Origin
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Morning in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wilkes-Barre, PA to Allentown, 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 18m
Distance
62.3 mi
100 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Allentown, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 62.3-mile drive from Wilkes-Barre, PA, to Allentown, PA, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 18 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The majority of your journey, 87% of it, will be on highways, primarily the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. With a fuel cost estimated around $10, this trip is quite budget-friendly. Since it's a relatively short distance within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. Plan for a smooth and efficient transit between these two cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension | 47.8 mi | 52m |
| PA 115 | 4.3 mi | 7m |
| Tilghman Street | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| North Cross Valley Expressway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Wilkes-Barre Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| PA 309 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Lehigh Valley Thruway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
— 47.8 mi, about 52m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wilkes-Barre, PA and Allentown, PA.
1
Start on Public Square
139 ft
·
6 sec
·
Public Square
2
Continue on North Main Street
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
North Main Street
3
Turn right onto East North Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
East North Street
4
Continue on Scott Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Scott Street
5
Turn left onto Wilkes-Barre Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Wilkes-Barre Boulevard
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
7
Merge onto PA 309
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Cross Valley Expressway
8
Continue on PA 115
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
PA 115
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward PATP
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward PATP
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 476 South: Allentown
12
Merge onto I 476; PATP
48 mi
·
52 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 56
Toward I 78, US 22, PA 309: Allentown, Harrisburg
14
Turn slight right
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 22 East: Allentown
15
Merge onto US 22
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Lehigh Valley Thruway
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward PA 309 South: Quakertown
Use the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto PA 309
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
·
PA 309
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Tilghman Street East
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn straight onto Tilghman Street
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Tilghman Street
20
Arrive at destination
Tilghman Street
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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.2 miles from Wilkes-Barre, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 8.2 and 58.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
8.2 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight left at fork toward PATP
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward PATP
5
8.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 476 South: Allentown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 476 South: Allentown
6
56.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Take the exit toward I 78, US 22, PA 309: Allentown, Harrisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 56
Toward I 78, US 22, PA 309: Allentown, Harrisbu...
6
57.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward PA 309 South: Quakertown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward PA 309 South: Quakertown
6
58.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Take the exit toward Tilghman Street East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Tilghman Street East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.33 one way
$20.66 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $11.31 | $22.62 |
| premium | $4.93 | $12.08 | $24.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.76 | $27.51 |
Estimated Tolls: $6.22
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(47.8 mi)
$6.22
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$6
Total
$17
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.7 | 0 | $6.54 | $2.99 |
| Efficient EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.45 | $2.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.9 | 0 | $8.72 | $3.99 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Allentown, PA
Morning in Allentown on Sunday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
16 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 18m 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 highway-focused experience for most of this 62.3-mile route. You'll spend a significant amount of time on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, including a substantial uninterrupted stretch of 47.8 miles. While PA 115 and Tilghman Street will feature in your drive, the character remains predominantly that of a fast-paced highway journey. This means consistent speed and minimal traffic delays for the bulk of the trip, offering a direct and efficient transit.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 47.8 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and PA 115. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.2 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 62.3 miles you will encounter 12 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 8.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 8.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 56.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Wilkes-Barre, PA and Allentown, PA, road signs point toward Patp, Harrisburg and Tilghman Street East.
Patp
7.9 mi in
|
~14m
Harrisburg
56.6 mi in
|
~1h 8m
Tilghman Street East
58.5 mi in
|
~1h 12m
About the Cities
Starting in Wilkes-Barre, PA
Full guide →Wilkes-Barre (the last part is variously pronounced "Berry", "Bury", "Bare", or "Berrah" by locals, and "Barry" or "Barr" by others) is a city of 41,000 people (2018) in Northeastern Pennsylvania, approximately 20 miles southwest of Scranton. The city is named for John Wilkes and Isaac Barre, both of whom were members of the British Parliament who opposed royal rule of the colonies. Although the city is named after them, neither one ever set foot in North America.
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 18m. Total distance: 62.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 47.8 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $6.22 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 Allentown, 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 8.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 8.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 56.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Allentown, 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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