Skip to main content

Trip from Upper Darby, PA to Hickory, PA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

6h 23m

Distance

318.3 mi

512 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$53

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
6h 11m ★
6 AM
6h 24m
8 AM
6h 49m
10 AM
6h 33m
12 PM
6h 30m
3 PM
6h 34m
5 PM
6h 47m
8 PM
6h 16m

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

Downtown Hickory, PA, PA

Hickory, PA

Haneul Trac

Trip Overview

The drive from Upper Darby, PA to Hickory, PA covers 318.3 miles and takes about 6h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Pennsylvania Turnpike, I 70, Mid-County Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 251.9 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $52.77 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

159.2 miles from Upper Darby, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 6m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 6h 23m highway drive covering 318.3 miles, with most of the trip on Pennsylvania Turnpike and I 70. The longest continuous stretch is about 251.9 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pennsylvania Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 251.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and I 70. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 318.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 13 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 22 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
13 mi into trip | ~24m in

Take the exit toward I 76 West: Valley Forge

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 16B Toward I 76 West: Valley Forge
8
17.2 mi into trip | ~30m in

Take the exit toward US 202, US 422 West: King of Prussia, West Chester, Pottstown

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 328B-A/327 Toward US 202, US 422 West: King of Prussia, We...
9
17.3 mi into trip | ~30m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 202 South, US 422 West: Mall Boulevard, West Chester, Pottstown, Swedesford Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 202 South, US 422 West: Mall Boulevar...
8
17.6 mi into trip | ~30m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Mall Boulevard

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Mall Boulevard
7
17.8 mi into trip | ~31m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 76 West: New Jersey, Harrisburg

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 76 West: New Jersey, Harrisburg

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Upper Darby, PA and Hickory, PA, road signs point toward Chester, Pottstown, Harrisburg, Pa Turnpike 66 Toll: Greensburg, Wheeling and New Stanton - among others.

Chester

17.2 mi in | ~30m

Pottstown

17.2 mi in | ~30m

Harrisburg

17.8 mi in | ~31m

Pa Turnpike 66 Toll: Greensburg

270.7 mi in | ~5h 7m | via I 70

Wheeling

270.7 mi in | ~5h 7m | via I 70

New Stanton

270.7 mi in | ~5h 7m | via I 70

Washington

271.1 mi in | ~5h 8m | via I 70

Columbus

271.1 mi in | ~5h 8m | via I 70

Dunningsville

301.1 mi in | ~5h 50m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Pennsylvania Turnpike 251.9 mi 4h 34m
I 70 30.4 mi 42m
Mid-County Expressway 7 mi 9m
PA 519 4.2 mi 7m
Schuylkill Expressway 4.2 mi 5m
Western Avenue 4.2 mi 7m
Brownlee Road 3.5 mi 8m
South Lansdowne Avenue 3 mi 8m
Longest stretch: Pennsylvania Turnpike — 251.9 mi, about 4h 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Upper Darby, PA and Hickory, PA.

1

Start on West Providence Road

0.3 mi · 46 sec · West Providence Road
2

Turn left onto South Lansdowne Avenue

3.0 mi · 8 min · South Lansdowne Avenue
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
3

Continue on Darby Road

471 ft · 13 sec · Darby Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
4

Turn slight left onto PA 3

2.2 mi · 4 min · West Chester Pike
Use the straight lane.
5

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 58 sec
Toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto I 476

7.0 mi · 9 min · Mid-County Expressway
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Exit 16B Toward I 76 West: Valley Forge Use the right lane.
8

Merge onto I 76

3.7 mi · 5 min · Schuylkill Expressway
9

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 10 sec
Exit 328B-A/327 Toward US 202, US 422 West: King of Prussia, West Chester, Pottstown Use the slight right lane.
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 22 sec
Toward US 202 South, US 422 West: Mall Boulevard, West Chester, Pottstown, Swedesford Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 20 sec
Toward Mall Boulevard Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 8 sec
Toward I 76 West: New Jersey, Harrisburg
13

