Origin
Smyrna, DE
Night in Smyrna on Friday
Local time
11:28 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Smyrna, DE to Newark, DE
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
31.9 mi
51 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Smyrna, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Newark, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Smyrna to Newark is 31.9 miles and takes about 45m via Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Delaware, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a local drive with several turns, making it a straightforward, uncomplicated journey. With its brief duration and minimal fuel cost, this route is ideal for a quick trip, whether for business or leisure, without requiring an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 31.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m 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
This route leans towards a turn-heavy local drive, with only a 5% share of highway driving. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 18.4 miles along the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. As you progress, the drive will likely shift between the main highway and local roads like Wrangle Hill Road and Sunset Lake Road, requiring your attention for navigation. This isn't a high-speed interstate cruise, but rather a more engaged local exploration.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 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 18.4 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
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 31.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
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 21.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 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
8
21.6 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward DE 72: Delaware City, Newark
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 152
Toward DE 72: Delaware City, Newark
8
21.9 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward DE 72 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward DE 72 North
6
31.2 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
DE 273 / East Main Street
Turn left onto DE 273 / East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 18.4 mi | 21m |
| Wrangle Hill Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Sunset Lake Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Chapel Street | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| South Dupont Parkway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Library Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| South Dupont Highway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | 0.7 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 18.4 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smyrna, DE and Newark, 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
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 152
Toward DE 72: Delaware City, Newark
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
347 ft
·
10 sec
Toward DE 72 North
Use the left lane.
13
Merge onto DE 72
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Wrangle Hill Road
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on DE 72
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Sunset Lake Road
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on DE 72
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Chapel Street
16
Continue on DE 72
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Capitol Trail
17
Continue on DE 72
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Library Avenue
18
Turn left onto DE 273
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East Main Street
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn right
260 ft
·
18 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16 mi from Smyrna, DE · 20m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16 miles from Smyrna, DE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Newark, DE
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Newark, DE if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.29 one way
$10.58 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.79 | $11.58 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.19 | $12.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.04 | $14.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 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 | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.79 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.47 | $2.04 |
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
Newark, DE
Night in Newark on Friday
Local time
11:28 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°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
1 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
45m 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 Newark, DE covers 31.9 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Wrangle Hill Road, Sunset Lake Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16 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 $5.29 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 10 decision points packed into just 31.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
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 21.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Smyrna, DE to Newark, DE does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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