Origin
Chester, PA
Afternoon in Chester on Friday
Local time
2:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chester, PA to Bethlehem, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
72.7 mi
117 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chester, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Bethlehem, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Chester, PA to Bethlehem, PA covers 72.7 miles and takes about 1h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Madison Street, East 9th Street, Morton Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.05 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 72.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 21m drive with frequent turns across 72.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Madison Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Chester, PA to Bethlehem, PA is easy. At 1h 21m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chester, PA to Bethlehem, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Madison Street | — | — |
| East 9th Street | — | — |
| Morton Avenue | — | — |
| Chestnut Street | — | — |
| I 476 North | — | — |
| Delaware Expressway | — | — |
| Mid-County Expressway | — | — |
| Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Madison Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chester, PA and Bethlehem, PA.
1
Start on East 5th Street
272 ft
·
17 sec
·
East 5th Street
2
Turn left onto Madison Street
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Madison Street
3
Turn right onto East 9th Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
East 9th Street
4
Turn left onto Morton Avenue
423 ft
·
17 sec
·
Morton Avenue
5
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Chestnut Street
6
Take the ramp right toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
7
Merge slight left onto Delaware Expressway
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Delaware Expressway
8
Take the exit slight right toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
9
Keep slight left to continue on I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
10
Continue on Mid-County Expressway
19 mi
·
26 min
·
Mid-County Expressway
11
Turn slight left onto Mid-County Expressway
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
Mid-County Expressway
12
Continue on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
24 mi
·
26 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
13
Take the exit slight right toward PA 663: Pottstown, Quakertown
0.5 mi
·
2 min
·
PA 663: Pottstown, Quakertown
14
Keep slight left to continue on PA 663 North: Quakertown
226 ft
·
8 sec
·
PA 663 North: Quakertown
15
Turn left onto John Fries Highway
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
John Fries Highway
16
Turn left onto Portzer Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Portzer Road
17
Exit the roundabout onto Portzer Road
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Portzer Road
18
At the end of the road, turn right onto West Pumping Station Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Pumping Station Road
19
Turn left
5.1 mi
·
8 min
20
Take the exit slight right
420 ft
·
11 sec
21
Continue straight
5.6 mi
·
9 min
22
Turn right onto Broadway
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Broadway
23
Turn right onto West 3rd Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
West 3rd Street
24
Turn left onto Fahy Bridge
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Fahy Bridge
25
Turn right onto Center Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Center Street
26
Turn right onto East Goepp Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
East Goepp Street
27
Turn right onto Linden Street
56 ft
·
1 sec
·
Linden Street
28
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 36.4 mi from Chester, PA · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.4 miles from Chester, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bethlehem, PA
The final approach into Bethlehem, 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
$12.05 one way
$24.11 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $13.20 | $26.40 |
| premium | $4.93 | $14.10 | $28.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.05 | $32.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.63 | $3.49 |
| Efficient EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.36 | $2.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.1 | 0 | $10.18 | $4.65 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (64% 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
Bethlehem, PA
Afternoon in Bethlehem on Friday
Local time
2:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°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
8 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 21m 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 Chester, PA to Bethlehem, PA covers 72.7 miles and takes about 1h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Madison Street, East 9th Street, Morton Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 36.4 miles from Chester, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.05 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.
The drive from Chester, PA to Bethlehem, PA is easy. At 1h 21m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chester, PA to Bethlehem, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Chester, PA to Bethlehem, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Bethlehem, PA
More trips to Bethlehem, PA
Explore more options from Chester, PA or browse trips ending in Bethlehem, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.