Origin
Palmer Heights, PA
Morning in Palmer Heights on Saturday
Local time
8:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palmer Heights, PA to Reading, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
49.8 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palmer Heights, PA
Michael Taccetta
Trip Overview
The drive from Palmer Heights, PA to Reading, PA covers 49.8 miles and takes about 1h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Lehigh Valley Thruway, Allentown Pike, US 222 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.7 miles on Lehigh Valley Thruway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.26 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 49.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m 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 1h 15m drive with frequent turns across 49.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Lehigh Valley Thruway is the longest continuous segment at about 19.7 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 around 0.6 miles in near Sales Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.8 miles you will encounter 17 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 0.6 miles (Sales Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.2 miles (US 222): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Sales Street
Turn left onto Sales Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
22.4 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward PA 100 South: Trexlertown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 49A
Toward PA 100 South: Trexlertown
6
31.2 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
US 222
Keep slight left at fork onto US 222
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
49.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Turn left onto US 422 Business / Franklin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
49.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
South 6th Street
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Valley Thruway | 19.7 mi | 26m |
| Allentown Pike | 6 mi | 10m |
| US 222 | 5.9 mi | 7m |
| Kutztown Road | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| North 5th Street Highway | 5 mi | 8m |
| Schantz Road | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| William Penn Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| PA 100 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Lehigh Valley Thruway
— 19.7 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palmer Heights, PA and Reading, PA.
1
Start on North Greenwood Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
North Greenwood Avenue
2
Turn left onto Northampton Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Northampton Street
3
Turn left onto Sales Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Sales Street
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
402 ft
·
18 sec
Toward US 22 West: Bethlehem
5
Merge onto US 22
20 mi
·
26 min
·
Lehigh Valley Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 78; US 22
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
William Penn Highway
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 49A
Toward PA 100 South: Trexlertown
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn straight onto PA 100
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
PA 100
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn right onto Schantz Road
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Schantz Road
10
Enter roundabout onto US 222
21 ft
·
0 sec
·
Hamilton Boulevard
11
Continue on US 222
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
·
Hamilton Boulevard
12
Continue on US 222
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Kutztown Road
13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 222
5.9 mi
·
7 min
·
US 222
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Enter roundabout onto US 222
110 ft
·
1 sec
·
Allentown Pike
15
Continue on US 222
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Allentown Pike
16
Continue on US 222
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Kutztown Road
17
Continue on US 222
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Allentown Pike
18
Enter roundabout onto US 222
97 ft
·
4 sec
·
Allentown Pike
19
Continue on US 222
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
Allentown Pike
20
Enter roundabout onto US 222
127 ft
·
5 sec
·
Allentown Pike
21
Continue on US 222
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Allentown Pike
Use the straight lane.
22
Continue on US 222
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
Kutztown Road
23
Continue on US 222
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
Allentown Pike
24
Continue on US 222 BUS
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Allentown Pike
25
Continue on US 222 BUS
5.0 mi
·
8 min
·
North 5th Street Highway
Use the straight lane.
26
Continue on US 222 BUS
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
South 5th Street
27
Turn left onto US 422 Business
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Franklin Street
Use the left lane.
28
Turn left onto South 6th Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
South 6th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
29
Turn left onto US 422 Business Alternate
278 ft
·
4 sec
·
Penn Street
30
Arrive at destination
US 422 Business Alternate
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.9 mi from Palmer Heights, PA · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.9 miles from Palmer Heights, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Reading, PA
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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.26 one way
$16.51 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.04 | $18.08 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.66 | $19.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.00 | $21.99 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.38
Lehigh Valley Thruway
(19.7 mi)
$1.38
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.23 | $2.39 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.97 | $3.19 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Reading, PA
Morning in Reading on Saturday
Local time
8:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Cloudy
E 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
56°F
Kutztown, PA
25 mi in
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
10 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 15m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Palmer Heights, PA to Reading, PA covers 49.8 miles and takes about 1h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Lehigh Valley Thruway, Allentown Pike, US 222. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.9 miles from Palmer Heights, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.26 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 49.8 miles you will encounter 17 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: at 0.6 miles (Sales Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.2 miles (US 222): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Palmer Heights, PA to Reading, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
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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