Origin
Northampton, PA
Late night in Northampton on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Northampton, PA to Reading, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
40.7 mi
65 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Northampton, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Northampton, PA to Reading, PA is 40.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 4 minutes via Lehigh Valley Thruway, Allentown Pike, and US 222, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a local feel with frequent turns rather than a straight shot on a major interstate. With a short duration and minimal cost, this is a straightforward trip perfect for a quick transfer or a leisurely afternoon drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Valley Thruway | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Allentown Pike | 6 mi | 10m |
| US 222 | 5.9 mi | 7m |
| Kutztown Road | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| North 5th Street Highway | 5 mi | 8m |
| Schantz Road | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| Main Street | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| William Penn Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Lehigh Valley Thruway
— 6.2 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Northampton, PA and Reading, PA.
1
Start on Main Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
2
Keep slight left at fork onto Main Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
3
Turn left onto 4th Street
510 ft
·
12 sec
·
4th Street
4
Turn right onto Cypress Street
432 ft
·
10 sec
·
Cypress Street
5
Continue on Eugene Street
356 ft
·
12 sec
·
Eugene Street
6
Turn left onto 2nd Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
2nd Street
7
Turn right onto Pine Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Pine Street
8
Turn right onto Main Street
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Main Street
9
Continue on Mickley Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Mickley Road
10
Turn left onto PA 145
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
MacArthur Road
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward US 22 West: Harrisburg
Use the right lane.
12
Merge onto US 22
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Lehigh Valley Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 78; US 22
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
William Penn Highway
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 49A
Toward PA 100 South: Trexlertown
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn straight onto PA 100
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
PA 100
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto Schantz Road
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Schantz Road
17
Enter roundabout onto US 222
21 ft
·
0 sec
·
Hamilton Boulevard
18
Continue on US 222
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
·
Hamilton Boulevard
19
Continue on US 222
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Kutztown Road
20
Keep slight left at fork onto US 222
5.9 mi
·
7 min
·
US 222
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Enter roundabout onto US 222
110 ft
·
1 sec
·
Allentown Pike
22
Continue on US 222
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Allentown Pike
23
Continue on US 222
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Kutztown Road
24
Continue on US 222
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Allentown Pike
25
Enter roundabout onto US 222
97 ft
·
4 sec
·
Allentown Pike
26
Continue on US 222
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
Allentown Pike
27
Enter roundabout onto US 222
127 ft
·
5 sec
·
Allentown Pike
28
Continue on US 222
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Allentown Pike
Use the straight lane.
29
Continue on US 222
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
Kutztown Road
30
Continue on US 222
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
Allentown Pike
31
Continue on US 222 BUS
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Allentown Pike
32
Continue on US 222 BUS
5.0 mi
·
8 min
·
North 5th Street Highway
Use the straight lane.
33
Continue on US 222 BUS
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
South 5th Street
34
Turn left onto US 422 Business
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Franklin Street
Use the left lane.
35
Turn left onto South 6th Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
South 6th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
36
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate
278 ft
·
4 sec
·
Penn Street
37
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
20 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 40.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.3 miles from Northampton, 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 215 decision points cluster between mile 4.9 and 40.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
4.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward US 22 West: Harrisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward US 22 West: Harrisburg
7
13.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward PA 100 South: Trexlertown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 49A
Toward PA 100 South: Trexlertown
6
22 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
US 222
Keep slight left at fork onto US 222
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
40.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Turn left onto US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
40.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
South 6th Street
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.75 one way
$13.50 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.39 | $14.78 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.89 | $15.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.99 | $17.97 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.43
Lehigh Valley Thruway
(6.2 mi)
$0.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$0
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.27 | $1.95 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.56 | $1.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.70 | $2.60 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Late night in Reading on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Kutztown, PA
20 mi in
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
12 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
1h 4m 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?
This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, meaning you'll navigate a series of local roads and intersections more than high-speed highway. Only 16% of this 40.7-mile journey is on highways, offering a more grounded driving experience. The longest stretch without a significant turn or change in direction is 6.2 miles on the Lehigh Valley Thruway. Be prepared for varying speed limits and traffic patterns as you transition between different local thoroughfares.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
37 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.2 mi on Lehigh Valley Thruway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 40.7 miles you will encounter 21 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 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22 miles (US 222): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 40.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.2 miles on Lehigh Valley Thruway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.43 in tolls one way, starting with Lehigh Valley Thruway. 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 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22 miles (US 222): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Reading, PA
More trips to Reading, PA
Explore more options from Northampton, PA or browse trips ending in Reading, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.