Origin
Reading, PA
Evening in Reading on Sunday
Local time
5:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Reading, PA to Wilkinsburg, 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 49m
Distance
254 mi
409 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 36m
★
6 AM
4h 50m
8 AM
5h 17m
10 AM
4h 59m
12 PM
4h 57m
3 PM
5h 1m
5 PM
5h 16m
8 PM
4h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wilkinsburg, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Reading, PA to Wilkinsburg, PA is 254 miles and takes about 4h 49m via Pennsylvania Turnpike, US 222, and Penn-Lincoln Parkway East, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region, and is almost entirely highway driving. The general feel is a straightforward, efficient transit between two points, making it a solid choice if you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss. With a recommended one-day drive, it’s a manageable journey for most drivers.
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
127 miles from Reading, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 25m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 230.8 mi | 4h 11m |
| US 222 | 9.8 mi | 12m |
| Penn-Lincoln Parkway East | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| Penn Avenue | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Colonel Howard Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Ardmore Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Penn Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike
— 230.8 mi, about 4h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Reading, PA and Wilkinsburg, 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
231 mi
·
4 hr 11 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
2 min
Exit 57
Toward I 376 West, US 22: Pittsburgh, Monroeville
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward US 22 Business, I 376 West, US 22 West: Monroeville, Pittsburgh
12
Keep slight right at fork
353 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh
13
Merge onto I 376; US 22
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Use the slight left lane.
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 78B
Toward PA 8 North: Wilkinsburg
Use the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto PA 8
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Ardmore Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto South Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto Center Street
321 ft
·
16 sec
·
Center Street
18
Turn right onto Ross Avenue
132 ft
·
5 sec
·
Ross Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
Ross Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the manageable 4h 49m duration, leaving Reading, PA in the morning allows for arrival in Wilkinsburg, PA well before evening. While the drive is only 254 miles and requires only one stop based on the data, consider a brief break on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, perhaps around the halfway point, to refresh. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the longest stretch on the Turnpike, as services can sometimes be spaced out. The $42 fuel cost estimate is helpful for budgeting, so ensure you have enough gas before embarking on that 230.8-mile segment.
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 127 miles from Reading, PA, or about 2h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 230.8 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 56 miles or 1h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127 miles or 2h 25m 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 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wilkinsburg, 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 254 miles and 4h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 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 230.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
127 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 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 127 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 230.8 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 13.7 and 252.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
8
245.7 mi into trip
|
~4h 34m in
Take the exit toward I 376 West, US 22: Pittsburgh, Monroeville
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 57
Toward I 376 West, US 22: Pittsburgh, Monroevil...
6
246.3 mi into trip
|
~4h 37m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 22 Business, I 376 West, US 22 West: Monroeville, Pittsburgh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 22 Business, I 376 West, US 22 West:...
7
246.4 mi into trip
|
~4h 37m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh
7
252.4 mi into trip
|
~4h 45m in
Take the exit toward PA 8 North: Wilkinsburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 78B
Toward PA 8 North: Wilkinsburg
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.11 one way
$84.22 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
89 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $46.12 | $92.24 |
| premium | $4.93 | $49.26 | $98.52 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $56.08 | $112.16 |
Estimated Tolls: $30.01
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(230.8 mi)
$30.01
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
$42
Tolls
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$97–$122
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 88.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 76.2 | 0 | $26.67 | $12.19 |
| Efficient EV | 63.5 | 0 | $22.22 | $10.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 101.6 | 1 | $35.56 | $16.26 |
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Wilkinsburg, PA
Evening in Wilkinsburg on Sunday
Local time
5:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Hancock, MD
127 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
10 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 49m 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...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 78.8
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...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 183.9
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 35
View on nps.gov
Fort Necessity National Battlefield
National Battlefield
The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal...
24 mi from route
~60 min detour
Free
near mile 210.2
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...
24 mi from route
~60 min detour
Free
near mile 166.4
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is a highway-focused drive, with 97% of the journey on major roads. You'll spend the bulk of your time on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, experiencing a longest uninterrupted stretch of 230.8 miles. Expect a consistent driving experience with limited changes in road type, as the primary focus is on maintaining speed and covering distance efficiently. The Penn-Lincoln Parkway East will likely signal your approach to the destination area, offering a final highway segment before Wilkinsburg.
97% 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: 230.8 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and US 222. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.7 miles in near Colonel Howard Boulevard.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 254 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.7 miles (Colonel Howard Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 245.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 246.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Wilkinsburg, PA, road signs point toward Patp and Denver.
Patp
13.1 mi in
|
~18m
Denver
13.1 mi in
|
~18m
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 Wilkinsburg, PA
Full guide →Founded 1887
Top landmarks
- • Wilkinsburg train station — former train station in Wilkinsburg, 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 4h 49m. Total distance: 254 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 230.8 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $30.01 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 Wilkinsburg, 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 13.7 miles (Colonel Howard Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 245.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 246.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument, Flight 93 National Memorial and Appalachian National Scenic Trail (5 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Wilkinsburg, 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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