The route heads into the northwestern portion of York County and passes through Franklintown before coming to its northern terminus.

From the state line, the route heads northeast on two-lane undivided Frederick Pike, passing through agricultural areas with a few residences and patches of woods.

PA 194 turns northeast and enters the borough of Littlestown, running past a few businesses and heading into residential areas as King Street.

Past this area, the route passes more homes and leaves Littlestown for Union Township, becoming Hanover Pike.

[2][3] PA 194 enters Penn Township in York County and becomes Frederick Street as it becomes lined with homes, continuing into the borough of Hanover.

The one-way pair passes rowhouses, eventually merging with the route continuing north on two-way Broadway.

After intersecting Moulstown Road, PA 194 crosses back into Penn Township and becomes Abbottstown Pike as it enters agricultural areas with scattered development.

[2][4] As the route enters more forested areas with some homes, it crosses into Berwick Township in Adams County and heads north through farmland and housing developments.

Here, the road becomes Queen Street and passes homes, intersecting US 30 in the center of town at Abbottstown Square, a traffic circle.

[2][3] PA 194 enters Washington Township in York County and continues north through more farmland with some homes and woods as Baltimore Pike.