Origin
Smyrna, DE
Late night in Smyrna on Saturday
Local time
2:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Smyrna, DE to New Castle, DE
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
30.8 mi
50 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Smyrna, DE
Wikimedia Commons
New Castle, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Smyrna, DE to New Castle, DE covers 30.8 miles and takes about 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, US 13, South Dupont Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.8 miles on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.11 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 30.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m 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 40m drive with frequent turns across 30.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 20.8 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 early in the drive near South Main Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 30.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (DE 6 / East Commerce Street): Navigation decision point; at 24.1 miles (US 13): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Main Street
Turn right onto South Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
DE 6 / East Commerce Street
Turn right onto DE 6 / East Commerce Street
Navigation decision point
9
24.1 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
US 13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 13 toward US 13 North: New Castle, New Jersey, New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 156
Toward US 13 North: New Castle, New Jersey, New...
5
28.7 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
DE 273; DE 9 Truck / Frenchtown Road
Turn right onto DE 273; DE 9 Truck / Frenchtown Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
30.7 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
DE 9 Alternate / East 6th Street
Turn left onto DE 9 Alternate / East 6th Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Smyrna, DE and New Castle, DE, road signs point toward New Jersey and New York.
New Jersey
24.1 mi in
|
~29m
|
via US 13
New York
24.1 mi in
|
~29m
|
via US 13
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 20.8 mi | 24m |
| US 13 | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| South Dupont Parkway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Frenchtown Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| South Dupont Highway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Delaware Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Dupont Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Commerce Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 20.8 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smyrna, DE and New Castle, DE.
1
Start on East South Street
44 ft
·
5 sec
·
East South Street
2
Turn right onto South Main Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
South Main Street
3
Turn right onto DE 6
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Commerce Street
4
Turn left onto US 13
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Dupont Boulevard
5
Continue on US 13
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
South Dupont Parkway
6
Continue on US 13
0.7 mi
·
58 sec
·
South Dupont Highway
7
Continue on US 13
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Dupont Parkway
8
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward DE 1 Toll North: Wilmington
9
Merge onto DE 1 Toll
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 13
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
US 13
Exit 156
Toward US 13 North: New Castle, New Jersey, New York
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto DE 273; DE 9 Truck
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Frenchtown Road
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on DE 9; DE 273
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
·
Delaware Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn slight right
224 ft
·
12 sec
15
Continue on Delaware Street
446 ft
·
20 sec
·
Delaware Street
16
Turn left onto DE 9 Alternate
187 ft
·
6 sec
·
East 6th Street
17
Turn right onto Cherry Street
105 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cherry Street
18
Arrive at destination
Cherry Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.11 one way
$10.21 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.59 | $11.19 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.97 | $11.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.80 | $13.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.23 | $1.48 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
New Castle, DE
Late night in New Castle on Saturday
Local time
2:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
2 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
40m 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 Smyrna, DE to New Castle, DE covers 30.8 miles and takes about 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, US 13, South Dupont Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.4 miles from Smyrna, DE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.11 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 is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 30.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (DE 6 / East Commerce Street): Navigation decision point; at 24.1 miles (US 13): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Smyrna, DE and New Castle, DE, road signs point toward New Jersey and New York.
Yes. Nearby national parks include First State National Historical Park.
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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