Origin
Radnor, PA
Late night in Radnor on Sunday
Local time
5:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Radnor, PA to Philadelphia, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
17.9 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Radnor, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Philadelphia, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Radnor to Philadelphia is a quick, straightforward journey covering 17.9 miles within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania. You can expect to reach your destination in about 27 minutes, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. With a modest fuel budget of just $3, this drive is highly economical for those commuting between the suburbs and the city. Because the entire route remains within the same state, you will not need to worry about regional transitions or crossing state lines. It is a practical, no-fuss trip that offers maximum flexibility for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Schuylkill Expressway | 13.9 mi | 19m |
| Matsonford Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Vine Street Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Gulph Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North 15th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Penn Square | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Archbishop Carroll Driveway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Schuylkill Expressway
— 13.9 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Radnor, PA and Philadelphia, PA.
1
Start on this road
302 ft
·
24 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left
0.1 mi
·
43 sec
3
At end of road, turn left onto Archbishop Carroll Driveway
192 ft
·
17 sec
·
Archbishop Carroll Driveway
4
Turn right onto Matsonford Road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Matsonford Road
5
Turn left onto PA 320
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Gulph Road
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 76 East: Philadelphia
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 76
14 mi
·
19 min
·
Schuylkill Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 676; US 30
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Vine Street Expressway
Toward I 676 East, US 30 East: Central Philadelphia
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward Central Philadelphia
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
313 ft
·
11 sec
Toward 15th Street, Central Philadelphia
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto North 15th Street
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
North 15th Street
Use the right lane.
12
Turn slight left onto PA 611
379 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Penn Square
13
Keep slight left at fork onto South Penn Square
167 ft
·
2 sec
·
South Penn Square
14
Arrive at destination
South Penn Square
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 17.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
At end of road, turn left
Navigation decision point
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 76 East: Philadelphia
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 76 East: Philadelphia
8
16.4 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 676; US 30 / Vine Street Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 676; US 30 / Vine Street Expressway toward I 676 East, US 30 East: Central Philadelphia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward I 676 East, US 30 East: Central Philadel...
6
17.2 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward Central Philadelphia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Central Philadelphia
9
17.3 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 15th Street, Central Philadelphia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward 15th Street, Central Philadelphia
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.97 one way
$5.94 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.25 | $6.50 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.47 | $6.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.95 | $7.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.88 | $0.86 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.57 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.51 | $1.15 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Philadelphia, PA
Late night in Philadelphia on Sunday
Local time
5:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Partly Sunny
SW 10 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 4:45AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 4:42AM EDT by NWS State College PA
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
23 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
28m 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 local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Since the highway share for this route is 0%, you will spend your entire 27-minute trip navigating local roads. This profile means you should be prepared for frequent stops, changing speed limits, and the stop-and-go nature of suburban-to-urban transit. You will not encounter any long, uninterrupted stretches of road, so stay alert and focused on the turns ahead. It is a hands-on driving experience that requires your full attention throughout the 17.9-mile distance.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.9 mi on Schuylkill Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Schuylkill Expressway and Matsonford Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 17.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles (I 676; US 30 / Vine Street Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 17.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.9 miles on Schuylkill Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Philadelphia, 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: Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles (I 676; US 30 / Vine Street Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Philadelphia, 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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