown Expressway. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch of highway at 16.4 miles on the Schuylkill Expressway, offering an uninterrupted flow. While not a winding scenic byway, this route prioritizes efficiency, getting you from point A to point B with minimal fuss. The road maintains a consistent, high-speed character throughout its 50-minute duration.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.4 mi on Schuylkill Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Schuylkill Expressway and Pottstown Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.5 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 12 decision points packed into just 34.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.3 miles (I 676; US 30 / Vine Street Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
On the drive from Limerick, PA to Philadelphia, PA, road signs begin pointing toward King Of Prussia along the way.
King Of Prussia
15.5 mi in
|
~22m
About the Cities
Arriving in Philadelphia, PA
Full guide →“City of Brotherly Love” · Founded 1682
Top landmarks
- • Independence Hall — historic building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- • Liberty Bell — bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA that serves as a symbol of American inde...
- • Philadelphia Museum of Art — art museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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 50m. Total distance: 34.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.4 miles on Schuylkill Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Philadelphia, 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 15.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.3 miles (I 676; US 30 / Vine Street Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Independence National Historical Park, Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial and Valley Forge National Historical Park (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 Philadelphia, 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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