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Trip from Venango, PA to Bethlehem, PA

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

Drive Time

5h 37m

Distance

280.2 mi

451 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$46

one way

EV Charging

Good

5 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
5h 24m ★
6 AM
5h 37m
8 AM
6h 4m
10 AM
5h 46m
12 PM
5h 44m
3 PM
5h 48m
5 PM
6h 2m
8 PM
5h 29m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Venango, PA, PA

Venango, PA

Jessica Lewis 🦋 thepaintedsquare

city in Lehigh and Northampton counties, Pennsylvania, USA

Bethlehem, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Venango, PA to Bethlehem, PA covers 280.2 miles and takes about 5h 37m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Keystone Shortway, William Penn Highway, US Highway 322 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 153.1 miles on Keystone Shortway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $46.45 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

140.1 miles from Venango, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 44m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Keystone Shortway 153.1 mi 2h 44m
William Penn Highway 21.6 mi 26m
US Highway 322 17.2 mi 25m
State Route 54 11.1 mi 13m
Center Avenue 10.6 mi 12m
Lehigh Valley Thruway 10.3 mi 14m
Elysburg Road 9.7 mi 11m
Sunbury Road 9.4 mi 11m
Longest stretch: Keystone Shortway — 153.1 mi, about 2h 44m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Venango, PA and Bethlehem, PA.

1

Start on Old 322 Road

94 ft · 11 sec · Old 322 Road
2

Turn left onto Deep Hollow Road

140 ft · 10 sec · Deep Hollow Road
3

Turn left onto US 322

4.8 mi · 7 min · US Highway 322
4

Continue on US 322

2.7 mi · 4 min · Twenty-Eighth Division Highway
5

Continue on US 322

12 mi · 17 min · US Highway 322
6

Continue on US 322

5.1 mi · 7 min · Main Street
7

Continue on US 322

1.7 mi · 2 min · West Main Street
8

Continue on US 322

1.6 mi · 2 min · Twenty-Eighth Division Highway
9

Continue on US 322

1.0 mi · 1 min · Main Street
10

Continue on US 322

4.1 mi · 5 min · Route 322
11

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec
12

Merge onto I 80

153 mi · 2 hr 44 min · Keystone Shortway
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward PA 54: Danville, Washingtonville
14

Turn slight left

79 ft · 2 sec
15

Turn right onto PA 54

2.9 mi · 3 min · Continental Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
16

Continue on PA 54

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Factory Street
17

Continue on PA 54

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Danville-Riverside Bridge Road
18

Turn left onto PA 54

9.7 mi · 11 min · Elysburg Road
Use the left lane.
19

Continue on PA 54

11 mi · 13 min · State Route 54
20

Continue on PA 901

0.4 mi · 41 sec · Locust Gap Highway
21

Continue on PA 901

2.2 mi · 2 min · Fairgrounds Road
22

Continue on PA 901

9.4 mi · 11 min · Sunbury Road
23

Continue on PA 901

0.8 mi · 1 min · Sunbury Street
24

Turn right onto PA 901

1.8 mi · 2 min · Pottsville Minersville Highway
25

Turn right onto PA 901

4.0 mi · 6 min · Gordon Nagle Trail
26

Continue on PA 901

0.2 mi · 33 sec · North Sillyman Street
27

Turn left onto PA 183

0.7 mi · 2 min · Pottsville Street
28

Turn right onto PA 61

493 ft · 6 sec · Route 61 South
29

Continue on PA 61

11 mi · 12 min · Center Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
30

Continue on PA 61

2.7 mi · 3 min · Centre Street
31

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown
32

Merge onto I 78; US 22

22 mi · 26 min · William Penn Highway
Use the straight lane.
33

Keep slight right at fork onto US 22

10 mi · 14 min · Lehigh Valley Thruway
Exit 51 Toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI Airport Use the slight right lane.
34

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward PA 378 South: Bethlehem, Schoenersville Road Use the slight right lane.
35

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward PA 378 South: Bethlehem Use the straight / slight right lanes.
36

Continue on PA 378

1.8 mi · 2 min · Bethlehem Spur Route
37

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 33 sec
Exit 2 Toward Eighth Avenue Use the slight right lane.
38

Turn right onto 8th Avenue

0.1 mi · 22 sec · 8th Avenue
39

Turn left onto West Union Boulevard

1.0 mi · 2 min · West Union Boulevard
40

Turn left onto Center Street

423 ft · 11 sec · Center Street
41

Turn right onto East Goepp Street

0.3 mi · 49 sec · East Goepp Street
42

Turn right onto Linden Street

57 ft · 1 sec · Linden Street
43

Arrive at destination

Linden Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 140.1 miles from Venango, PA, or about 2h 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 153.1 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 62 miles or 1h 20m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 140.1 miles or 2h 44m 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 29m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Venango, 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 Venango, PA

This is one driving day of about 280.2 miles and 5h 37m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from Venango, 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 Keystone Shortway for about 153.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

county seat of Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bellefonte, PA

140 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

Punxsutawney, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 62 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bellefonte, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 140.1 miles from Venango, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Keystone Shortway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 153.1 miles.

