How far is Philadelphia, PA from Charleston, PA?

The driving distance from Philadelphia, PA to Charleston, PA is about 364.8 miles (587.1 km), with a travel time of about 06h 48m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 286.6 miles (461.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 37m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
364.78 mi
06h 48m
Flight
286.66 mi
461.34 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Philadelphia.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
286.66 mi
Kilometers
461.34 km
Flight Time
00h 34m

Driving Distance

Road route
364.78 mi
Kilometers
587.06 km
Drive Time
06h 48m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 06h 48m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Charleston
Tue, May 26, 12:43 AM EDT
Return by in Philadelphia
Tue, May 26, 7:32 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Philadelphia
2026-05-25T17:54
Arrive Charleston
Tue, May 26, 12:43 AM EDT
Route Timing
06h 48m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:49 PM to 2:19 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
10:22 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Philadelphia
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Carroll
PA

Township in southern Perry County, Pennsylvania

From Philadelphia
182.1 mi
03h 24m
To Charleston
182.6 mi
03h 24m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Memorial Day

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Mon, May 25 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph SW
Destination
78°F
Memorial Day

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Mon, May 25 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Philadelphia and Charleston.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Philadelphia and Charleston.

  1. 1

    Start on South Penn Square

    121 m · 9 sec · South Penn Square

  2. 2

    Keep slight left to continue on East Penn Square

    737 ft · 19 sec · East Penn Square

  3. 3

    Continue on John F. Kennedy Boulevard

    803 ft · 21 sec · John F. Kennedy Boulevard

  4. 4

    Turn right onto North 16th Street

    2132 ft · 55 sec · North 16th Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 676 West, US 30 West: International Airport, Valley Forge

    1091 ft · 27 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Vine Street Expressway

    1 mi · 2 min · Vine Street Expressway

  7. 7

    Merge slight right onto Schuylkill Expressway

    12.1 mi · 17 min · Schuylkill Expressway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting

    3232 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Mid-County Expressway

    3.3 mi · 4 min · Mid-County Expressway

  10. 10

    Turn slight left onto Mid-County Expressway

    885 ft · 14 sec · Mid-County Expressway

  11. 11

    Continue on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension

    75 mi · 1 hr 21 min · Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward PA 940, I 80: Hazleton, Mount Pocono

    1.1 km · 2 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight left

    879 ft · 24 sec

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on I 80 West: Hazleton

    1650 ft · 40 sec

  15. 15

    Merge slight left onto Keystone Shortway

    261.1 mi · 4 hr 43 min · Keystone Shortway

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward US 19: Mercer

    816 ft · 23 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight right

    73 m · 8 sec

  18. 18

    Turn straight onto South Erie Street

    2.2 mi · 4 min · South Erie Street

  19. 19

    Turn left onto West Market Street

    2337 ft · 54 sec · West Market Street

  20. 20

    Continue on Sharon-Mercer Road

    2.3 mi · 3 min · Sharon-Mercer Road

  21. 21

    Continue on West Market Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · West Market Street

  22. 22

    Continue on Sharon-Mercer Road

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Sharon-Mercer Road

  23. 23

    Continue on West Market Street

    1.3 km · 1 min · West Market Street

  24. 24

    Turn left onto Greenfield Road

    21 m · 3 sec · Greenfield Road

  25. 25

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Greenfield Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Philadelphia and Charleston.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
25 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
4 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Keystone Shortway
261 mi · 72%
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
75 mi · 21%
Schuylkill Expressway
12.1 mi · 3%
Sharon-Mercer Road
4.22 mi · 1%
Mid-County Expressway
3.43 mi · 1%
West Market Street
2.63 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Keystone Shortway

Merge slight left onto Keystone Shortway

261 mi · 04h 43m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 48m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+78.2 mi
286.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Carroll
03h 24m from Philadelphia
Leave By
10:22 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Rain Showers Likely leaving Philadelphia and Mostly Cloudy near Charleston.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Philadelphia to Charleston?

The road trip is about 364.8 miles (587.1 km) and usually takes 06h 48m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Carroll is a useful midpoint, sitting about 182.1 miles from Philadelphia and 182.6 miles from Charleston.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 286.6 miles (461.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 78.2 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $52.59 one way or $105.17 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 114.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers Likely around Philadelphia and Mostly Cloudy near Charleston.

Stop Ideas Near Carroll

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Carroll, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Carroll.

RAIL

Lewistown

60 mi away
150 Helen Street
RAIL

Harrisburg Transportation Center

92 mi away
4th and Chestnut Streets
RAIL

Huntingdon

92 mi away
Fourth and Allegheny Sts.
RAIL

Tyrone

96 mi away
Pennsylvania Ave and West 10th St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Philadelphia and Charleston. Straight-line distance: 286.66 mi (461.34 km).

Philadelphia

#1 Philadelphia

The sixth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Population1,578,487
Coordinates39.9523300, -75.1637900
Altitude12
CountryUnited States
Charleston

#2 Charleston

Township in Tioga County, Pennsylvania

Population3,390
Coordinates41.2370000, -80.3603400
Altitude384
CountryUnited States
Start: Philadelphia (-75.16379, 39.95233)
End: Charleston (-80.36034, 41.237)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 587 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 09m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 07m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 17m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 04m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 12m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 33m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.87 gal
48.73 L · about $52.59
Round trip
$105.17
25.74 gal · 97.46 L
Estimated CO2
114.4 kg one way
Round trip: 228.8 kg / 504 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $52.59 $105.17
Mid-grade $4.60 $59.19 $118.38
Premium $4.95 $63.76 $127.52
Diesel $5.98 $76.96 $153.93

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Pennsylvania · May 25, 2026

There is no time difference between Philadelphia and Charleston. The current time is 17:54:57.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.