Origin
Pottsville, PA
Late night in Pottsville on Tuesday
Local time
5:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pottsville, PA to Reading, PA
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
45m
Distance
34.7 mi
56 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pottsville, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 34.7-mile drive from Pottsville, PA to Reading, PA is a quick trip, estimated to take around 45 minutes. With a modest fuel cost of about $6, it's an easy and affordable excursion. The route is primarily local roads with a small highway share, making it a turn-heavy experience. It's perfectly suited as a single-day trip, allowing you to easily fit it into your schedule without needing an overnight stay. Both locations are within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, so you'll be staying within familiar territory for this short journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Center Avenue | 10.6 mi | 12m |
| Pottsville Pike | 10.2 mi | 12m |
| Centre Street | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Route 61 South | 3 mi | 3m |
| Centre Avenue | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| North Centre Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| North 4th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Shoemaker Avenue | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Center Avenue
— 10.6 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pottsville, PA and Reading, PA.
1
Start on US 209
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
North Centre Street
2
Turn left onto US 209
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Mauch Chunk Street
3
Turn right onto PA 61
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
South Claude A. Lord Boulevard
4
Continue on PA 61
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
Pottsville Boulevard
5
Continue on PA 61
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Route 61 South
6
Continue on PA 61
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Center Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on PA 61
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Centre Street
8
Continue on PA 61
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
·
South 4th Street
9
Continue on PA 61
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Pottsville Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on PA 61
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
·
Shoemaker Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on PA 61
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Pottsville Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on PA 61
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Centre Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on PA 61
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Pottsville Pike
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on PA 61
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Centre Avenue
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on PA 61
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North 4th Street
16
Turn left onto US 422 Business
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Franklin Street
17
Turn left onto South 6th Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
South 6th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
18
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate
278 ft
·
4 sec
·
Penn Street
19
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
17 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 34.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.4 miles from Pottsville, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 34.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 209 / Mauch Chunk Street
Turn left onto US 209 / Mauch Chunk Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
PA 61 / South Claude A. Lord Boulevard
Turn right onto PA 61 / South Claude A. Lord Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
34.4 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Turn left onto US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Navigation decision point
6
34.6 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
South 6th Street
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
34.7 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
US 422 Business Alternate / Penn Street
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate / Penn Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.75 one way
$11.51 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.30 | $12.60 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.73 | $13.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.66 | $15.32 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.67 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Reading, PA
Late night in Reading on Tuesday
Local time
5:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
47°F
Bloomsburg, PA
17 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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
45m 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 turn-heavy local drive for this 34.7-mile journey. With only a 9% highway share, you'll be navigating primarily through local streets and roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10.6 miles on Center Avenue. This profile suggests a drive where you'll be making frequent turns and adjustments, rather than a straightforward cruise. You'll be spending most of your time on Center Avenue, Pottsville Pike, and Centre Street, experiencing the local road network.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.6 mi on Center Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 0.4 miles in near US 209 / Mauch Chunk Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 45m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (US 209 / Mauch Chunk Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (PA 61 / South Claude A. Lord Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 34.4 miles (US 422 Business / Franklin Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Reading, PA
Full guide →Reading is a historic city of about 95,000 (2020 Census) in Pennsylvania, about 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia, 35 miles southwest of Allentown and 55 miles east of Harrisburg. It punches above its weight in culture, and its downtown features some iconic buildings, so consider making it a stopover on your way between any of these and other area cities.
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 45m. Total distance: 34.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (9%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.6 miles on Center Avenue. 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 0.4 miles (US 209 / Mauch Chunk Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (PA 61 / South Claude A. Lord Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 34.4 miles (US 422 Business / Franklin Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Appalachian National Scenic Trail. 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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. 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 from Pottsville, PA
More trips to Reading, PA
Explore more options from Pottsville, PA or browse trips ending in Reading, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.