Origin
Philadelphia, PA
Morning in Philadelphia on Sunday
Local time
9:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Philadelphia, PA to North Catasauqua, 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 23m
Distance
64.4 mi
104 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Philadelphia, PA
Wikimedia Commons
North Catasauqua, PA
Michael Taccetta
Trip Overview
This 64.4-mile drive from Philadelphia to North Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 23 minutes. Designed as a single-day trip, it's a practical option for a quick getaway or a visit to the Northeast region. With an estimated fuel cost of $11, this route is budget-friendly. The drive primarily utilizes major roadways, making it a convenient option for those seeking efficiency rather than extensive sightseeing. You'll find this route is a direct path connecting two points within the same state and region, offering a simple transit experience.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension | 37.5 mi | 40m |
| Schuylkill Expressway | 12.1 mi | 17m |
| Lehigh Valley Thruway | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| Mid-County Expressway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Vine Street Expressway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Pine Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| MacArthur Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Mickley Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
— 37.5 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Philadelphia, PA and North Catasauqua, PA.
1
Start on South Penn Square
397 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Penn Square
2
Keep slight left at fork onto PA 611
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
East Penn Square
Use the straight lane.
3
Continue on John F. Kennedy Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn right onto North 16th Street
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
North 16th Street
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 676 West, US 30 West: International Airport, Valley Forge
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 676; US 30
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Vine Street Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 76; US 30
12 mi
·
17 min
·
Schuylkill Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 331B
Toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 476
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Mid-County Expressway
10
Turn slight left onto I 476
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Mid-County Expressway
11
Continue on I 476; PATP
38 mi
·
40 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
2 min
Exit 56
Toward I 78, US 22, PA 309: Allentown, Harrisburg
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn slight right
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 22 East: Allentown
14
Merge onto US 22
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Lehigh Valley Thruway
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
Toward PA 145: MacArthur Road, 7th Street
Use the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
166 ft
·
7 sec
Toward PA 145 North: Whitehall
Use the left lane.
17
Turn left onto PA 145
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
MacArthur Road
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn right onto Mickley Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Mickley Road
19
Continue on Main Street
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Main Street
20
Turn left onto Pine Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Pine Street
Use the left lane.
21
Turn left onto 4th Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
4th Street
22
Arrive at destination
4th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.2 miles from Philadelphia, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 61.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
PA 611 / East Penn Square
Keep slight left at fork onto PA 611 / East Penn Square
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
14.1 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 331B
Toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
8
55.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward I 78, US 22, PA 309: Allentown, 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.
Exit 56
Toward I 78, US 22, PA 309: Allentown, Harrisbu...
7
61.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward PA 145: MacArthur Road, 7th Street
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 PA 145: MacArthur Road, 7th Street
8
61.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward PA 145 North: Whitehall
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward PA 145 North: Whitehall
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.68 one way
$21.35 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $11.69 | $23.39 |
| premium | $4.93 | $12.49 | $24.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.22 | $28.44 |
Estimated Tolls: $5.22
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(37.5 mi)
$4.88
Lehigh Valley Thruway
(4.8 mi)
$0.34
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Tolls
$5
Total
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.76 | $3.09 |
| Efficient EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.8 | 0 | $9.02 | $4.12 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
North Catasauqua, PA
Morning in North Catasauqua on Sunday
Local time
9:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
1 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 23m 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 drive for the majority of this trip, with 84% of the journey on high-speed roads. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, including a continuous stretch of 37.5 miles. The Schuylkill Expressway and Lehigh Valley Thruway are also key components, indicating a route that prioritizes direct travel over meandering byways. This profile suggests a driving experience characterized by consistent speed and minimal interruptions, ideal for covering ground efficiently.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.5 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and Schuylkill Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near PA 611 / East Penn Square.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64.4 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.1 miles (PA 611 / East Penn Square): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 55.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Philadelphia, PA to North Catasauqua, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Harrisburg along the way.
Harrisburg
55.7 mi in
|
~1h 7m
About the Cities
Starting 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 1h 23m. Total distance: 64.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.5 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $5.22 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.
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 North Catasauqua, 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 0.1 miles (PA 611 / East Penn Square): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 55.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 North Catasauqua, 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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