Origin
Catasauqua, PA
Afternoon in Catasauqua on Friday
Local time
1:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Catasauqua, PA to Reading, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
38 mi
61 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Catasauqua, PA
Haneul Trac
Trip Overview
Catasauqua to Reading is 38 miles and takes about 1 hour via Lehigh Valley Thruway, Allentown Pike, and US 222, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Pennsylvania, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a drive with frequent turns and a local feel rather than a long, open highway stretch. It's a straightforward hop that's easy to fit into any schedule, making it ideal for a quick day trip or a brief leg of a longer journey.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 38 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This drive is characterized as 'turn-heavy' and local, with only 17% of the route on highways. You'll navigate through several main roads, including the Lehigh Valley Thruway, Allentown Pike, and US 222. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.2 miles on the Lehigh Valley Thruway. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that involves more frequent adjustments and less sustained high-speed travel.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Lehigh Valley Thruway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 38 miles you will encounter 19 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 2.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.4 miles (US 222): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
2.3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward US 22 West: Harrisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward US 22 West: Harrisburg
7
10.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward PA 100 South: Trexlertown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 49A
Toward PA 100 South: Trexlertown
6
19.4 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
US 222
Keep slight left at fork onto US 222
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
37.7 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Turn left onto US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
37.8 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
South 6th Street
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Valley Thruway | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Allentown Pike | 6 mi | 10m |
| US 222 | 5.9 mi | 7m |
| Kutztown Road | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| North 5th Street Highway | 5 mi | 8m |
| Schantz Road | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| William Penn Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Pine Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Lehigh Valley Thruway
— 6.2 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Catasauqua, PA and Reading, PA.
1
Start on 2nd Street
364 ft
·
11 sec
·
2nd Street
2
Turn right onto Bridge Street
444 ft
·
23 sec
·
Bridge Street
3
Turn right onto Front Street
435 ft
·
21 sec
·
Front Street
4
Turn left onto Pine Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Pine Street
5
Turn right onto Main Street
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Main Street
6
Continue on Mickley Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Mickley Road
7
Turn left onto PA 145
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
MacArthur Road
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward US 22 West: Harrisburg
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto US 22
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Lehigh Valley Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 78; US 22
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
William Penn Highway
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 49A
Toward PA 100 South: Trexlertown
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn straight onto PA 100
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
PA 100
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto Schantz Road
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Schantz Road
14
Enter roundabout onto US 222
21 ft
·
0 sec
·
Hamilton Boulevard
15
Continue on US 222
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
·
Hamilton Boulevard
16
Continue on US 222
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Kutztown Road
17
Keep slight left at fork onto US 222
5.9 mi
·
7 min
·
US 222
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Enter roundabout onto US 222
110 ft
·
1 sec
·
Allentown Pike
19
Continue on US 222
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Allentown Pike
20
Continue on US 222
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Kutztown Road
21
Continue on US 222
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Allentown Pike
22
Enter roundabout onto US 222
97 ft
·
4 sec
·
Allentown Pike
23
Continue on US 222
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
Allentown Pike
24
Enter roundabout onto US 222
127 ft
·
5 sec
·
Allentown Pike
25
Continue on US 222
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Allentown Pike
Use the straight lane.
26
Continue on US 222
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
Kutztown Road
27
Continue on US 222
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
Allentown Pike
28
Continue on US 222 BUS
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Allentown Pike
29
Continue on US 222 BUS
5.0 mi
·
8 min
·
North 5th Street Highway
Use the straight lane.
30
Continue on US 222 BUS
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
South 5th Street
31
Turn left onto US 422 Business
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Franklin Street
Use the left lane.
32
Turn left onto South 6th Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
South 6th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
33
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate
278 ft
·
4 sec
·
Penn Street
34
Arrive at destination
US 422 Business Alternate
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19 mi from Catasauqua, PA · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19 miles from Catasauqua, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Reading, PA
The final approach into Reading, 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
$6.30 one way
$12.60 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.90 | $13.80 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.37 | $14.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.39 | $16.78 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.43
Lehigh Valley Thruway
(6.2 mi)
$0.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$0
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.99 | $1.82 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.32 | $2.43 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Reading, PA
Afternoon in Reading on Friday
Local time
1:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Kutztown, PA
19 mi in
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
4 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
1h 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 Catasauqua, PA to Reading, PA covers 38 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Lehigh Valley Thruway, Allentown Pike, US 222. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19 miles from Catasauqua, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.30 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 38 miles you will encounter 19 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 2.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.4 miles (US 222): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Catasauqua, PA to Reading, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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