Origin
Williamstown, PA
Morning in Williamstown on Sunday
Local time
10:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Williamstown, PA to Reading, PA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
51.8 mi
83 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
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 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Williamstown, PA
Michael Taccetta
Reading, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Williamstown, PA to Reading, PA is 51.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 22 minutes via PA 183 and US 209, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, taking you from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. It's a relatively short trip, making it ideal for a quick getaway or a straightforward transfer. You'll spend most of your time on main roads that offer a mix of driving experiences, so plan accordingly for a comfortable transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| PA 183 | 14.4 mi | 23m |
| US 209 | 9.8 mi | 15m |
| William Penn Highway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Lancaster Avenue | 4.8 mi | 7m |
| Bethel Road | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| US 222 | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| South Tremont Road | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| I 81 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
PA 183
— 14.4 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Williamstown, PA and Reading, PA.
1
Start on East Market Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
East Market Street
2
Turn right onto South Railroad Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Railroad Street
3
Turn left onto US 209
9.8 mi
·
15 min
·
US 209
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
5
Merge onto I 81
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 81
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward PA 125: Ravine
7
Turn right onto Molleystown Road
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Molleystown Road
8
At end of road, turn right onto PA 125
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
South Tremont Road
9
Continue on PA 125
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
North Tulpehocken Street
10
Turn left onto PA 895
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
East Wood Street
11
Continue on PA 895
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Rock Road
12
Turn right onto PA 501
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Bethel Road
13
Continue on PA 501
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Lancaster Avenue
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown
Use the left lane.
15
Merge onto I 78; US 22
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
William Penn Highway
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward PA 183: Strausstown
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn right onto PA 183
14 mi
·
23 min
·
PA 183
18
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward US 222 South: Lancaster
Use the right lane.
19
Merge onto US 222
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
US 222
20
Continue on West Shore Bypass
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West Shore Bypass
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
43 sec
Toward US 422 Business East: Pennsylvania Street, Reading
Use the right lane.
22
Turn straight onto US 422 BUS
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Penn Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Turn right onto US 422 Business
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South 2nd Street
24
Turn left onto US 422 Business
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Franklin Street
Use the left lane.
25
Turn left onto South 6th Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
South 6th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
26
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate
278 ft
·
4 sec
·
Penn Street
27
Arrive at destination
US 422 Business Alternate
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.9 miles from Williamstown, 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 195 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 51.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Railroad Street
Turn right onto South Railroad Street
Navigation decision point
9
25.4 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown
6
31.2 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward PA 183: Strausstown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward PA 183: Strausstown
7
50.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward US 422 Business East: Pennsylvania Street, Reading
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward US 422 Business East: Pennsylvania Stree...
6
51.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
|
US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Turn left onto US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.45 one way
$16.90 round trip
$4.14/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.56 | $9.29 | $18.59 |
| premium | $4.86 | $9.92 | $19.83 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $11.02 | $22.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.44 | $2.49 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.53 | $2.07 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.7 | 0 | $7.25 | $3.32 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Reading, PA
Morning in Reading on Sunday
Local time
10:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
45°F
Pine Grove, PA
26 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
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
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?
This trip is a mixed highway and surface road experience, with 56% of the drive on highways. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch on PA 183, covering 14.4 miles. Expect a period of more rural cruising before transitioning to surface roads as you approach your destination. Keep an eye out for merging traffic as you move between different road types.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.4 mi on PA 183.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near South Railroad Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.8 miles you will encounter 19 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 0.2 miles (South Railroad Street): Navigation decision point; at 25.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,167 ft
253 ft
Total Climb
975 ft
Total Descent
1,453 ft
Highest Point
1,167 ft
~7.4 mi in
Elevation Range
914 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Williamstown, PA
Full guide →Founded 1869
Arriving in Reading, PA
Full guide →Founded 1748
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.
Top landmarks
- • Frederick Lauer Monument — monument in City Park, Reading, Pennsylvania, United States
- • Skew Arch Bridge
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: 51.8 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 (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.4 miles on PA 183. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Reading, 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 0.2 miles (South Railroad Street): Navigation decision point; at 25.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Appalachian National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Reading, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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