Origin
New Castle, DE
Late night in New Castle on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Castle, DE to Delaware City, DE
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
18m
Distance
9.9 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Castle, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Delaware City, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick excursion in Delaware, the 9.9-mile journey from New Castle to Delaware City is an efficient option. Expect to spend about 18 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a spontaneous day trip. You will navigate primarily via River Road, Wrangle Hill Road, and West 7th Street to complete the transit. With a modest fuel budget of just $2, the trip is highly economical for travelers staying within the Northeast region. Because the total duration is so short, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or multiple rest stops. This route is a straightforward local drive that prioritizes convenience over long-distance exploration.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| River Road | 6.2 mi | 10m |
| Wrangle Hill Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| West 7th Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| 5th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Clinton Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West 6th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Delaware Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
River Road
— 6.2 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Castle, DE and Delaware City, DE.
1
Start on Cherry Street
296 ft
·
14 sec
·
Cherry Street
2
Turn right onto East 5th Street
184 ft
·
12 sec
·
East 5th Street
3
Turn right onto Delaware Street
399 ft
·
18 sec
·
Delaware Street
4
Turn left onto DE 9 Alternate
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
West 6th Street
5
Turn right onto DE 9 Alternate
362 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Street
6
Turn left onto DE 9 Alternate
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West 7th Street
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on DE 9
6.2 mi
·
10 min
·
River Road
8
Turn left onto DE 9
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Wrangle Hill Road
9
Continue on DE 9
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Street
10
Turn left onto Clinton Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Clinton Street
11
Arrive at destination
Clinton Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 0.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East 5th Street
Turn right onto East 5th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Delaware Street
Turn right onto Delaware Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
DE 9 Alternate / West 6th Street
Turn left onto DE 9 Alternate / West 6th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
DE 9 Alternate / South Street
Turn right onto DE 9 Alternate / South Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
DE 9 Alternate / West 7th Street
Turn left onto DE 9 Alternate / West 7th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.64 one way
$3.28 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.80 | $3.60 |
| premium | $4.93 | $1.92 | $3.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.19 | $4.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3 | 0 | $1.04 | $0.48 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.87 | $0.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4 | 0 | $1.39 | $0.63 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Delaware City, DE
Late night in Delaware City on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Clear
NE 10 mph
0% 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
21 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
18m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy experience on this local drive, which features zero highway miles. The road’s personality is defined by its frequent transitions rather than high-speed cruising, so keep your focus on the road ahead. You will spend your longest uninterrupted stretch on River Road, covering 6.2 miles of the total distance. Because you are navigating entirely on local roads, the pace remains steady and predictable throughout the 18-minute duration. It is a practical, no-frills route that avoids the monotony of interstate travel in favor of localized navigation.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.2 mi on River Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East 5th Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 18m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Delaware Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (DE 9 Alternate / West 6th Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 9.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.2 miles on River Road. 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: at 0.1 miles (East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Delaware Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (DE 9 Alternate / West 6th Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — First State National Historical Park. 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 Delaware City, DE 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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