Philadelphia to Washington, DC distance
Philadelphia and Washington, DC are 124 miles (199 km) apart in a straight line and 137 miles (221 km) apart by road: about 3 hr 5 min of driving without stops, mostly on I-95 and MD 295. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing and where every figure comes from.
By the Mapsfera Team
- By road
- 137 mi (221 km)
- Driving time
- 3 hr 5 min
- Straight line
- 124 mi (199 km)
- Driving route
- Straight line
- Straight-line midpoint
- Halfway by road
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on October 31, 2026; simplified line.
The figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight line | 124 mi (199 km) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 137 mi (221 km) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 3 hr 5 min no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +11% 1.11 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 45 mph (72 km/h) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 235° (southwest) leaving Philadelphia toward Washington, DC |
| Midpoint | 39.4275° N, 76.1072° W near Betterton (Maryland) |
| Halfway by road | Near Port Deposit (Maryland) 68.7 mi from each city by road |
| Time difference | None both share the same time |
| Elevation | Philadelphia: 35 ft (11 m) · Washington, DC: 24 ft (7 m) USGS 3DEP |
| Population | Philadelphia: 1,574,281 · Washington, DC: 693,645 Census Bureau estimate for 2025 |
Philadelphia to Washington, DC by road
The fastest driving route is 137 miles (221 km) long and takes about 3 hr 5 min without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on I-95 (65.5 mi), MD 295 (27.1 mi), and I-495 (11.7 mi).
It goes through 3 states and Washington, DC: Pennsylvania (20.3 mi), Delaware (23.6 mi), Maryland (85.9 mi), and Washington, DC (6.4 mi). That’s an average of 45 mph (72 km/h). AAA recommends a break every two hours or 100 miles: with 1 stop of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 3 hr 25 min. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.
Straight-line distance and bearing
In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Philadelphia and Washington, DC are 124 miles (199 km) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 11% longer: for every 100 miles in a straight line you drive 111. The route runs almost straight. Of the 40 US pairs in this series, it ranks 25th for detour (the average is 14%).
From Philadelphia, Washington, DC lies to the southwest (bearing 235°), and from Washington, DC, Philadelphia lies to the northeast.
Halfway between Philadelphia and Washington, DC
Halfway along the straight line, 62.0 miles (99.7 km) from each city, is the point 39.4275° N, 76.1072° W. It falls near Betterton (Maryland, pop. 283), 4.5 mi away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is McNair (Virginia, pop. 22,655), 77.4 mi away.
By road, the halfway point is 68.7 miles (111 km) from each city, near Port Deposit (Maryland, pop. 633), 7.9 mi away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is McNair (Virginia, pop. 22,655), 76.4 mi away. The two midpoints are 8.2 mi apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.
Time zone and flight
Philadelphia and Washington, DC share the same time all year: both are on Eastern Time.
No flight time is given: under 500 km (311 miles) in a straight line, time at the airport outweighs time in the air.
The two cities
Philadelphia and Washington, DC sit at almost the same elevation: 35 ft (11 m) and 24 ft (7 m).
Philadelphia has 1.6 million people and Washington, DC 693,645 people (Census Bureau estimate for 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many miles is it from Philadelphia to Washington, DC?
124 miles (199 km) in a straight line and 137 miles (221 km) by road on the fastest route (mostly on I-95 and MD 295).
How long is the drive from Philadelphia to Washington, DC?
About 3 hr 5 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 1 stop of 20 minutes, about 3 hr 25 min.
Where is the halfway point between Philadelphia and Washington, DC?
In a straight line, near Betterton (Maryland). By road, 68.7 mi from each city, near Port Deposit (Maryland).
Are Philadelphia and Washington, DC in the same time zone?
Yes: both are on Eastern Time all year.
Which direction is Washington, DC from Philadelphia?
Southwest: the straight line leaves Philadelphia on a bearing of 235° (0° is north and 90° is east).
Measure it yourself on the map
The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.
- Distance between two points Measure the distance between any two places or points on the map, in miles or kilometers.
- Straight line vs driving distance Compare the as-the-crow-flies distance with the real driving distance and see how much the road adds.
- Halfway point Find the exact halfway point between two places and see it on the map, ready to share.
More distances from Philadelphia
All distancesMore distances from Washington, DC
Sources
- Driving route: FOSSGIS OSRM, car profile (calculated on October 31, 2026) · FOSSGIS e.V.
- Roads, streets and places · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Straight line, bearings and midpoint (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- US city centers (GNIS) and their elevation (3DEP) · USGS (public domain)
- Population estimates, Vintage 2025 · US Census Bureau (public domain)
- Places near the midpoints: Mapsfera gazetteer (GeoNames, INE, IGN and Census) · Mapsfera
- Time zones (timezone-boundary-builder outlines and the IANA database) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Map: provinces (IGN), states (US Census Bureau) and countries (Natural Earth) · IGN, Census and Natural Earth
- Methodology