Origin
Jackson, PA
Night in Jackson on Friday
Local time
10:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 15m
Distance
94 mi
151 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jackson, PA
RDNE Stock project
The drive from Jackson, PA to Reading, PA covers 94 miles and takes about 2h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on State Route 54, Center Avenue, Pottsville Pike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.1 miles on State Route 54. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.58 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
47 miles from Jackson, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 11m into the drive .
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 15m. Total distance: 94 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 2h 15m drive with frequent turns across 94 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5 miles in near PA 254 / Rohrsburg Road.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 94 miles you will encounter 11 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 5 miles (PA 254 / Rohrsburg Road): Navigation decision point; at 12.5 miles (PA 44; PA 642 / Danville Road): Navigation decision point; at 20.7 miles (PA 54 / Continental Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto PA 254 / Rohrsburg Road
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto PA 44; PA 642 / Danville Road
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto PA 54 / Continental Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto PA 54 / Elysburg Road
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Route 54 | 11.1 mi | 13m |
| Center Avenue | 10.6 mi | 12m |
| Pottsville Pike | 10.2 mi | 12m |
| Elysburg Road | 9.7 mi | 11m |
| Sunbury Road | 9.4 mi | 11m |
| Jerseytown Road | 7.6 mi | 13m |
| Rohrsburg Road | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| Eagle Road | 4.5 mi | 10m |
Step-by-step road directions between Jackson, PA and Reading, PA.
Start on Derrs Road
Continue on Eagle Road
Turn right onto PA 254
Continue on PA 254
Continue on PA 254
Continue on PA 254
Turn left onto PA 44; PA 642
Keep slight right at fork onto PA 642
Continue on PA 642
Turn left onto PA 54
Continue on PA 54
Continue on PA 54
Turn left onto PA 54
Continue on PA 54
Continue on PA 901
Continue on PA 901
Continue on PA 901
Continue on PA 901
Turn right onto PA 901
Turn right onto PA 901
Continue on PA 901
Turn left onto PA 183
Turn right onto PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Continue on PA 61
Turn left onto US 422 Business
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 21 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47 miles or 1h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Reading, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Jackson, 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 Jackson, PA
This is one driving day of about 94 miles and 2h 15m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 47 mi from Jackson, PA · 1h 11m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
47 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.
A short stop after about 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 47 miles from Jackson, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Reading, PA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$15.58 one way
$31.17 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $17.07 | $34.14 |
| premium | $4.93 | $18.23 | $36.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $20.75 | $41.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 28.2 | 0 | $9.87 | $4.51 |
| Efficient EV | 23.5 | 0 | $8.23 | $3.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 37.6 | 0 | $13.16 | $6.02 |
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Jackson on Friday
Local time
10:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Destination
Night in Reading on Friday
Local time
10:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Mostly Sunny
45°F
Tremont, PA
47 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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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