PA 272 is mostly in
Lancaster County, except for about a mile at the northern terminus where it enters
Berks County and the southernmost part of the route, which is in
Chester County. Through the city of
Lancaster, it is
unsigned but
concurrent with
US 222.
Maryland state line to Lancaster The southern terminus of PA 272 is at the
Maryland state line in
East Nottingham Township in
Chester County, where the road continues south into that state as
MD 272. From the state line, the route heads north on two-lane undivided Chrome Road through a mix of farmland and woodland. In the community of Chrome, PA 272 turns west on Christine Road and continues northwest through agricultural areas with some trees and homes. The road crosses the
North East Creek into
West Nottingham Township and runs through more rural areas before reaching the community of
Nottingham. Here, the route passes homes and comes to a bridge over an
East Penn Railroad line before it intersects
Baltimore Pike to the north of the
Herr's plant. PA 272 runs past a mix of residences and businesses and comes to a
partial cloverleaf interchange with the
US 1 freeway. A
park and ride lot is situated within the northwest portion of this interchange. Past this interchange, the road heads through a mix of farmland and residential subdivisions, reaching the community of Glen Roy. The route continues west into wooded areas with some fields. PA 272 crosses the
Octoraro Creek into
Little Britain Township in
Lancaster County and becomes Nottingham Road, curving northwest into agricultural areas with some trees and homes. The road reaches the community of Oak Hill and turns west, passing through more rural land. The route passes near residential development in the community of
Little Britain before it continues through farmland and passes through Oakryn. PA 272 enters
Fulton Township and runs through agricultural areas with occasional homes, reaching an intersection with
US 222 in the community of
Wakefield. At this point, the route turns north for a
concurrency with US 222 along Robert Fulton Highway, running through a mix of farms and homes. PA 272 splits from US 222 in the community of Penn Hill by heading northwest along Lancaster Pike. The road heads through agricultural areas with some trees and homes, curving north and leaving Fulton Township, where it becomes the border between
Drumore Township to the west and
East Drumore Township to the east. The route continues through rural areas and turns northwest, passing through the communities of Hensell and Drumore Center. PA 272 curves north and runs through more farmland with some residential and commercial development before coming to an intersection with
PA 372 in the community of
Buck. At this intersection, PA 272 crosses westbound PA 372 while eastbound PA 372 turns north for a short concurrency with northbound PA 272 before it splits to the east. Past Buck, PA 272 crosses into
Providence Township and runs through a mix of farmland and woodland with some commercial development, passing to the east of Buck Motorsports Park and bending northwest. The road continues north through farms and woods with some homes and businesses. The route widens into a four-lane
divided highway and the travel lanes split as the road heads northwest through wooded areas and passes under the
Enola Low Grade Trail. Both directions of PA 272 rejoin in the community of Smithville and it continues north as a four-lane divided highway through a mix of farms and woods with some homes and businesses, curving northwest. The road crosses
Pequea Creek into
Pequea Township and becomes Willow Street Pike, continuing through rural areas with some development before reaching the community of
Willow Street. Between Smithville and Willow Street, a few of the intersections along the divided highway are controlled by
jughandles. In Willow Street, both directions of the route split, with the northbound direction heading into residential and commercial areas, while the southbound direction bypasses Willow Street to the west through farmland. PA 272 continues into
West Lampeter Township and runs through more developed areas in Willow Street before it comes to a junction with US 222/
PA 741. At this point, US 222 turns north to join PA 272 along Willow Street Pike, and PA 272 becomes
unsigned along the US 222 concurrency. Both directions of Willow Street Pike rejoin and it continues north as a two-lane undivided road past commercial development before it runs through wooded residential areas, passing through Hollinger. US 222/PA 272 crosses
Mill Creek and heads through the community of
Lyndon. The road briefly gains a
center left-turn lane as it continues through wooded areas of development and passes to the west of a golf course. US 222/PA 272 splits into a
one-way pair, with two lanes in each direction, and crosses the
Conestoga River into
Lancaster Township.
