Altoona, PA to Broomall, PA is 224.7 miles and takes about 4h 19m via Pennsylvania Turnpike and I-99, with a fuel budget near $37 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, primarily traversing Pennsylvania. With a high percentage of highway driving, this route is designed for efficient travel. It's a straightforward drive that's well-suited for a single day of travel, minimizing the need for overnight stays.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
112.4 miles from Altoona, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pennsylvania Turnpike
174.3 mi
3h 9m
I 99
32.1 mi
34m
Darby Paoli Road
3.7 mi
6m
West Chester Pike
2.7 mi
5m
Lancaster Avenue
2.2 mi
4m
Newtown Street Road
1.5 mi
2m
North Morehall Road
1.3 mi
2m
17th Street
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike
— 174.3 mi, about 3h 9m
Traffic on I-99
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,140 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,371
Quietest
1 AM
~71 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Altoona, PA and Broomall, PA.
1
Start on 7th Street
0.2 mi·24 sec·7th Street
2
Turn left onto Lexington Avenue
257 ft·16 sec·Lexington Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto 8th Street
0.3 mi·34 sec·8th Street
4
Turn right onto PA 764
0.7 mi·1 min·7th Avenue
5
Turn left onto 17th Street
1.2 mi·2 min·17th Street
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·56 sec
Toward I 99 South, US 220 South: Bedford
7
Merge onto I 99; US 220
32 mi·34 min·I 99; US 220
8
Take the exit
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward Pittsburgh, Harrisburg
9
Keep slight right at fork
284 ft·8 sec
Toward US 220 Business South: Bedford
10
Turn slight right onto US 220 BUS
0.2 mi·26 sec·Business 220
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward I 70, I 76, PATP: Pittsburgh, Harrisburg
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward I 76 East, I 70 East: Harrisburg
13
Merge onto I 70; I 76; PATP
174 mi·3 hr 9 min·Pennsylvania Turnpike
14
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 320Toward PA 29: Phoenixville, MalvernUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn left onto PA 29
1.3 mi·2 min·North Morehall Road
16
Continue on PA 29
0.6 mi·1 min·South Morehall Road
Use the left lane.
17
Turn left onto US 30
2.2 mi·4 min·Lancaster Avenue
18
Turn right onto Darby Road
0.8 mi·1 min·Darby Road
19
Turn right onto PA 252
3.7 mi·6 min·Darby Paoli Road
20
Continue on PA 252
1.5 mi·2 min·Newtown Street Road
21
Turn left onto PA 3
2.6 mi·5 min·West Chester Pike
Use the left lane.
22
Continue on PA 3
0.2 mi·26 sec·West Chester Pike
Use the left lane.
23
Arrive at destination
PA 3
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour drive time, leaving Altoona in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight. You'll have one recommended stop, so plan this break strategically along the 174.3-mile stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the fuel cost estimate is $37 for this 224.7-mile trip. Since this is a single-day drive, you have the flexibility to adjust your departure time based on traffic conditions.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 112.4 miles from Altoona, PA, or about 2h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 174.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 49 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 112.4 miles or 2h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Broomall, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Altoona, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Altoona, PA
This is one driving day of about 224.7 miles and 4h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Altoona, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Pennsylvania Turnpike for about 174.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 211.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Lexington Avenue
Turn left onto Lexington Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
35.1 mi into trip|~40m in
Take the exit toward Pittsburgh, Harrisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Pittsburgh, Harrisburg
5
36 mi into trip|~41m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 220 Business South: Bedford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 220 Business South: Bedford
6
36.4 mi into trip|~42m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 76 East, I 70 East: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 76 East, I 70 East: Harrisburg
8
211.1 mi into trip|~3h 52m in
Take the exit toward PA 29: Phoenixville, Malvern
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 320
Toward PA 29: Phoenixville, Malvern
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.83 one way
$71.66 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg79 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$39.65
$79.30
premium
$4.81
$42.53
$85.07
diesel
$4.80
$42.43
$84.86
Estimated Tolls: $22.66
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(174.3 mi)$22.66
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Tolls
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$83–$108
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
67.4
0
$23.59
$10.79
Efficient EV
56.2
0
$19.66
$8.99
EV Truck/SUV
89.9
1
$31.46
$14.38
Gas CO2
79 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Altoona, PA
Late night
in Altoona on Sunday
Local time
5:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 12 mph49% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 3:22PM EDT by NWS State College PA
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 3:19PM EDT until July 18 at 6:15PM EDT by NWS Pittsburgh PA
Destination
Broomall, PA
Late night
in Broomall on Sunday
Local time
5:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Areas Of Smoke
SW 10 mph84% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 3:22PM EDT by NWS State College PA
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 3:19PM EDT until July 18 at 6:15PM EDT by NWS Pittsburgh PA
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 19m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
1 mi from route
~2 min detour
Free
near mile 116.2
Valley Forge is the place where George Washington and the Continental Army took refuge during the winter of 1777-1778. Today the park protects 3,500 acres of meadows, woodlands, historic landscapes, a...
The park represents the founding ideals of the nation, and preserves national and international symbols of freedom and democracy, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The Declaration of I...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
$1
near mile 224.7
Visit the house where wounded Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko lived and hear how this brilliant military engineer designed successful fortifications during the American Revolution. See the...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 224.7
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 155
Famous as the First State to ratify the Constitution, Delaware was born out of a conflict among three world powers for dominance of the Delaware Valley. From this beginning, the region developed a dis...
15 mi from route
~37 min detour
Free
near mile 217
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 92% of your drive on highways, covering a significant 174.3 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The transition to surface roads happens near Darby Paoli Road, which marks the end of the high-speed travel. Expect a steady stream of exits for much of the journey, typical of a route heavily utilizing major interstates.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 174.3 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and I 99. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Lexington Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 224.7 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Lexington Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,168 ft350 ft
Total Climb
406 ft
Total Descent
1,219 ft
Highest Point
1,168 ft
~64.2 mi in
Elevation Range
818 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Altoona, PA and Broomall, PA, road signs point toward Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Patp: Pittsburgh and Malvern.
Altoona is a city in central Pennsylvania. Altoona was founded as a railroad town by the Pennsylvania Railroad as the site of their Altoona Works shops, and its history as a railroad town still shows in the town today despite the decline of the railroad and its eventual absorption into Penn Central, Conrail, and now Norfolk Southern.
Top landmarks
•Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament — church in Pennsylvania, United States
•Mishler Theatre — theater and movie theater in Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States
•Downtown Altoona Historic District — historic district in Altoona, Pennsylvania
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 19m. Total distance: 224.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 174.3 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $22.66 in tolls one way, starting with Pennsylvania Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 16 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Broomall, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 16 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Lexington Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument, Valley Forge National Historical Park and Independence National Historical Park (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Broomall, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
