Zion, PA to Croydon, PA is 215.3 miles and takes about 4h 6m via Keystone Shortway and Pennsylvania Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, offering a direct connection between two points. It's a practical drive, primarily utilizing major highways, making it a straightforward option for moving between these areas. You'll likely find it to be a reliable route with clear navigation, suitable for a single-day transit.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
107.7 miles from Zion, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 4m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
103 mi
1h 53m
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
74.6 mi
1h 20m
Pennsylvania Turnpike
18 mi
19m
Nittany Valley Drive
11.4 mi
17m
Street Road
4 mi
6m
State Road
1.6 mi
2m
Zion Road
0.4 mi
<1m
East College Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 103 mi, about 1h 53m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 18 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,125 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,587
Quietest
2 AM
~188 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Zion, PA and Croydon, PA.
1
Start on PA 550
0.4 mi·50 sec·Zion Road
2
Turn left onto PA 64
0.1 mi·10 sec·East College Avenue
3
Continue on PA 64
11 mi·17 min·Nittany Valley Drive
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·50 sec
5
Merge onto I 80; US 220
103 mi·1 hr 53 min·Keystone Shortway
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward PA 940, PATP, I 476: Wilkes-Barre, Allentown
Exit 352Toward PA 132: Street RoadUse the slight right lane.
13
Turn left onto PA 132
4.0 mi·6 min·Street Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
At end of road, turn left onto State Road
1.6 mi·2 min·State Road
Use the left lane.
15
Arrive at destination
State Road
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 4-hour drive, consider departing in the morning to avoid any potential afternoon traffic, especially as you approach Croydon. With only one recommended stop and a manageable fuel cost of around $35, you have flexibility in pacing. Pay attention to the transition from the Keystone Shortway to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and then the main Pennsylvania Turnpike, as road types change. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, particularly before entering longer stretches where services might be less frequent.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 107.7 miles from Zion, PA, or about 2h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 103 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 47 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 107.7 miles or 2h 4m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Croydon, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Zion, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Zion, PA
This is one driving day of about 215.3 miles and 4h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Zion, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Keystone Shortway for about 103 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 115.3 and 213.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
115.3 mi into trip|~2h 12m in
Take the exit toward PA 940, PATP, I 476: Wilkes-Barre, Allentown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward PA 940, PATP, I 476: Wilkes-Barre, Allen...
6
116.2 mi into trip|~2h 14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 476 South: Allentown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 476 South: Allentown
6
191.1 mi into trip|~3h 35m in
Take the exit toward I 276 East: New Jersey
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 276 East: New Jersey
7
209.4 mi into trip|~3h 55m in
Take the exit toward PA 132: Street Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 352
Toward PA 132: Street Road
7
213.8 mi into trip|~4h 3m in|State Road
At end of road, turn left onto State Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.33 one way
$68.66 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg75 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$37.99
$75.98
premium
$4.81
$40.75
$81.51
diesel
$4.80
$40.65
$81.31
Estimated Tolls: $12.03
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(92.6 mi)$12.03
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Tolls
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
64.6
0
$22.61
$10.33
Efficient EV
53.8
0
$18.84
$8.61
EV Truck/SUV
86.1
1
$30.14
$13.78
Gas CO2
75 kg
EV CO2
25 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.
Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Zion, PA
Afternoon
in Zion on Sunday
Local time
1:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
W 3 to 12 mph83% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 18 at 6:45PM EDT until July 18 at 7:45PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 18 at 6:44PM EDT until July 18 at 7:30PM EDT by NWS Pittsburgh PA
Destination
Croydon, PA
Afternoon
in Croydon on Sunday
Local time
1:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Patchy Smoke then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
W 10 mph99% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 18 at 6:45PM EDT until July 18 at 7:45PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 18 at 6:44PM EDT until July 18 at 7:30PM EDT by NWS Pittsburgh PA
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
8 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
4h 6m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Valley Forge National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Valley Forge is the place where George Washington and the Continental Army took refuge during the winter of 1777-1778. Today the park protects 3,500 acres of meadows, woodlands, historic landscapes, a...
9 mi from route
~23 min detour
Free
near mile 185.6
The park represents the founding ideals of the nation, and preserves national and international symbols of freedom and democracy, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The Declaration of I...
Visit the house where wounded Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko lived and hear how this brilliant military engineer designed successful fortifications during the American Revolution. See the...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 193
Famous as the First State to ratify the Constitution, Delaware was born out of a conflict among three world powers for dominance of the Delaware Valley. From this beginning, the region developed a dis...
26 mi from route
~65 min detour
Free
near mile 193
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is 43% highway, with a significant 103-mile stretch on the Keystone Shortway before transitioning to mixed highway and surface road driving. You'll experience periods of continuous highway travel followed by more varied road conditions. Expect to encounter a higher density of exits and potential merging traffic as you get closer to your destination, a common characteristic of routes leading into more populated areas.
43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 103 mi on Keystone Shortway.
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 115.3 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 215.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 115.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 116.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 191.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,594 ft26 ft
Total Climb
1,680 ft
Total Descent
2,669 ft
Highest Point
1,594 ft
~123 mi in
Elevation Range
1,568 ft
Notable High Points
1,482 ft at ~30.8 miles+636 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Zion, PA and Croydon, PA, road signs point toward Patp and Allentown.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 6m. Total distance: 215.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 103 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $12.03 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.
Yes — we found about 20 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Croydon, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 20 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 115.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 116.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 191.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Valley Forge National Historical Park, Independence National Historical Park and Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Croydon, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
