Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
12.4 mi
20 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Reading, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Bowmansville, PA
Jack Pace
Reading, PA to Bowmansville, PA is 12.4 miles and takes about 21 minutes via New Holland Road, Reading Road, and East Lancaster Avenue, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Pennsylvania, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a local driving experience with frequent turns, making it ideal for a quick transition between towns rather than a destination in itself. Given its brief duration, you won't need to worry about extensive planning, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Holland Road | 8.5 mi | 14m |
| Reading Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| East Lancaster Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South 4th Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Bingaman Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Penn Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Reading, PA and Bowmansville, PA.
Start on US 422 Business Alternate
Turn left onto South 4th Street
Keep slight right at fork onto US 222 BUS
Continue on US 222 Business
Continue on US 222 BUS
Turn slight left onto PA 625
Continue on PA 625
Arrive at destination
2 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 0.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto South 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Keep slight right at fork onto US 222 BUS / South 4th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Regular Gas
$2.02 one way
$4.05 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.56 | $2.22 | $4.45 |
| premium | $4.86 | $2.37 | $4.75 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $2.64 | $5.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.30 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.74 | $0.79 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Morning in Reading on Sunday
Local time
10:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Bowmansville on Sunday
Local time
10:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
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.
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive' with no highway percentage, meaning you'll be navigating surface streets and local roads for the entire 12.4 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.5 miles on New Holland Road. As you drive, anticipate a more engaging experience with frequent turns and intersections, typical of local thoroughfares, rather than a steady, high-speed journey. Be prepared to adjust your speed and attention frequently as you move through communities.
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 0.2 miles in near South 4th Street.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 21m drive. You will face about 2 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (South 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 222 BUS / South 4th Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Founded 1748
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.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 12.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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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