Merge onto I 76

0.4 mi · 52 sec · Schuylkill Expressway
Toward I 76 West: New Jersey, Harrisburg
14

Keep slight left at fork onto I 76

0.4 mi · 1 min · I 76
Toward I 76 West: Harrisburg Use the slight left lane.
15

Merge onto I 76; PATP

252 mi · 4 hr 34 min · Pennsylvania Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Take the exit onto I 70

0.4 mi · 54 sec · I 70
Toward I 70 West, US 119, PA Turnpike 66 Toll: Greensburg, Wheeling WV, New Stanton Use the slight right lane.
17

Keep slight right at fork onto I 70

30 mi · 41 min · I 70
Toward I 70 West: New Stanton, Washington PA, Wheeling WV, Columbus OH
18

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward Dunningsville
19

Turn slight right onto Brownlee Road

3.5 mi · 8 min · Brownlee Road
20

Enter roundabout onto PA 519

19 ft · 0 sec · PA 519
21

Continue on PA 519

477 ft · 9 sec · PA 519
22

Enter roundabout onto PA 519

129 ft · 2 sec · PA 519
23

Continue on PA 519

4.1 mi · 7 min · PA 519
24

Turn left onto PA 519

1.4 mi · 2 min · Hill Church Houston Road
25

Continue on PA 519

0.3 mi · 38 sec · South Main Street
26

Turn left onto PA 519

255 ft · 7 sec · West Pike Street
27

Turn right onto PA 519

4.2 mi · 7 min · Western Avenue
28

Continue on PA 519

2.9 mi · 5 min · Westland Road
29

At end of road, turn left onto PA 50

0.5 mi · 1 min · Main Street
30

Arrive at destination

PA 50

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 159.2 miles from Upper Darby, PA, or about 3h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 251.9 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 70 miles or 1h 29m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 159.2 miles or 3h 6m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 57m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Upper Darby, 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 Upper Darby, PA

This is one driving day of about 318.3 miles and 6h 23m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 70 miles from Upper Darby, 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.
The longest stretch is on Pennsylvania Turnpike for about 251.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 159.2 mi from Upper Darby, PA · 3h 6m into the drive

Downtown Hancock, MD, MD

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hancock, MD

159 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

North Bel Air, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 70 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hancock, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 159.2 miles from Upper Darby, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Pennsylvania Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 251.9 miles.

Arriving in Hickory, PA

The final approach into Hickory, 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 Hickory, PA.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$52.77 one way

$105.54 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 111 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $57.80 $115.59
premium $4.93 $61.73 $123.46
diesel $5.61 $70.28 $140.55

Estimated Tolls: $32.75

Pennsylvania Turnpike (251.9 mi) $32.75

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$53

Tolls

$33

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$111–$136

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 111.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 95.5 1 $33.42 $15.28
Efficient EV 79.6 0 $27.85 $12.73
EV Truck/SUV 127.3 1 $44.56 $20.37

Gas CO2

111 kg

EV CO2

37 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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

Upper Darby, PA

Night in Upper Darby on Wednesday

Local time

11:57 PM

EDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Hickory, PA

Night in Hickory on Wednesday

Local time

11:57 PM

EDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

48°F

Hancock, MD

159 mi in

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

13 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

6h 23m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Upper Darby, PA to Hickory, PA covers 318.3 miles and takes about 6h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pennsylvania Turnpike, I 70, Mid-County Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 159.2 miles from Upper Darby, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $52.77 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 318.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 13 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Upper Darby, PA and Hickory, PA, road signs point toward Chester, Pottstown, Harrisburg, Pa Turnpike 66 Toll: Greensburg, Wheeling and New Stanton - among others.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Upper Darby, PA or browse trips ending in Hickory, PA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.

Explore maps for Upper Darby, PA or Hickory, PA on MapSof.net.