Origin
Montgomery, PA
Late night in Montgomery on Friday
Local time
5:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montgomery, PA to Harrisburg, PA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 52m
Distance
79.1 mi
127 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 45m
★
6 AM
1h 53m
8 AM
2h 9m
10 AM
1h 59m
12 PM
1h 57m
3 PM
2h 0m
5 PM
2h 9m
8 PM
1h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montgomery, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Harrisburg, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Montgomery, PA to Harrisburg, PA covers 79.1 miles and takes about 1h 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 11, Benvenue Road, PA 147 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.9 miles on US 11. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.6 miles from Montgomery, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 55m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 11 | 32.9 mi | 45m |
| Benvenue Road | 15.4 mi | 22m |
| PA 147 | 12 mi | 14m |
| US 15 | 6.3 mi | 11m |
| I 180 | 5.1 mi | 5m |
| PA 54 | 4.8 mi | 8m |
| 2nd Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Herr Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 11
— 32.9 mi, about 45m
Traffic on I-180
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~756 veh/hr typical · worst 967
Quietest
1 AM
~51 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 95 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 Montgomery, PA and Harrisburg, PA.
1
Start on West Houston Avenue
37 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Houston Avenue
2
Turn right onto PA 54
420 ft
·
15 sec
·
South Main Street
3
Turn left onto PA 54
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Montgomery Street
4
Turn right onto PA 54; PA 405
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
2nd Street
5
Turn slight left onto PA 54
4.8 mi
·
8 min
·
PA 54
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
7
Merge onto I 180
5.1 mi
·
5 min
·
I 180
8
Continue on PA 147
12 mi
·
14 min
·
PA 147
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on County Line Road
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
County Line Road
10
Turn right onto US 15
6.3 mi
·
11 min
·
US 15
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto US 11; US 15
33 mi
·
45 min
·
US 11; US 15
Toward US 11 South, US 15 South: Harrisburg
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward US 22 East, US 322 East: Harrisburg
Use the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto US 22; US 322
15 mi
·
22 min
·
Benvenue Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto Herr Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Herr Street
15
Turn right onto North 7th Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
North 7th Street
16
Arrive at destination
North 7th Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.6 miles from Montgomery, PA, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 32.9 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 17 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.6 miles or 55m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Harrisburg, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Montgomery, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Montgomery, PA
This is one driving day of about 79.1 miles and 1h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Montgomery, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 11 for about 32.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
40 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 39.6 miles from Montgomery, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 62.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
PA 54 / South Main Street
Turn right onto PA 54 / South Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
PA 54 / Montgomery Street
Turn left onto PA 54 / Montgomery Street
Navigation decision point
5
23.6 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
US 15
Turn right onto US 15
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
29.9 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
US 11; US 15
Take the exit onto US 11; US 15 toward US 11 South, US 15 South: Harrisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward US 11 South, US 15 South: Harrisburg
7
62.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
Take the exit toward US 22 East, US 322 East: Harrisburg
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 22 East, US 322 East: Harrisburg
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.22 one way
$26.43 round trip
$4.24/gal
25.4 MPG avg
28 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $14.55 | $29.09 |
| premium | $5.01 | $15.61 | $31.22 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $17.44 | $34.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.7 | 0 | $8.31 | $3.80 |
| Efficient EV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.92 | $3.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.6 | 0 | $11.07 | $5.06 |
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Harrisburg, PA
Late night in Harrisburg on Friday
Local time
5:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
80°F
Liverpool, PA
40 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
17 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 52m 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?
79.1 mi in 1h 52m, mostly highway — 32.9 mi of that is on US 11.
77% 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: 32.9 mi on US 11.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 11 and Benvenue Road. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near PA 54 / South Main Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 79.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 54 / South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (PA 54 / Montgomery Street): Navigation decision point; at 23.6 miles (US 15): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
639 ft
332 ft
Total Climb
208 ft
Total Descent
374 ft
Highest Point
639 ft
~22.4 mi in
Elevation Range
307 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Montgomery, PA
Full guide →Founded 1783
Arriving in Harrisburg, PA
Full guide →Founded 1719
Harrisburg is the capital and 4th-largest metropolitan area of Pennsylvania, with a metro population of 592,000 people in 2020. Harrisburg is known as the host city of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the largest free indoor agriculture exposition in the United States, the largest annual outdoor sports show in North America, an auto show, which features a large static display of new and classic cars, and Motorama, a two-day event consisting of a car show, motocross racing, and remote control car racing.
Top landmarks
- • Pennsylvania State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
- • Cathedral of Saint Patrick — cathedral of the Catholic Church in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United St...
- • Harrisburg Transportation Center — intermodal station in Harrisburg, 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 1h 52m. Total distance: 79.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.9 miles on US 11. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 54 / South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (PA 54 / Montgomery Street): Navigation decision point; at 23.6 miles (US 15): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Harrisburg, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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