How far is Pottstown, PA from Reading, PA?

The driving distance from Pottstown, PA to Reading, PA is about 18.6 miles (30 km), with a travel time of about 00h 30m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 15.9 miles (25.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 00m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
18.64 mi
00h 30m
Flight
15.89 mi
25.57 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Pottstown.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
15.89 mi
Kilometers
25.57 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.64 mi
Kilometers
30 km
Drive Time
00h 30m

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 00h 30m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Reading
Wed, Apr 22, 9:47 PM EDT
Return by in Pottstown
Wed, Apr 22, 10:17 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Pottstown
2026-04-22T21:17
Arrive Reading
Wed, Apr 22, 9:47 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 30m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:30 AM to 7:30 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:30 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Pottstown
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
Birdsboro
PA

Borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States

From Pottstown
8.5 mi
00h 15m
To Reading
10.2 mi
00h 15m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
66°F
Wednesday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph W
Destination
65°F
Wednesday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Pottstown and Reading.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Pottstown and Reading.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    80 m · 21 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Queen Street

    76 m · 15 sec · Queen Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto South Hanover Street

    107 m · 19 sec · South Hanover Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto East High Street

    2.3 mi · 5 min · East High Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Benjamin Franklin Highway

    1.5 mi · 2 min · Benjamin Franklin Highway

  6. 6

    Take the ramp straight toward Benjamin Franklin Highway

    5.7 mi · 10 min · Benjamin Franklin Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on Perkiomen Avenue

    2.8 mi · 5 min · Perkiomen Avenue

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on Perkiomen Avenue

    2.3 mi · 4 min · Perkiomen Avenue

  9. 9

    Continue on Howard Boulevard

    2448 ft · 43 sec · Howard Boulevard

  10. 10

    Continue on Mineral Spring Road

    1.2 km · 1 min · Mineral Spring Road

  11. 11

    Turn slight right onto Perkiomen Avenue

    1644 ft · 30 sec · Perkiomen Avenue

  12. 12

    Continue on Penn Street

    2984 ft · 58 sec · Penn Street

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Penn Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Pottstown and Reading.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
13 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
1
0 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
69.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Benjamin Franklin Highway
7.19 mi · 39%
Perkiomen Avenue
5.49 mi · 29%
East High Street
2.32 mi · 12%
Mineral Spring Road
0.72 mi · 4%
Penn Street
0.57 mi · 3%
Howard Boulevard
0.46 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Benjamin Franklin Highway

Take the ramp straight toward Benjamin Franklin Highway

5.69 mi · 00h 10m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 30m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.7 mi
15.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Birdsboro
00h 15m from Pottstown
Leave By
7:30 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Pottstown and Chance Rain Showers near Reading.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Pottstown to Reading?

The road trip is about 18.6 miles (30 km) and usually takes 00h 30m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Birdsboro is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.5 miles from Pottstown and 10.2 miles from Reading.

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

The direct path is about 15.9 miles (25.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.7 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:30 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.70 one way or $5.39 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Pottstown and Chance Rain Showers near Reading.

Stop Ideas Near Birdsboro

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Birdsboro, 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 Birdsboro.

RAIL

Downingtown

30 mi away
West Lancaster Ave. and Stuart Ave.
RAIL

Coatesville

31 mi away
Third Ave. and Fleetwood St.
RAIL

Exton

31 mi away
425 Walkertown Road
RAIL

Parkesburg

35 mi away
W. First and S. Culvert Streets

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Pottstown and Reading. Straight-line distance: 15.89 mi (25.57 km).

Pottstown

#1 Pottstown

Borough in Pennsylvania, United States

Population22,580
Coordinates40.2453700, -75.6496300
Altitude46
CountryUnited States
Reading

#2 Reading

The fourth most populous city in Pennsylvania.

Population88,217
Coordinates40.3356500, -75.9268700
Altitude93
CountryUnited States
Start: East High Street (-75.649587, 40.245562)
End: Penn Street (-75.926876, 40.335365)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 30 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 37m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.66 gal
2.49 L · about $2.70
Round trip
$5.39
1.32 gal · 4.98 L
Estimated CO2
5.9 kg one way
Round trip: 11.7 kg / 26 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $2.70 $5.39
Mid-grade $4.60 $3.04 $6.07
Premium $4.95 $3.27 $6.54
Diesel $5.98 $3.95 $7.89

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 · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Pottstown and Reading. The current time is 21:17:10.

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.