Lancaster to Adamstown After crossing the Conestoga River, northbound US 222/PA 272 becomes Highland Avenue and southbound US 222/PA 272 is called South Prince Street. The southbound direction intersects
PA 324 in the community of Engleside before the two routes continue into the city of
Lancaster, heading into urban residential and commercial areas. A short distance after entering Lancaster, northbound US 222/PA 272 intersects the end of one-way northbound PA 324 and heads onto South Queen Street. The two routes continues past urban
rowhouses along South Queen Street northbound and South Prince Street southbound, with South Queen Street passing to the west of
Woodward Hill Cemetery. Northbound US 222/PA 272 splits from South Queen Street by heading northeast onto Church Street, which carries three lanes of one-way traffic, while northbound
PA 72 starts along South Queen Street. Just south of downtown Lancaster, the northbound direction of the route turns north onto South Lime Street, which carries two lanes of one-way traffic. US 222/PA 272 heads into the commercial downtown of Lancaster and crosses eastbound
PA 462 at King Street. Past this, the route becomes North Lime Street northbound and North Prince Street southbound, crossing eastbound
PA 23 at Chestnut Street and westbound PA 23/PA 462 at Walnut Street. The two routes leave the downtown area and run through urban areas of homes and businesses. The northbound direction passes to the east of
Lancaster General Hospital between East James and East Frederick streets while the southbound direction passes to the east of
Penn Medicine Park, home of the
Lancaster Stormers baseball team, north of the Harrisburg Avenue/West James Street intersection. At the intersection with Liberty Street, northbound US 222/PA 272 shifts west a block onto four-lane undivided North Duke Street, a two-way road, while the one-way pair continues into
Manheim Township. A block later, at McGovern Avenue, both directions of US 222/PA 272 rejoin along North Duke Street. Southbound US 222/PA 272 follows McGovern Avenue west between North Duke Street and North Prince Street, forming the border between a portion of the city of Lancaster that is home to the
Lancaster station along
Amtrak's
Keystone Corridor railroad line to the north and Manheim Township to the south. The roadway is a three-lane road with two westbound lanes that carry southbound US 222/PA 272 and one eastbound lane. McGovern Avenue reaches an intersection with northbound PA 72 at North Queen Street, where northbound PA 72 turns west to join southbound US 222/PA 272 along the road. At North Prince Street, southbound US 222/PA 272 turn south while PA 72 becomes two-way heading north. Both directions of US 222/PA 272 continue north along four-lane undivided North Duke Street and the road reaches the Thaddeus Stevens Bridge over Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, where it becomes the border between Manheim Township to the west and Lancaster to the east. At Keller Avenue/Marshall Avenue, the road name changes to Lititz Pike and it fully enters Manheim Township, running through commercial areas as a five-lane road with a center left-turn lane. Northbound US 222 and PA 272 head northeast onto Oregon Pike, with PA 272 becoming signed again, while southbound US 222 and
PA 501 continue north along Lititz Pike. The two routes continue northeast as a three-lane road with a center left-turn lane and runs past businesses and a few homes before it comes to an interchange with the
US 30 freeway. Here, US 222 heads east along US 30 and PA 272 continues northeast along Oregon Pike, passing through commercial areas and narrowing to two lanes. The road continues through suburban areas of homes and businesses and passes through the community of Roseville. Farther northeast, the route widens to a divided highway at the Landis Valley Road intersection, where it passes to the southeast of the
Landis Valley Museum in the community of Landis Valley. PA 272 becomes undivided again and passes through wooded residential areas before it enters farmland. The route becomes parallel to the US 222 freeway located to the southeast and reaches direct ramps to and from the southbound lanes of US 222. Access to and from the northbound lanes is provided by Jake Landis Road, which passes under US 222 and connects to Butter Road, which provides access to the ramps. The route heads through wooded areas and passes over Lititz Run before it comes to the eastern terminus of
PA 722 near the community of
Oregon. The road heads into agricultural areas and enters
Warwick Township prior to crossing
Cocalico Creek into
West Earl Township. The route heads through residential areas with some commercial development before it enters business areas, where it gains a center left-turn lane briefly before it becomes a divided highway and crosses
PA 772 near
Brownstown. Past this, PA 272 narrows back into a two-lane undivided road and runs through a mix of farm fields and commercial development, curving to the north. The road becomes the border between West Earl Township to the west and the borough of
Akron to the east, running past homes and businesses. The route fully enters Akron and becomes South 7th Street, passing more development. PA 272 becomes North 7th Street upon crossing Main Street and continues through residential and commercial areas. The road passes through woods and leaves Akron, where it becomes the border between
Ephrata Township to the west and the borough of
Ephrata to the east, where the name changes to South Reading Road. The route passes over the Warwick to Ephrata Rail Trail and heads north-northeast through business areas, fully entering Ephrata and turning north. PA 272 crosses Cocalico Creek and curves northeast through a mix of homes and businesses. The road widens to a four-lane divided highway and reaches a
cloverleaf interchange with
US 322 north of the
Ephrata Cloister. Past this, the route becomes North Reading Road and runs through business areas as a three-lane road with a center left-turn lane, passing to the north of WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital. PA 272 continues through commercial areas as it forms the border between Ephrata Township to the northwest and the borough of Ephrata to the southeast. The route fully enters Ephrata Township and narrows to a two-lane road as it runs through a mix of farmland and commercial development, passing over an East Penn Railroad line. The road crosses into
East Cocalico Township and continues through agricultural areas with some homes and businesses, again crossing Cocalico Creek. PA 272 passes through the residential community of
Reamstown, where it turns to the east. The route curves northeast past commercial development and comes to an intersection with Colonel Howard Boulevard, which heads east to provide access to the US 222 freeway and the
Pennsylvania Turnpike (
Interstate 76) at the
Reading interchange. A short distance later, the road comes to a bridge over the Pennsylvania Turnpike. PA 272 gains a center left-turn lane and continues past businesses, eventually narrowing back to two lanes. The road passes more commercial development with some homes and crosses
PA 897 in the community of
Swartzville. Past this intersection, the route continues through developed areas and enters the borough of
Adamstown. PA 272 heads through wooded areas with some homes and businesses as it passes through the borough. After leaving Adamstown, the road runs through a small corner of
Brecknock Township. PA 272 enters
Brecknock Township in
Berks County and passes commercial development before it comes to its northern terminus at a partial cloverleaf interchange with the US 222 freeway. A park and ride lot is located at the southwest corner of this interchange. Past this interchange, the road continues east as
PA 568. ==History==