Trip from Bethlehem, PA to Manchester, PA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 44m

Distance

291.3 mi

469 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$48

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

5h 31m ★

6 AM

5h 45m

8 AM

6h 11m

10 AM

5h 54m

12 PM

5h 51m

3 PM

5h 55m

5 PM

6h 10m

8 PM

5h 37m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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city in Lehigh and Northampton counties, Pennsylvania, USA

Bethlehem, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Manchester, PA

Mylo Kaye

Trip Overview

The drive from Bethlehem, PA to Manchester, PA covers 291.3 miles and takes about 5h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Pennsylvania Turnpike, William Penn Highway, I 81 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 170.5 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $48.29 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

145.6 miles from Bethlehem, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 57m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Pennsylvania Turnpike	170.5 mi	3h 7m
William Penn Highway	43.1 mi	51m
I 81	36.6 mi	44m
Penn-Lincoln Parkway East	14.2 mi	19m
Lehigh Valley Thruway	9.8 mi	13m
78th Division Highway	7.6 mi	8m
Bethlehem Spur Route	2.3 mi	3m
Harrisburg Pike	1 mi	2m

Longest stretch: Pennsylvania Turnpike — 170.5 mi, about 3h 7m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bethlehem, PA and Manchester, PA.

Start on Linden Street

367 ft · 13 sec · Linden Street

Turn right onto East Union Boulevard

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Union Boulevard

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec

Merge onto PA 378

2.3 mi · 3 min · Bethlehem Spur Route

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min

Toward US 22 West: Allentown Use the slight left lane.

Merge onto US 22

9.8 mi · 13 min · Lehigh Valley Thruway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 78; US 22

43 mi · 51 min · William Penn Highway

Use the straight lane.

Continue on I 78; US 22

7.6 mi · 8 min · 78th Division Highway

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 49 sec

Exit 1B Toward I 81 South: Harrisburg

Merge onto I 81

37 mi · 44 min · I 81

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 48 sec

Exit 52 Toward US 11: New Kingstown, Middlesex Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight right at fork

201 ft · 7 sec

Toward US 11 South Use the right lane.

Merge onto US 11

1.0 mi · 2 min · Harrisburg Pike

Use the straight / right lanes.

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward I 76, PATP

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 37 sec

Toward I 76 West: Pittsburgh Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto I 76; PATP

171 mi · 3 hr 7 min · Pennsylvania Turnpike

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 2 min

Exit 57 Toward I 376 West, US 22: Pittsburgh, Monroeville Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 23 sec

Toward US 22 Business, I 376 West, US 22 West: Monroeville, Pittsburgh

Keep slight right at fork

353 ft · 8 sec

Toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh

Merge onto I 376; US 22

14 mi · 19 min · Penn-Lincoln Parkway East

Use the slight left lane.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec

Exit 70C Toward I 279 North: Fort Duquesne Bridge, North Shore Use the slight right lane.

Continue on I 279

0.2 mi · 21 sec · I 279

Take the exit

345 ft · 7 sec

Exit 1B-C Toward US 19, PA 65 North: North Shore, Ohio River Boulevard

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 48 sec

Exit 1B Toward North Shore Use the slight left / straight lanes.

Turn straight onto Reedsdale Street

352 ft · 14 sec · Reedsdale Street

Turn right onto Allegheny Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Allegheny Avenue

Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue

72 ft · 1 sec · Pennsylvania Avenue

Arrive at destination

Pennsylvania Avenue

Trip Plan

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 145.6 miles from Bethlehem, PA, or about 2h 57m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 170.5 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 64 miles or 1h 20m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 145.6 miles or 2h 57m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 39m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Manchester, PA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Bethlehem, 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 Bethlehem, PA

This is one driving day of about 291.3 miles and 5h 44m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 miles from Bethlehem, 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 Pennsylvania Turnpike for about 170.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hancock, MD

146 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

North Bel Air, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 64 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hancock, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 145.6 miles from Bethlehem, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Pennsylvania Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 170.5 miles.

