Origin
Media, PA
Afternoon in Media on Saturday
Local time
3:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Media, PA to Bethlehem, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
58.5 mi
94 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Media, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Bethlehem, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Media, PA to Bethlehem, PA covers 58.5 miles and takes about 1h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, Mid-County Expressway, PA 378 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.3 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.70 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension | 24.3 mi | 26m |
| Mid-County Expressway | 14.4 mi | 19m |
| PA 378 | 5.6 mi | 9m |
| PA 309 | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| John Fries Highway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| State Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Portzer Road | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Center Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
— 24.3 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Media, PA and Bethlehem, PA.
1
Start on South Monroe Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Monroe Street
2
Continue on State Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
State Road
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward US 1 North
4
Merge onto US 1
305 ft
·
4 sec
·
Media Bypass
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 476: Plymouth Meeting, Chester
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 476 North
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Merge onto I 476
14 mi
·
19 min
·
Mid-County Expressway
9
Turn slight left onto I 476
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Mid-County Expressway
10
Continue on I 476; PATP
24 mi
·
26 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 44
Toward PA 663: Pottstown, Quakertown
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
227 ft
·
7 sec
Toward PA 663 North: Quakertown
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto PA 663
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
John Fries Highway
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto Portzer Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Portzer Road
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on Portzer Road
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
Portzer Road
16
At end of road, turn right onto West Pumping Station Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Pumping Station Road
17
Turn left onto PA 309
5.1 mi
·
8 min
·
PA 309
18
Take the exit
420 ft
·
10 sec
19
Continue on PA 378
5.6 mi
·
9 min
·
PA 378
20
Turn right onto PA 412
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Broadway
21
Turn right onto PA 412
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
West 3rd Street
22
Turn left onto Fahy Bridge
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Fahy Bridge
23
Turn right onto Center Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Center Street
24
Turn right onto East Goepp Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
East Goepp Street
25
Turn right onto Linden Street
57 ft
·
1 sec
·
Linden Street
26
Arrive at destination
Linden Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.2 miles from Media, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 205 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 41.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 476: Plymouth Meeting, Chester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 476: Plymouth Meeting, Chester
8
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Turn left toward I 476 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Toward I 476 North
8
41.3 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward PA 663: Pottstown, Quakertown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 44
Toward PA 663: Pottstown, Quakertown
7
41.8 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Keep slight left at fork toward PA 663 North: Quakertown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward PA 663 North: Quakertown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.70 one way
$19.40 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.62 | $21.24 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.35 | $22.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.92 | $25.83 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.16
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(24.3 mi)
$3.16
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$3
Total
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.14 | $2.81 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.12 | $2.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.4 | 0 | $8.19 | $3.74 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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 Saturday
Local time
3:58 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
20 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 23m 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?
58.5 mi in 1h 23m, mostly highway — 24.3 mi of that is on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.3 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and Mid-County Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.5 miles you will encounter 20 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 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Media, PA to Bethlehem, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Quakertown along the way.
Quakertown
41.3 mi in
|
~51m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 58.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.3 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.16 in tolls one way, starting with Pennsylvania Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Bethlehem, 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 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Valley Forge National Historical Park, Independence National Historical Park and Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial (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 Bethlehem, 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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