Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 58m
Distance
84.2 mi
135 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Irwin, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Altoona to Irwin is 84.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 58 minutes via William Penn Highway and US 22, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, beginning in the Northeast region and ending in the same region. Expect a mixed driving experience, blending highway travel with stretches on local roads. It's a relatively short drive, making it an easy one-day excursion. Consider this route if you're looking for a straightforward journey between these two Pennsylvania locations without a significant time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
42.1 miles from Altoona, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 57m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| William Penn Highway | 34.2 mi | 47m |
| US 22 | 30.5 mi | 39m |
| Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| Lincoln Highway | 5.8 mi | 10m |
| 6th Avenue | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| 7th Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| State Route 66 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 8th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Altoona, PA and Irwin, PA.
Start on 7th Street
Turn left onto Lexington Avenue
Turn left onto 8th Street
Turn right onto PA 764
Continue on PA 764
Take the ramp
Continue on US 22
Keep slight right at fork onto US 22
Continue on US 22
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto PA 66
Continue on PA Tpke 66
Take the exit
Turn right onto US 30
Turn right onto Lombard Street
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Given the short 1 hour 58 minute duration, this route is best tackled as a single-day trip, offering flexibility for departure times. You should have ample daylight to complete the 84.2 miles, so an early start isn't strictly necessary unless you plan additional activities. With a fuel cost estimated at $14, it's an economical option. Pay attention to the transition points between the William Penn Highway, US 22, and the Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass, as these can be areas where road character changes abruptly. Given the lack of designated stops in the data, plan your own brief breaks as needed, perhaps around the halfway point.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 19 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 42.1 miles or 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Irwin, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Altoona, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Altoona, PA
This is one driving day of about 84.2 miles and 1h 58m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
42 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 42.1 miles from Altoona, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 71.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Lexington Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto US 22 toward US 22 West: Ebensburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward PA 66: Greensburg, Delmont
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward PA 66 South: Greensburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto PA 66 / State Route 66 toward PA 66 South: Greensburg
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$13.96 one way
$27.92 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $15.29 | $30.58 |
| premium | $4.93 | $16.33 | $32.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.59 | $37.18 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.41
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
$14
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 29.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 25.3 | 0 | $8.84 | $4.04 |
| Efficient EV | 21.1 | 0 | $7.37 | $3.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 33.7 | 0 | $11.79 | $5.39 |
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Altoona on Tuesday
Local time
5:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Irwin on Tuesday
Local time
5:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
68°F
Germany, PA
42 mi in
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Memorial
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
National Memorial
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This drive offers a varied experience, with 37% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 34.2 miles along the William Penn Highway, which likely offers a more local feel. The route incorporates US 22 and the Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass, suggesting periods of faster-paced travel mixed with more community-oriented road segments. The 'Mixed drive' profile indicates you won't be stuck on one type of road for the entire trip, providing some dynamic change as you travel.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Lexington Avenue.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 84.2 miles you will encounter 12 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 6.5 miles (US 22): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 70.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Altoona, PA to Irwin, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Delmont along the way.
Delmont
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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 58m. Total distance: 84.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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