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

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Farm Table Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour $10 to $20 mile 80.1

Clearfield, Pennsylvania

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+18142054405

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, right off the route

0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 60.1

Falls Creek, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Pilot Flying J Charging Station

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 40

Brookville, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18774943833

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

2.6 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 80.1

Clearfield, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Electrify America Charging Station

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, short detour

2.6 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 60.1

DuBois, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~11 min detour

4.3 mi from route ~11 min detour mile 40

Brookville, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Lehigh Millennium Folk Arch and Art Enclave

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

1.8 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 280.2

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 20

5 decision points cluster between mile 186.8 and 278.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
186.8 mi into trip | ~3h 34m in

Take the exit toward PA 54: Danville, Washingtonville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward PA 54: Danville, Washingtonville
9
266 mi into trip | ~5h 15m in | US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI Airport

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 51 Toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI A...
7
276.3 mi into trip | ~5h 29m in

Take the exit toward PA 378 South: Bethlehem, Schoenersville Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward PA 378 South: Bethlehem, Schoenersville...
8
276.5 mi into trip | ~5h 30m in

Keep slight right at fork toward PA 378 South: Bethlehem

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward PA 378 South: Bethlehem
7
278.5 mi into trip | ~5h 33m in

Take the exit toward Eighth Avenue

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 2 Toward Eighth Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$46.45 one way

$92.91 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 98 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $50.88 $101.75
premium $4.93 $54.34 $108.68
diesel $5.61 $61.86 $123.73

Estimated Tolls: $0.72

Lehigh Valley Thruway (10.3 mi) $0.72

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

$46

Tolls

$1

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$72–$97

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 98 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

5 DC fast chargers · Coverage: good

ChargePoint Charging Station

Brookville, Pennsylvania

ChargePoint

1 DCFC

Tesla Supercharger

Clearfield, Pennsylvania

Tesla

1 DCFC

Tesla Supercharger

Falls Creek, Pennsylvania

Tesla

1 DCFC

Pilot Flying J Charging Station

Brookville, Pennsylvania

Other

1 DCFC

Electrify America Charging Station

DuBois, Pennsylvania

Electrify America

1 DCFC

Tesla: 2 ChargePoint: 1 Other: 1 Electrify America: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 84.1 1 $29.42 $13.45
Efficient EV 70.1 0 $24.52 $11.21
EV Truck/SUV 112.1 1 $39.23 $17.93

Gas CO2

98 kg

EV CO2

33 kg (66% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Venango, PA

Afternoon in Venango on Saturday

Local time

2:37 PM

EDT

Current temp

40°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bethlehem, PA

Afternoon in Bethlehem on Saturday

Local time

2:37 PM

EDT

Current temp

88°F

Mostly Sunny

SW 5 to 15 mph 1% chance 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

48 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

5h 37m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

National Scenic Trail

The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...

21 mi from route ~53 min detour Free near mile 222.3
Park Closure: List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene
Caution: Black Bears Frequenting the McAfee Knob Area in Virginia
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a 5h 37m drive with frequent turns across 280.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 43 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Keystone Shortway is the longest continuous segment at about 153.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

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 186.8 miles in.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 280.2 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 186.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 266 miles (US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 276.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Venango, PA and Bethlehem, PA, road signs point toward Washingtonville and Lvi Airport.

Washingtonville

186.8 mi in | ~3h 34m

Lvi Airport

266 mi in | ~5h 15m | via US 22

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 37m. Total distance: 280.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 37m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Venango, PA to Bethlehem, PA covers 280.2 miles and takes about 5h 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Keystone Shortway, William Penn Highway, US Highway 322. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 140.1 miles from Venango, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $46.45 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

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 20 significant decision points across 280.2 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 186.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 266 miles (US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 276.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Venango, PA and Bethlehem, PA, road signs point toward Washingtonville and Lvi Airport.

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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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