Origin
Reading, PA
Evening in Reading on Sunday
Local time
6:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Reading, PA to Upper Darby, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
61.1 mi
98 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
Traveling between Reading and Upper Darby is a straightforward trek spanning 62.1 miles through the Northeast corner of Pennsylvania. You can expect the journey to take roughly 1 hour and 13 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of approximately $10, it is an economical route that requires no overnight stops. Because you will navigate through local roads rather than long interstate stretches, the pace remains steady but requires your full attention. This drive is ideal for those who prefer to reach their destination quickly without the need for complex travel logistics.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 27.5 mi | 29m |
| Morgantown Expressway | 11.4 mi | 12m |
| Mid-County Expressway | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| I 76 | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| Lansdowne Avenue | 3 mi | 8m |
| West Chester Pike | 2.5 mi | 5m |
| West Shore Bypass | 2 mi | 2m |
| South 4th Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike
— 27.5 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Reading, PA and Upper Darby, PA.
1
Start on US 422 Business Alternate
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Penn Street
2
Turn left onto South 4th Street
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
South 4th Street
3
Keep slight right at fork onto US 222 BUS
273 ft
·
4 sec
·
South 4th Street
4
Continue on US 222 Business
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Bingaman Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward US 422 East: Pottstown, Morgantown
6
Merge onto US 422
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West Shore Bypass
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 176 South: Morgantown
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on I 176
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Morgantown Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 76 Toll East: Philadelphia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 76; PATP
27 mi
·
29 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto I 76
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
I 76
Exit 326
Toward I 76 East: Valley Forge, Philadelphia
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 331A
Toward I 476 South: Chester
Use the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto I 476
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Mid-County Expressway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 9
Toward PA 3: Upper Darby, Broomall
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn left onto PA 3
2.5 mi
·
5 min
·
West Chester Pike
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
16
Turn slight right onto Darby Road
471 ft
·
13 sec
·
Darby Road
Use the right lane.
17
Continue on Lansdowne Avenue
3.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Lansdowne Avenue
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn right onto West Providence Road
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
West Providence Road
19
Arrive at destination
West Providence Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.6 miles from Reading, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 54.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward US 422 East: Pottstown, Morgantown
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 422 East: Pottstown, Morgantown
7
15 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 76 Toll East: Philadelphia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 76 Toll East: Philadelphia
8
42.9 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
I 76
Take the exit onto I 76 toward I 76 East: Valley Forge, Philadelphia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 326
Toward I 76 East: Valley Forge, Philadelphia
7
47.9 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward I 476 South: Chester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 331A
Toward I 476 South: Chester
8
54.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward PA 3: Upper Darby, Broomall
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 9
Toward PA 3: Upper Darby, Broomall
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.13 one way
$20.26 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $11.09 | $22.19 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.85 | $23.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.49 | $26.98 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.57
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(27.5 mi)
$3.57
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$4
Total
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.42 | $2.93 |
| Efficient EV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.35 | $2.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.4 | 0 | $8.55 | $3.91 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Upper Darby, PA
Evening in Upper Darby on Sunday
Local time
6:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Frazer, PA
31 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
29 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
1h 22m 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 rather than a monotonous highway cruise, as this route features zero percent highway travel. You will navigate via South 4th Street, Bingaman Street, and US 422 East, moving through a series of local transitions. Without any long, uninterrupted stretches, the experience behind the wheel is characterized by frequent turns and constant road navigation. This path requires you to stay engaged with local traffic patterns and changing road conditions throughout the entire 62.1-mile distance. It is a practical, functional drive that prioritizes local connectivity over high-speed open roads.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.5 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and Morgantown Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.1 miles you will encounter 14 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 1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.9 miles (I 76): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Upper Darby, PA, road signs point toward Philadelphia and Broomall.
Philadelphia
42.9 mi in
|
~49m
|
via I 76
Broomall
54.9 mi in
|
~1h 7m
About the Cities
Starting 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.
Arriving in Upper Darby, PA
Full guide →Upper Darby is a city in Pennsylvania.
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 1h 22m. Total distance: 61.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m 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 27.5 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.57 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.
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 Upper Darby, 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 1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.9 miles (I 76): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Upper Darby, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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