Origin
Chester Heights, PA
Afternoon in Chester Heights on Saturday
Local time
3:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chester Heights, PA to Philadelphia, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
20.4 mi
33 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chester Heights, PA
Michael Taccetta
Philadelphia, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Chester Heights, PA to Philadelphia, PA is 20.4 miles and takes about 40m via Media Bypass and Baltimore Pike, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, local drive primarily within Pennsylvania's Northeast region. Expect a turn-heavy experience, making it a good option for a quick trip where you don't need to plan for overnight stays. The relatively low fuel cost also makes it an economical choice for getting from point A to point B within the local area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Media Bypass | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| State Road | 4.1 mi | 8m |
| Baltimore Pike | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| Lansdowne Avenue | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| Schuylkill Expressway | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Girard Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| South State Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Vine Street Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Media Bypass
— 4.1 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chester Heights, PA and Philadelphia, PA.
1
Start on this road
59 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Valleybrook Road
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
Valleybrook Road
3
Turn right onto US 1
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Baltimore Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Media Bypass
Toward US 1 North: Springfield
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on US 1
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
State Road
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on State Road
2.2 mi
·
5 min
·
State Road
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on South State Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South State Road
8
Continue on North State Road
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
North State Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Continue on Lansdowne Avenue
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Lansdowne Avenue
10
Merge onto US 30; US 1 Alternate Truck
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Lancaster Avenue
11
Turn left onto US 30; US 1 Alternate Truck
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
West Girard Avenue
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 30; US 1 Alternate Truck
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Girard Avenue
13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 30
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
West Girard Avenue
14
Take the exit onto US 30
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
US 30
Toward I 76 East, US 30 East: Central Philadelphia
15
Merge onto I 76
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Schuylkill Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 676; US 30
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Vine Street Expressway
Toward I 676 East, US 30 East: Central Philadelphia
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward Central Philadelphia
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork
313 ft
·
11 sec
Toward 15th Street, Central Philadelphia
Use the slight right lane.
19
Turn right onto North 15th Street
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
North 15th Street
Use the right lane.
20
Turn slight left onto PA 611
379 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Penn Square
21
Keep slight left at fork onto South Penn Square
167 ft
·
2 sec
·
South Penn Square
22
Arrive at destination
South Penn Square
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 19.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 1 / Baltimore Pike
Turn right onto US 1 / Baltimore Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
3.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 1 / Media Bypass
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1 / Media Bypass toward US 1 North: Springfield
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 1 North: Springfield
7
17.3 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
US 30
Take the exit onto US 30 toward I 76 East, US 30 East: Central Philadelphia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 76 East, US 30 East: Central Philadelp...
8
18.9 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
I 676; US 30 / Vine Street Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 676; US 30 / Vine Street Expressway toward I 676 East, US 30 East: Central Philadelphia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward I 676 East, US 30 East: Central Philadel...
9
19.8 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 15th Street, Central Philadelphia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward 15th Street, Central Philadelphia
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.38 one way
$6.76 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.70 | $7.41 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.96 | $7.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.50 | $9.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.14 | $0.98 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.78 | $0.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Philadelphia, PA
Afternoon in Philadelphia on Saturday
Local time
3:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
1 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
40m 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 drive is characterized as a turn-heavy local route, with only 12% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a mix of local roads, including State Road and Baltimore Pike, which will require your attention. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 4.1 miles on Media Bypass. This means frequent turns and changes in road type are to be expected, so staying alert and navigating carefully will be key to a smooth journey.
Only 12% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.1 mi on Media Bypass.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 0.5 miles in near US 1 / Baltimore Pike.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 20.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (US 1 / Baltimore Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (US 1 / Media Bypass): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.3 miles (US 30): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 20.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.1 miles on Media Bypass. 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 Philadelphia, 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 0.5 miles (US 1 / Baltimore Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (US 1 / Media Bypass): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.3 miles (US 30): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Independence National Historical Park, Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial and First State National Historical Park (4 total within detour distance). 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 Philadelphia, PA before heading back.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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