Origin
Reading, PA
Late night in Reading on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Reading, PA to Shirley, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 11m
Distance
201.8 mi
325 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$33
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 58m
★
6 AM
4h 11m
8 AM
4h 38m
10 AM
4h 21m
12 PM
4h 18m
3 PM
4h 22m
5 PM
4h 36m
8 PM
4h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
Reading, PA to Shirley, PA is 201.8 miles and takes about 4h 11m via Pennsylvania Turnpike and US 222, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. It's a highway-focused trip, making it a straightforward option for a single-day journey. You'll cover a significant portion of the distance on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Consider this route if you need an efficient way to get from point A to point B without extensive detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
100.9 miles from Reading, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 56m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 141.4 mi | 2h 33m |
| Lincoln Highway | 41.2 mi | 1h 2m |
| US 222 | 9.8 mi | 12m |
| Penn Avenue | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Pitt Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| Weber Lane | 1 mi | 3m |
| Colonel Howard Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Peters Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike
— 141.4 mi, about 2h 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Reading, PA and Shirley, PA.
1
Start on US 422 Business Alternate
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Penn Street
2
Continue on US 422 Business Alternate
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Penn Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
4
Merge onto US 222
9.8 mi
·
12 min
·
US 222
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 76, PATP, PA 272: PA Turnpike, Denver
6
Turn left onto Colonel Howard Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Colonel Howard Boulevard
7
Keep slight left at fork onto Colonel Howard Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Colonel Howard Boulevard
Toward I 76, PATP
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 76 Toll West: Harrisburg
9
Merge onto I 76; PATP
141 mi
·
2 hr 33 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Altoona, Johnstown
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn slight right
166 ft
·
5 sec
Toward Bedford
12
Turn straight onto US 220 BUS
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Business 220
13
Turn right onto Weber Lane
1.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Weber Lane
14
Turn left onto Country Ridge Road
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Country Ridge Road
15
Turn right onto US 30
6.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Lincoln Highway
16
Continue on US 30
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Pitt Street
17
Continue on US 30
25 mi
·
36 min
·
Lincoln Highway
18
Continue on US 30
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Pitt Street
19
Continue on US 30
9.9 mi
·
17 min
·
Lincoln Highway
20
Turn left onto Peters Road
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Peters Road
21
Continue on T974
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Peters Road
22
Turn right
430 ft
·
18 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a total drive time of just over 4 hours, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. Leaving Reading, PA in the morning allows you to reach Shirley, PA with plenty of daylight remaining. You'll have one recommended stop, so plan it for around the halfway point to break up the 141.4-mile stretch on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the $33 estimated cost suggests a steady consumption rate on the highways. Since it's a relatively short, direct route, you have the flexibility to depart when it's most convenient for you.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 100.9 miles from Reading, PA, or about 1h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 141.4 miles.
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 44 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.9 miles or 1h 56m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Shirley, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Reading, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Reading, PA
This is one driving day of about 201.8 miles and 4h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Reading, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Pennsylvania Turnpike for about 141.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
101 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 44 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 100.9 miles from Reading, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Pennsylvania Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 141.4 miles.
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 135 decision points cluster between mile 13.1 and 156.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
13.1 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward I 76, PATP, PA 272: PA Turnpike, Denver
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 76, PATP, PA 272: PA Turnpike, Denver
6
13.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
Colonel Howard Boulevard
Keep slight left at fork onto Colonel Howard Boulevard toward I 76, PATP
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 76, PATP
5
14.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 76 Toll West: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 76 Toll West: Harrisburg
5
14.8 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 76; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike
Merge onto I 76; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
156.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 56m in
Take the exit toward Altoona, Johnstown
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 Altoona, Johnstown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.46 one way
$66.91 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
71 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $36.64 | $73.28 |
| premium | $4.93 | $39.14 | $78.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $44.55 | $89.11 |
Estimated Tolls: $18.38
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(141.4 mi)
$18.38
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
$33
Tolls
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 60.5 | 0 | $21.19 | $9.69 |
| Efficient EV | 50.5 | 0 | $17.66 | $8.07 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 80.7 | 1 | $28.25 | $12.92 |
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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
Shirley, PA
Late night in Shirley on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Martinsburg, PA
101 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
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 11m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
1 mi from route
~2 min detour
Free
near mile 76.5
View on nps.gov
Flight 93 National Memorial
National Memorial
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 180.9
View on nps.gov
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
12 mi from route
~31 min detour
Free
near mile 34.8
View on nps.gov
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
National Memorial
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
19 mi from route
~48 min detour
Free
near mile 187.9
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 75% of the journey on major roadways. Expect long stretches of consistent driving, including a continuous 141.4-mile segment on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The primary roads, including the Lincoln Highway and US 222, offer a mix of speeds but generally lean towards faster travel. The profile suggests a predominantly highway experience, meaning you'll likely encounter fewer turns and more straightforward navigation for most of the 4h 11m duration.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 141.4 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and Lincoln Highway. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 13.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 201.8 miles you will encounter 13 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 13.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.7 miles (Colonel Howard Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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.
Between Reading, PA and Shirley, PA, road signs point toward Patp, Denver, Altoona, Johnstown and Bedford.
Patp
13.1 mi in
|
~18m
Denver
13.1 mi in
|
~18m
Altoona
156.2 mi in
|
~2h 56m
Johnstown
156.2 mi in
|
~2h 56m
Bedford
156.5 mi in
|
~2h 57m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 11m. Total distance: 201.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 141.4 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $18.38 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.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Shirley, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 13.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.7 miles (Colonel Howard Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument, Flight 93 National Memorial and Appalachian National Scenic Trail (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Shirley, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
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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