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Trip from Allentown, PA to Willow Grove, PA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 5m

Distance

53.9 mi

87 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
1h 0m ★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

county seat city in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States

Allentown, PA

Wikimedia Commons

census-designated place in Pennsylvania, USA

Willow Grove, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This relatively short drive from Allentown, PA to Willow Grove, PA covers 53.9 miles and is expected to take about 1 hour and 5 minutes. It's a straightforward, single-day trip, so no overnight stays are necessary. You'll primarily be on I-476 South, also known as the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, though a significant portion involves local roads. With an estimated fuel cost of $9, this trip is quite budget-friendly. The journey stays within the Northeast region, offering a familiar drive through Pennsylvania.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 53.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this trip, with a highway share of 0%. While I-476 South is part of the main arteries, the route incorporates numerous local road segments. You won't encounter long stretches of continuous highway driving. The character of the road will shift frequently, requiring your attention to navigation and local traffic patterns as you transition between different road types. This dynamic means you'll be actively engaged with the driving experience throughout the 53.9-mile journey.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension is the longest continuous segment at about 36.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and Pennsylvania Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.9 miles you will encounter 9 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 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles (I 476; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
4.9 mi into trip | ~8m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 476 South: Philadelphia

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward I 476 South: Philadelphia
5
5.3 mi into trip | ~9m in | I 476; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension

Merge onto I 476; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
42.2 mi into trip | ~48m 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
8
51.6 mi into trip | ~59m in

Take the exit toward PA 611: Doylestown, Jenkintown, Willow Grove

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 343 Toward PA 611: Doylestown, Jenkintown, Willow G...
8
52.2 mi into trip | ~1h in

Keep slight left at fork toward PA 611 South: Willow Grove, Abington

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward PA 611 South: Willow Grove, Abington

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Allentown, PA to Willow Grove, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Patp along the way.

Patp

4.5 mi in | ~7m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension 36.9 mi 39m
Pennsylvania Turnpike 9.1 mi 9m
Tilghman Street 4.5 mi 7m
Easton Road 1.4 mi 3m
Longest stretch: Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension — 36.9 mi, about 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Allentown, PA and Willow Grove, PA.

1

Start on Tilghman Street

4.5 mi · 7 min · Tilghman Street
2

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 1 min
Toward I 476, PATP
3

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Toward I 476 South: Philadelphia Use the right lane.
4

Merge onto I 476; PATP

37 mi · 39 min · Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward I 276 East: New Jersey Use the right lane.
6

Merge onto I 276; PATP

9.1 mi · 9 min · Pennsylvania Turnpike
7

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 343 Toward PA 611: Doylestown, Jenkintown, Willow Grove Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward PA 611 South: Willow Grove, Abington Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9

Merge onto PA 611

1.4 mi · 3 min · Easton Road
10

Turn left

65 ft · 4 sec
11

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 27 mi from Allentown, PA · 32m into the drive

Downtown Harleysville, PA, PA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Harleysville, PA

27 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

Macungie, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Harleysville, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27 miles from Allentown, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Willow Grove, PA

The final approach into Willow Grove, PA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.94 one way

$17.87 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $9.79 $19.57
premium $4.93 $10.45 $20.91
diesel $5.61 $11.90 $23.80

Estimated Tolls: $5.98

Pennsylvania Turnpike (46 mi) $5.98

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Tolls

$6

Total

$15

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.2 0 $5.66 $2.59
Efficient EV 13.5 0 $4.72 $2.16
EV Truck/SUV 21.6 0 $7.55 $3.45

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Allentown, PA

Afternoon in Allentown on Friday

Local time

1:14 PM

EDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Willow Grove, PA

Afternoon in Willow Grove on Friday

Local time

1:14 PM

EDT

Current temp

46°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

2 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 5m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Allentown, PA to Willow Grove, PA covers 53.9 miles and takes about 1h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, Pennsylvania Turnpike, Tilghman Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 27 miles from Allentown, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.94 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.9 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

The main spots that need attention: at 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles (I 476; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

On the drive from Allentown, PA to Willow Grove, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Patp along the way.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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