Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
15.6 mi
25 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.
Willow Grove, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Norristown, PA
Wikimedia Commons
If you are planning to travel between Willow Grove and Norristown, PA, you are looking at a quick 15.6-mile commute. This trip typically takes about 26 minutes, making it a perfect day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budgeting approximately $3 for fuel should be plenty for the journey. You will primarily utilize the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Easton Road, and East Fornance Street to navigate between these two Northeast locations. Because the distance is so short, you have total flexibility in your schedule, allowing you to complete the transit whenever it best fits your day.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 8.6 mi | 9m |
| Easton Road | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| East Fornance Street | 1 mi | 3m |
| Mid-County Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West Ridge Pike | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Fairfield Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Powell Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Willow Grove, PA and Norristown, PA.
Start on this road
Turn right onto PA 611
Keep slight left at fork onto PA 611
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 276; PATP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on I 476; PATP
Keep slight left at fork onto I 476; PATP
Continue on I 476
Take the exit
Turn straight onto West Ridge Pike
Continue on East Main Street
Continue on East Ridge Pike
Turn right onto Fairfield Road
Continue on East Fornance Street
Turn left onto Powell Street
Turn sharp right onto Spring Alley
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 12.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork toward I 276 West: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 476: Chester, Allentown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 476 South: Philadelphia, Chester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 476; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Norristown, Ridge Pike
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$2.59 one way
$5.17 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.83 | $5.67 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.03 | $6.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.44 | $6.89 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.18
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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 Willow Grove on Sunday
Local time
7:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Sunny
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 4:55AM EDT by NWS State College PA
Destination
Morning in Norristown on Sunday
Local time
7:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Patchy Frost then Sunny
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 4:55AM EDT by NWS State College PA
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 26-minute trek is a highway-focused drive, with 64% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will experience a significant stretch of travel on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which accounts for 8.6 miles of your total distance. The route transitions from these fast-paced highway sections into local navigation via Easton Road and East Fornance Street. Expect a blend of high-speed cruising and standard road transitions as you move across the region. It is a straightforward, efficient drive that prioritizes speed and directness over winding, technical backroads.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and Easton Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 15.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
309 ft
Total Descent
422 ft
Highest Point
326 ft
~0.7 mi in
Elevation Range
192 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Willow Grove, PA and Norristown, PA, road signs point toward Patp, Allentown and Chester.
Patp
Allentown
Chester
Willow Grove is a town in the Philadelphia Region of Pennsylvania approximately 12 miles north of Philadelphia. This article also covers the nearby communities of Horsham and Hatboro.
Norristown is a small residential borough in Montgomery County, in the Philadelphia-Camden metro area. The town is about 6 miles outside of Philadelphia, between two greater communities of King of Prussia and Plymouth Meeting. This article also covers the nearby communities of Bridgeport, Gladwyne, Jeffersonville, Conshohocken and Lafayette Hill.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 15.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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