Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
17.4 mi
28 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plymouth Meeting, PA
Michael Taccetta
Upper Darby, PA to Plymouth Meeting, PA is 17.4 miles and takes about 31 minutes via Mid-County Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Pennsylvania, connecting two locations in the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive that primarily utilizes a major expressway, making it ideal for a quick commute or a brief travel segment. With no planned stops and a short duration, this route is easily manageable for a single day.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-County Expressway | 10.2 mi | 13m |
| South Lansdowne Avenue | 3 mi | 8m |
| West Chester Pike | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| West Germantown Pike | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Chemical Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Providence Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Darby Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Marple Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Upper Darby, PA and Plymouth Meeting, PA.
Start on West Providence Road
Turn left onto South Lansdowne Avenue
Continue on Darby Road
Turn slight left onto PA 3
Take the exit
Merge onto I 476
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Chemical Road
Turn right onto West Germantown Pike
Turn left onto Marple Lane
Turn right
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 17.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto South Lansdowne Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn slight left onto PA 3 / West Chester Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Germantown Pike East, Plymouth Meeting
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$2.88 one way
$5.77 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.16 | $6.32 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.37 | $6.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.84 | $7.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 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 | 5.2 | 0 | $1.83 | $0.84 |
| Efficient EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.52 | $0.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7 | 0 | $2.44 | $1.11 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Upper Darby on Sunday
Local time
11:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Plymouth Meeting on Sunday
Local time
11:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°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 drive offers a mixed experience, with 59% of the journey on highways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the Mid-County Expressway, including one stretch of 10.2 miles without interruption. The route begins with local roads like South Lansdowne Avenue and West Chester Pike before merging onto the faster Mid-County Expressway. Expect a blend of urban access and efficient highway travel as you make your way north.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near South Lansdowne Avenue.
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 17.4 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.3 miles (South Lansdowne Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (PA 3 / West Chester Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Upper Darby, PA to Plymouth Meeting, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Germantown Pike East along the way.
Germantown Pike East
Upper Darby is a city in Pennsylvania.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 17.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface 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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