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Trip from Reading, PA to Forest City, PA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 39m

Distance

126.4 mi

203 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min
4 AM
2h 29m ★
6 AM
2h 39m
8 AM
3h 0m
10 AM
2h 47m
12 PM
2h 44m
3 PM
2h 48m
5 PM
2h 59m
8 PM
2h 33m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Forest City, PA, PA

Forest City, PA

Nino Souza

Trip Overview

The drive from Reading, PA to Forest City, PA covers 126.4 miles and takes about 2h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North 5th Street, Centre Avenue, Pottsville Pike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.96 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.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

63.2 miles from Reading, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 19m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 39m. Total distance: 126.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 39m drive with frequent turns across 126.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North 5th Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Reading, PA to Forest City, PA is easy. At 2h 39m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Reading, PA to Forest City, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North 5th Street
Centre Avenue
Pottsville Pike
South Centre Avenue
Shoemaker Avenue
South 4th Street
Centre Turnpike
Route 61 South

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: North 5th Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Reading, PA and Forest City, PA.

1

Start on Penn Street

279 ft · 9 sec · Penn Street
2

Turn right onto North 5th Street

0.5 mi · 56 sec · North 5th Street
3

Turn slight left onto Centre Avenue

3.0 mi · 4 min · Centre Avenue
4

Continue on Pottsville Pike

4.7 mi · 6 min · Pottsville Pike
5

Continue on South Centre Avenue

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Centre Avenue
6

Continue on Pottsville Pike

3.2 mi · 3 min · Pottsville Pike
7

Continue on Shoemaker Avenue

0.6 mi · 44 sec · Shoemaker Avenue
8

Continue on Pottsville Pike

2.3 mi · 2 min · Pottsville Pike
9

Continue on South 4th Street

0.3 mi · 19 sec · South 4th Street
10

Continue on Pottsville Pike

4.2 mi · 5 min · Pottsville Pike
11

Continue on Centre Turnpike

11 mi · 12 min · Centre Turnpike
12

Continue on Route 61 South

3.0 mi · 3 min · Route 61 South
13

Continue on Pottsville Boulevard

0.3 mi · 18 sec · Pottsville Boulevard
14

Continue on South Claude A. Lord Boulevard

1.5 mi · 2 min · South Claude A. Lord Boulevard
15

Continue on Pottsville Saint Clair Highway

1.0 mi · 1 min · Pottsville Saint Clair Highway
16

Continue on Joseph H. Long Boulevard

4.8 mi · 5 min · Joseph H. Long Boulevard
17

Take the exit slight right toward I 81 North: Hazleton

0.3 mi · 40 sec · I 81 North: Hazleton
18

Merge slight left

62 mi · 1 hr 13 min
19

Take the exit slight right toward I-84 east, US 6 east

0.4 mi · 51 sec · I-84 east, US 6 east
20

Keep slight left

0.3 mi · 35 sec
21

Keep slight left to continue on US 6 East: Carbondale

0.4 mi · 45 sec · US 6 East: Carbondale
22

Continue on Governor Robert P. Casey Highway

15 mi · 18 min · Governor Robert P. Casey Highway
23

Turn left onto Roosevelt Highway

0.9 mi · 2 min · Roosevelt Highway
24

Turn right onto Canaan Street

0.2 mi · 34 sec · Canaan Street
25

Turn left onto Morse Avenue

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Morse Avenue
26

Continue on Reservoir Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Reservoir Street
27

At the end of the road, turn right onto North Main Street

5.1 mi · 8 min · North Main Street
28

Turn left onto Dundaff Street

125 ft · 2 sec · Dundaff Street
29

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 63.2 miles from Reading, PA, or about 1h 19m into the drive.

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 28 miles or 35m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 63.2 miles or 1h 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 2h 10m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Forest City, PA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Reading, 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 Reading, PA

This is one driving day of about 126.4 miles and 2h 39m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Reading, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 63.2 mi from Reading, PA · 1h 19m into the drive

city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hazleton, PA

63 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

Kutztown, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hazleton, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 63.2 miles from Reading, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Forest City, PA

The final approach into Forest City, 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 Forest City, 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

$20.96 one way

$41.91 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 44 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $22.95 $45.90
premium $4.93 $24.51 $49.03
diesel $5.61 $27.91 $55.82

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 44.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 37.9 0 $13.27 $6.07
Efficient EV 31.6 0 $11.06 $5.06
EV Truck/SUV 50.6 0 $17.70 $8.09

Gas CO2

44 kg

EV CO2

15 kg (66% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Reading, PA

Morning in Reading on Saturday

Local time

11:45 AM

EDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Forest City, PA

Morning in Forest City on Saturday

Local time

11:45 AM

EDT

Current temp

40°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

16 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

2h 39m 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 Reading, PA to Forest City, PA covers 126.4 miles and takes about 2h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are North 5th Street, Centre Avenue, Pottsville Pike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 63.2 miles from Reading, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.96 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.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The drive from Reading, PA to Forest City, PA is easy. At 2h 39m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Reading, PA to Forest City, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Reading, PA to Forest City, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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