This 251.6-mile journey from Masontown, PA, to Reading, PA, is designed for a single day of driving, estimated to take around 5 hours. You'll spend most of your time on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, making it a highway-focused trip. The estimated fuel cost for this route is $42. Given its manageable length and predominantly highway profile, it’s a straightforward drive suitable for a day trip without needing an overnight stay. This route stays within the Northeast region, offering a consistent driving experience across Pennsylvania.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
125.8 miles from Masontown, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 35m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pennsylvania Turnpike
196.6 mi
3h 35m
US 40
13.1 mi
15m
McClellandtown Road
8.8 mi
15m
Pleasant Valley Road
7.9 mi
13m
US 222
7.4 mi
9m
PA 31
6 mi
9m
US 222 BUS
4.9 mi
8m
US 119
2.9 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike
— 196.6 mi, about 3h 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Masontown, PA and Reading, PA.
1
Start on West Church Avenue
22 ft·7 sec·West Church Avenue
2
Turn left onto PA 166
0.7 mi·1 min·North Main Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·24 sec
4
Merge onto PA 21; PA 166
8.8 mi·15 min·McClellandtown Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Use the right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward US 119 North, US 40 West: Connellsville
7
Merge onto US 40; US 119
13 mi·15 min·US 40; US 119
8
Continue on US 119; PA 711 Truck
2.9 mi·3 min·US 119; PA 711 Truck
9
Take the exit
244 ft·6 sec
10
Turn straight onto PA 982
7.9 mi·13 min·Pleasant Valley Road
11
Turn right onto PA 31
6.0 mi·9 min·PA 31
12
Turn slight left
0.2 mi·33 sec
13
Turn left
28 ft·3 sec
14
Take the ramp
493 ft·12 sec
Toward PATP, I 70, I 76
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·35 sec
16
Merge onto I 70; I 76; PATP
197 mi·3 hr 35 min·Pennsylvania Turnpike
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·35 sec
Toward US 222: Reading, EphrataUse the slight right lane.
18
Continue on Colonel Howard Boulevard
0.6 mi·1 min·Colonel Howard Boulevard
19
Keep slight left at fork onto Colonel Howard Boulevard
0.1 mi·15 sec·Colonel Howard Boulevard
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward US 222 North: Reading
21
Merge onto US 222
3.3 mi·3 min·US 222
22
Continue on US 222
4.1 mi·5 min·US 222
23
Take the exit onto US 222 BUS
4.9 mi·8 min·US 222 BUS
Toward US 222 Business: Lancaster Avenue, ShillingtonUse the slight right lane.
24
Turn left onto US 222 BUS
0.4 mi·47 sec·South 5th Street
Use the left lane.
25
Turn right onto US 422 Business
0.1 mi·16 sec·Franklin Street
26
Turn left onto South 6th Street
0.1 mi·24 sec·South 6th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
27
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate
278 ft·4 sec·Penn Street
28
Arrive at destination
US 422 Business Alternate
Trip Plan
With a 5-hour estimated duration, starting your drive from Masontown early in the morning will allow you to reach Reading with plenty of daylight remaining. You'll only need to plan for one primary stop, with the longest stretch on the Pennsylvania Turnpike being 196.6 miles, so consider a rest break before or after this section. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the $42 estimated cost suggests you’ll need to refuel at least once during the trip. The 92% highway share means you’ll primarily encounter service plazas rather than numerous off-route options for amenities.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 125.8 miles from Masontown, PA, or about 2h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 196.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 55 miles or 1h 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 125.8 miles or 2h 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Reading, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Masontown, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Masontown, PA
This is one driving day of about 251.6 miles and 5h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Masontown, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Pennsylvania Turnpike for about 196.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 9.7 and 246 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
9.7 mi into trip|~17m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
9.9 mi into trip|~18m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 119 North, US 40 West: Connellsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 119 North, US 40 West: Connellsville
7
237.5 mi into trip|~4h 37m in
Take the exit toward US 222: Reading, Ephrata
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 222: Reading, Ephrata
6
238.4 mi into trip|~4h 39m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 222 North: Reading
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 222 North: Reading
7
246 mi into trip|~4h 49m in|US 222 BUS
Take the exit onto US 222 BUS toward US 222 Business: Lancaster Avenue, Shillington
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 222 Business: Lancaster Avenue, Shill...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$40.12 one way
$80.23 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg88 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$44.40
$88.79
premium
$4.81
$47.63
$95.25
diesel
$4.80
$47.51
$95.01
Estimated Tolls: $25.56
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(196.6 mi)$25.56
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$40
Tolls
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$91–$116
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 88 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
75.5
0
$26.42
$12.08
Efficient EV
62.9
0
$22.02
$10.06
EV Truck/SUV
100.6
1
$35.22
$16.10
Gas CO2
88 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Masontown, PA
Morning
in Masontown on Monday
Local time
6:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
SW 6 to 12 mph81% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 3:54AM EDT until July 18 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 18 at 2:13AM EDT until July 19 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
Reading, PA
Morning
in Reading on Monday
Local time
6:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Smoke
SW 5 to 15 mph91% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 3:54AM EDT until July 18 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 18 at 2:13AM EDT until July 19 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
82°F
Martinsburg, PA
126 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
5h on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 173.5
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 69.4
The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 17.4
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
13 mi from route
~31 min detour
Free
near mile 216.9
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
24 mi from route
~60 min detour
Free
near mile 86.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a largely highway-focused experience, with 92% of the drive utilizing major roadways like the Pennsylvania Turnpike and US 40. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is an impressive 196.6 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, meaning you can settle in for extended periods of consistent speed. While McClellandtown Road offers a brief introduction to the route from Masontown, the majority of your time will be spent on high-speed, limited-access highways, providing an efficient transit between these two Pennsylvania locations.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 196.6 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and US 40. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.7 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 251.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 237.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,346 ft253 ft
Total Climb
1,634 ft
Total Descent
2,422 ft
Highest Point
2,346 ft
~71.9 mi in
Elevation Range
2,094 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Masontown, PA and Reading, PA, road signs point toward Patp and Ephrata.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h. Total distance: 251.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 196.6 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $25.56 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.
Yes — we found about 15 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 Reading, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 15 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 237.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument, Flight 93 National Memorial and Fort Necessity National Battlefield (5 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.0 hours each way, a round trip means 10.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Reading, PA before the return drive.
