Origin
York, PA
Evening in York on Sunday
Local time
5:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from York, PA to Harrisburg, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
26 mi
42 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
York, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between York and Harrisburg covers a quick 26.1 miles, typically taking about 33 minutes of driving time. Since this journey is located entirely within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, it serves as an efficient connection between two major local hubs. You can easily complete this trip in a single day, making it ideal for a quick commute or a straightforward afternoon excursion. With fuel costs estimated at just $4, it is a very budget-friendly way to move between these cities. There is no need for an overnight stay, as the distance is short enough to allow for a return trip whenever you are ready.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 83 | 20.9 mi | 25m |
| North George Street | 2.5 mi | 5m |
| South 13th Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| State Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North 7th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Fisher Plaza | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 83
— 20.9 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between York, PA and Harrisburg, PA.
1
Start on I 83 BUS
2.5 mi
·
5 min
·
North George Street
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 83: Harrisburg
3
Merge onto I 83
21 mi
·
25 min
·
I 83
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 44A
Toward PA 230: 13th Street
Use the right lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork
134 ft
·
3 sec
Toward 13th Street
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto South 13th Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South 13th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Turn left onto State Street
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
State Street
8
Continue on Fisher Plaza
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Fisher Plaza
9
Keep slight right at fork onto North 7th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North 7th Street
10
Arrive at destination
North 7th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 2.5 and 23.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 83: Harrisburg
Navigation decision point
Toward I 83: Harrisburg
5
2.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 83
Merge onto I 83
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
23.5 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward PA 230: 13th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 44A
Toward PA 230: 13th Street
8
23.7 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 13th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward 13th Street
5
23.7 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
South 13th Street
Merge onto South 13th Street
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.31 one way
$8.62 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.72 | $9.44 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.04 | $10.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.74 | $11.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.73 | $1.25 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.66 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Harrisburg, PA
Evening in Harrisburg on Sunday
Local time
5:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
37m 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 defined as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate haul. While you will navigate via I-83, PA-230, and 13th Street, the route features 0% highway share, meaning you won't be spending your time cruising on long, uninterrupted stretches of pavement. In fact, your longest stretch on I-83 is 0 miles, indicating that the road layout requires constant attention and maneuvering through local road networks. Expect a dynamic experience behind the wheel where you will be navigating turns rather than settling into a monotonous interstate grind. It is a practical, hands-on drive that keeps you engaged with the local infrastructure throughout the 33-minute duration.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.9 mi on I 83.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 83 and North George Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 7 decision points packed into just 26 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (I 83): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in York, PA
Full guide →Founded 1741
York is a city in the Susquehanna Valley region of southern Pennsylvania. It is billed as the "factory tour capital of the world" for its numerous factory tours. It was a major city in U.S. revolutionary history as well, hosting the Continental Congress for a time. It is often viewed by locals as the first capital of the United States but it is unsure if this is actually true because it was never officially named the capital and it was only viewed as the capital because the Articles of Confederation were adopted in the York County Courthouse.
Top landmarks
- • Golden Plough Tavern — historic tavern in Pennsylvania, United States
Arriving in Harrisburg, PA
Full guide →Harrisburg is the capital and 4th-largest metropolitan area of Pennsylvania, with a metro population of 592,000 people in 2020. Harrisburg is known as the host city of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the largest free indoor agriculture exposition in the United States, the largest annual outdoor sports show in North America, an auto show, which features a large static display of new and classic cars, and Motorama, a two-day event consisting of a car show, motocross racing, and remote control car racing.
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 37m. Total distance: 26 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.9 miles on I 83. 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 Harrisburg, 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 2.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (I 83): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument and 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 Harrisburg, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Harrisburg, PA
More trips to Harrisburg, PA
Explore more options from York, PA or browse trips ending in Harrisburg, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.