Origin
Claymont, DE
Morning in Claymont on Friday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Claymont, DE to Smyrna, DE
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
44.6 mi
72 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Claymont, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Smyrna, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Claymont, DE to Smyrna, DE covers 44.6 miles and takes about 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, Delaware Turnpike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 26.2 miles on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.39 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 44.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 54m drive with frequent turns across 44.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 26.2 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 early in the drive near US 13 / Philadelphia 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 11 decision points packed into just 44.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 13 / Philadelphia Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (I 495 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 13 / Philadelphia Pike
Turn right onto US 13 / Philadelphia Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 495 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 495 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
14.6 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward DE 1 South, DE 7 South: Mall Road, Dover, Beaches
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4A
Toward DE 1 South, DE 7 South: Mall Road, Dover...
6
15.2 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight left at fork toward DE 1 South: Dover, Beaches
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward DE 1 South: Dover, Beaches
6
26 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Claymont, DE and Smyrna, DE, road signs point toward Dover and Beaches.
Dover
14.6 mi in
|
~17m
Beaches
14.6 mi in
|
~17m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 26.2 mi | 30m |
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway | 10.3 mi | 11m |
| Delaware Turnpike | 2 mi | 2m |
| Wilmington Expressway | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| South Dupont Parkway | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| North Dupont Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Philadelphia Pike | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East South Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 26.2 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Claymont, DE and Smyrna, DE.
1
Start on US 13
124 ft
·
4 sec
·
Governor Printz Boulevard
2
Turn right onto US 13
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Philadelphia Pike
Use the right lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 495 South: Port of Wilmington, Newark, Baltimore, Delaware Memorial Bridge
4
Merge onto I 495
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 95; US 202
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilmington Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 95
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Delaware Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 4A
Toward DE 1 South, DE 7 South: Mall Road, Dover, Beaches
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
58 sec
Toward DE 1 South: Dover, Beaches
9
Merge onto DE 1
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward US 13: Rest Area
13
Turn left onto US 13
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Dupont Parkway
14
Continue on US 13
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Dupont Boulevard
15
Turn right onto East South Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
East South Street
16
Arrive at destination
East South Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.3 mi from Claymont, DE · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.3 miles from Claymont, DE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Smyrna, DE
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Smyrna, DE if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.39 one way
$14.79 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.10 | $16.20 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.65 | $17.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.85 | $19.69 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.14
Delaware Turnpike
(2 mi)
$0.14
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$0
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.68 | $2.14 |
| Efficient EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.90 | $1.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.24 | $2.85 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Smyrna, DE
Morning in Smyrna on Friday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°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
14 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
54m 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 Claymont, DE to Smyrna, DE covers 44.6 miles and takes about 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, Delaware Turnpike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.3 miles from Claymont, DE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.39 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 is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 44.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 13 / Philadelphia Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (I 495 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Claymont, DE and Smyrna, DE, road signs point toward Dover and Beaches.
Yes. Nearby national parks include First State National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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