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

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Near the end, short detour

1.4 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20 mile 291.3

Hours: 10:30 am–12 pm

+14122611599

Visit website

Kiku Japanese Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1.7 mi

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1.8 mi

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

1.4 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20 mile 291.3

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 10:30 am–12 pm

+14122611599

Visit website

Kiku Japanese Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour $20 to $30 mile 291.3

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 12–2 pm

+14127653200

Visit website

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.8 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20 mile 291.3

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 8 am–12 pm

+14122632142

Visit website

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 291.3

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~10 min detour

4.1 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 270.5

Monroeville, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Cochran Charging Station

3.0 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the end, ~10 min detour

4.1 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 291.3

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

EVgo Charging Station

3.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, ~12 min detour

4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour mile 270.5

Monroeville, Pennsylvania

+18774943833

Visit website

Applegreen Electric Charging Station

Near the end, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 249.7

Hunker, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18885577099

Visit website

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.8 mi from route ~5 min detour

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 23

5 decision points cluster between mile 102.1 and 290.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

102.1 mi into trip | ~2h 6m in

Take the exit toward US 11: New Kingstown, Middlesex

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 52 Toward US 11: New Kingstown, Middlesex

102.3 mi into trip | ~2h 7m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 11 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward US 11 South

274.6 mi into trip | ~5h 18m in

Take the exit toward I 376 West, US 22: Pittsburgh, Monroeville

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 57 Toward I 376 West, US 22: Pittsburgh, Monroevil...

289.6 mi into trip | ~5h 41m in

Take the exit toward I 279 North: Fort Duquesne Bridge, North Shore

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 70C Toward I 279 North: Fort Duquesne Bridge, North...

290.3 mi into trip | ~5h 42m in

Keep slight left at fork toward North Shore

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Exit 1B Toward North Shore

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$48.29 one way

$96.59 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 102 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.61	$52.89	$105.79
premium	$4.93	$56.49	$112.99
diesel	$5.61	$64.32	$128.63

Estimated Tolls: $22.86

Pennsylvania Turnpike (170.5 mi) $22.17

Lehigh Valley Thruway (9.8 mi) $0.69

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

$48

Tolls

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$96–$121

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 101.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	87.4	1	$30.59	$13.98
Efficient EV	72.8	0	$25.49	$11.65
EV Truck/SUV	116.5	1	$40.78	$18.64

Gas CO2

102 kg

EV CO2

34 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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

Bethlehem, PA

Afternoon in Bethlehem on Saturday

Local time

4:43 PM

EDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Manchester, PA

Afternoon in Manchester on Saturday

Local time

4:43 PM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

54°F

Hancock, MD

146 mi in

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

6 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

5h 44m 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.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

National Scenic Trail

The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...

3 mi from route ~7 min detour Free near mile 60.3

Park Closure: List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene

Caution: Black Bears Frequenting the McAfee Knob Area in Virginia

View on nps.gov

Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument

National Monument

More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...

5 mi from route ~12 min detour Free near mile 100.4

View on nps.gov

Flight 93 National Memorial

National Memorial

On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...

6 mi from route ~15 min detour Free near mile 210.9

View on nps.gov

Fort Necessity National Battlefield

National Battlefield

The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal...

23 mi from route ~58 min detour Free near mile 241.1

View on nps.gov

Johnstown Flood National Memorial

National Memorial

The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...

25 mi from route ~62 min detour Free near mile 190.8

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

291.3 mi in 5h 44m, mostly highway — 170.5 mi of that is on Pennsylvania Turnpike.

76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 170.5 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and William Penn Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 102.1 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 23 significant decision points across 291.3 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 102.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 102.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 274.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Bethlehem, PA and Manchester, PA, road signs point toward Middlesex, Patp, Monroeville and Pittsburgh.

Middlesex

102.1 mi in | ~2h 6m

Patp

103.3 mi in | ~2h 9m

Monroeville

274.6 mi in | ~5h 18m

Pittsburgh

275.2 mi in | ~5h 21m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 44m. Total distance: 291.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 170.5 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $22.86 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.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

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 Manchester, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

Yes — Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument and Flight 93 National Memorial (5 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 5.7 hours each way, a round trip means 11.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Manchester, PA before the return drive.

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.

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Return Trip

Manchester, PA to Bethlehem, PA

Plan the drive back the other way.

291.7 mi 5h 46m

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Trip from Bethlehem, PA to Manchester, PA

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Nearby Places

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

Kiku Japanese Restaurant

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

J & J's Family Restaurant & Catering

Grand Concourse

KAVSAR RESTAURANT

La Tavola Italiana Restaurant

The Village

Autel Charging Station

ChargePoint Charging Station

Cochran Charging Station

EVgo Charging Station

Applegreen Electric Charging Station

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

ChargePoint Charging Station

Tesla Destination Charger

Lehigh Millennium Folk Arch and Art Enclave

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Bethlehem, PA

Manchester, PA

Same local time

6 degrees cooler at arrival

5h 44m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument

Flight 93 National Memorial

Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Johnstown Flood National Memorial

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

How do I pay the tolls on this route?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Are there national parks near this route?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

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