Origin
North Wales, PA
Evening in North Wales on Sunday
Local time
7:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Wales, PA to Philadelphia, PA
Drive Time
41m
Distance
22.3 mi
36 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Wales, PA
Lisa from Pexels
Philadelphia, PA
Samyantak Mohanty
Trip Overview
Traveling from North Wales to Philadelphia covers 27.2 miles and typically takes about 46 minutes under normal conditions. Because this is a relatively short trip within the Northeast, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion. You won't need to worry about overnight logistics or heavy travel planning for this quick connection. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, the journey is quite economical for local commuters or weekend visitors. It functions as a straightforward transition from the suburbs into the heart of the city, making it an ideal route for those looking to reach their destination without a major time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
11.2 miles from North Wales, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 19m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate experience on this route. Since the highway share is 0%, you will spend the entire 46-minute duration navigating local roads. This profile means your focus will be on stop-and-go traffic and navigating intersections rather than maintaining a steady cruise on a highway. The road's personality is defined by its suburban-to-urban transition, requiring more active attention behind the wheel than a typical open-road drive. You should anticipate a constant pace as you maneuver through the local corridors connecting the two Pennsylvania locations.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Fort Washington Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Main Street.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 22.3 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: near the start (South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 16.9 miles (Old York Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Main Street
Turn left onto South Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
4.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward PA 309 South
Navigation decision point
Toward PA 309 South
4
16.9 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
Old York Road
Turn right onto Old York Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
22.1 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
PA 611 / North 15th Street
Turn left onto PA 611 / North 15th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
22.3 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
South Penn Square
Keep slight left at fork onto South Penn Square
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Washington Expressway | 7 mi | 9m |
| Ogontz Avenue | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| South Sumneytown Pike | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| North 12th Street | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Old York Road | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Norristown Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Fort Washington Fort Washington Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Germantown Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Fort Washington Expressway
— 7 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Wales, PA and Philadelphia, PA.
1
Start on US 202 Alternate Truck
18 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Walnut Street
2
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
3
Continue on South Sumneytown Pike
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
South Sumneytown Pike
4
Continue on Norristown Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Norristown Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward PA 309 South
6
Merge onto PA 309
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Fort Washington Expressway
7
Continue on PA 309
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Fort Washington Fort Washington Expressway
8
Continue on PA 309
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Fort Washington Expressway
9
Continue on PA 309
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Limekiln Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on PA 309
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Ogontz Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on Belfield Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Belfield Avenue
12
Turn right onto Old York Road
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Old York Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn slight right onto Rising Sun Avenue
185 ft
·
7 sec
·
Rising Sun Avenue
14
Turn left onto Germantown Avenue
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Germantown Avenue
15
Turn right onto West Lehigh Avenue
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
West Lehigh Avenue
16
Turn left onto North 12th Street
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
North 12th Street
17
Turn right onto Callowhill Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Callowhill Street
18
Turn left onto PA 611
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
North Broad Street
19
Turn slight right onto PA 611
49 ft
·
0 sec
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Use the right lane.
20
Turn left onto PA 611
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
North 15th Street
Use the left lane.
21
Turn slight left onto PA 611
379 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Penn Square
22
Keep slight left at fork onto South Penn Square
167 ft
·
2 sec
·
South Penn Square
23
Arrive at destination
South Penn Square
Trip Plan
Since this is a compact 27.2-mile drive, you have the advantage of total flexibility in your departure timing. You won't need to plan for intermediate stops, as the duration is short enough to drive in one go. Keep in mind that as a local, turn-heavy route, your travel time may fluctuate significantly based on local traffic density. Before you head out, double-check your navigation for any temporary construction or road closures that often impact local thoroughfares. Staying alert for frequent turns is the best way to ensure a smooth arrival in Philadelphia.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 11.2 miles from North Wales, PA, or about 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 7 miles.
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 22.3 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 11.2 miles or 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Philadelphia, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving North Wales, 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 North Wales, PA
This is one driving day of about 22.3 miles and 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from North Wales, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Fort Washington Expressway for about 7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 11.2 mi from North Wales, PA · 19m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
11 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 22.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 11.2 miles from North Wales, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Philadelphia, PA
The final approach into Philadelphia, 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 Philadelphia, PA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.69 one way
$7.38 round trip
$4.20/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $4.04 | $8.08 |
| premium | $4.92 | $4.32 | $8.64 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $4.95 | $9.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$29–$54
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.34 | $1.07 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.95 | $0.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.43 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Evening in Philadelphia on Sunday
Local time
7:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
17 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
41m 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 North Wales, PA to Philadelphia, PA covers 22.3 miles and takes about 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Fort Washington Expressway, Ogontz Avenue, South Sumneytown Pike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.2 miles from North Wales, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.69 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 22.3 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.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 16.9 miles (Old York Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from North Wales, PA to Philadelphia, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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