Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 33m
Distance
69.5 mi
112 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Philadelphia, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Slatington, PA
Haneul Trac
Philadelphia to Slatington is 69.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 33 minutes via the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and Schuylkill Expressway, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania's Northeast region, offering a straightforward connection between two points. Given its short duration and predominantly highway profile, it's an ideal choice for a quick day trip. You'll find the route efficient for reaching your destination with minimal time investment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
34.7 miles from Philadelphia, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 44m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension | 37.5 mi | 40m |
| Schuylkill Expressway | 12.1 mi | 17m |
| PA 309 | 6 mi | 11m |
| PA 873 | 6 mi | 10m |
| Mid-County Expressway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Vine Street Expressway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Lehigh Valley Thruway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| North 16th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Philadelphia, PA and Slatington, PA.
Start on South Penn Square
Keep slight left at fork onto PA 611
Continue on John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Turn right onto North 16th Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 676; US 30
Merge onto I 76; US 30
Take the exit
Merge onto I 476
Turn slight left onto I 476
Continue on I 476; PATP
Take the exit
Turn slight right
Merge onto US 22
Take the exit
Merge onto PA 309
Continue on PA 873
Arrive at destination
For this 1 hour and 33-minute drive, leaving Philadelphia in the morning, perhaps after the peak rush hour, will likely provide the smoothest start. Since the total distance is just under 70 miles, you won't need to plan for extensive stops, but a quick fuel or restroom break is always an option. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge; the estimated cost is around $12, so plan accordingly before you depart. The long stretch on the Turnpike Northeast Extension means you can cover a lot of ground quickly, so you can afford to be flexible with any unscheduled stops you might want to make along the way.
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.
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 15 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 34.7 miles or 44m 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 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Slatington, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Philadelphia, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Philadelphia, PA
This is one driving day of about 69.5 miles and 1h 33m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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.
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 34.7 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 57.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork onto PA 611 / East Penn Square
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 676 West, US 30 West: International Airport, Valley Forge
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
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
Take the exit toward PA 309 North: Tamaqua
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$11.61 one way
$23.23 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $12.78 | $25.56 |
| premium | $5.01 | $13.71 | $27.43 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $15.32 | $30.64 |
Estimated Tolls: $4.93
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
$12
Tolls
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.9 | 0 | $7.30 | $3.34 |
| Efficient EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.08 | $2.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.8 | 0 | $9.73 | $4.45 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Philadelphia on Tuesday
Local time
4:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Slatington on Tuesday
Local time
4:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Sunny
83°F
Franconia, PA
35 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This drive is almost entirely on highways, with 95% of the route utilizing major roads like the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and the Schuylkill Expressway. You'll experience a significant stretch of 37.5 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, which is about half the total trip distance. Expect dense exits and highway merging as you navigate this segment before transitioning to PA 309 for the final approach.
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.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 69.5 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,168 ft
Total Descent
714 ft
Highest Point
725 ft
~64.5 mi in
Elevation Range
681 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Philadelphia, PA to Slatington, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Harrisburg along the way.
Harrisburg
“City of Brotherly Love” · Founded 1682
Top landmarks
Founded 1737
Slatington is a borough in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The borough lies in the center of the highly populated Northeast megalopolis region of the U.S., 27 miles (43 km) west of the Skylands and New Jersey state line, 69.6 miles (112.0 km) north of Philadelphia, and 100 miles (160 km) west of New York City.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 33m. Total distance: 69.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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