Altoona, PA to Penn Hills, PA is 91.5 miles and takes about 2h 13m via William Penn Highway and US 22, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a practical journey, suitable for a single day, that offers a mix of road types. You'll experience a varied drive that's manageable for most vehicles and drivers looking for a straightforward trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45.7 miles from Altoona, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
William Penn Highway
44.8 mi
1h 6m
US 22
30.5 mi
39m
Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
4.9 mi
6m
6th Avenue
3.6 mi
6m
Verona Road
2.1 mi
5m
7th Avenue
1.8 mi
2m
Beulah Road
1.2 mi
1m
Coal Hollow Road
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
William Penn Highway
— 44.8 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Altoona, PA and Penn Hills, 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
1.8 mi·2 min·7th Avenue
5
Continue on PA 764
3.6 mi·6 min·6th Avenue
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·30 sec
Toward US 22 West: Ebensburg
7
Continue on US 22
0.3 mi·21 sec·US 22
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 22
30 mi·39 min·US 22
Toward US 22 West: EbensburgUse the slight right lane.
9
Continue on US 22
45 mi·1 hr 6 min·William Penn Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 376; US 22
4.9 mi·6 min·Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Toward I 376 West, US 22 West: PittsburghUse the slight left lane.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·57 sec
Exit 79BToward PA 130: ChurchillUse the slight left lane.
12
Turn right onto PA 130
1.2 mi·1 min·Beulah Road
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on PA 130
0.1 mi·12 sec·Old Coal Hollow Road
14
Continue on PA 130
1.0 mi·1 min·Coal Hollow Road
Use the right lane.
15
Turn right onto Verona Road
0.4 mi·50 sec·Verona Road
Use the right lane.
16
Continue on Verona Road
1.7 mi·4 min·Verona Road
17
Turn left onto Mount Avenue
519 ft·24 sec·Mount Avenue
18
Turn right onto Sylvan Avenue
134 ft·5 sec·Sylvan Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
Sylvan Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 13m duration, this is a comfortable one-day trip. Aim to depart in the morning to take advantage of daylight and avoid potential rush hour traffic as you approach Penn Hills. You'll want to keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is around $15 for the 91.5-mile journey. While there are no designated stops in the data, plan for a brief break around the halfway point, perhaps near the end of the 44.8-mile stretch on William Penn Highway, to stretch your legs and ensure you're alert for the latter half of the drive.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 45.7 miles from Altoona, PA, or about 1h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 44.8 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 20 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.7 miles or 1h 3m 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 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Penn Hills, 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 91.5 miles and 2h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Altoona, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on William Penn Highway for about 44.8 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 86.8 — 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.
7
6.5 mi into trip|~11m in|US 22
Keep slight right at fork onto US 22 toward US 22 West: Ebensburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 22 West: Ebensburg
8
81.5 mi into trip|~1h 56m in|I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Keep slight right at fork onto I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh
7
86.4 mi into trip|~2h 3m in
Take the exit toward PA 130: Churchill
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 79B
Toward PA 130: Churchill
5
86.8 mi into trip|~2h 4m in|PA 130 / Beulah Road
Turn right onto PA 130 / Beulah Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.17 one way
$30.34 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$16.61
$33.23
premium
$4.93
$17.75
$35.49
diesel
$5.61
$20.20
$40.40
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.5
0
$9.61
$4.39
Efficient EV
22.9
0
$8.01
$3.66
EV Truck/SUV
36.6
0
$12.81
$5.86
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Altoona, PA
Morning
in Altoona on Sunday
Local time
8:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 7 to 13 mph44% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Penn Hills, PA
Morning
in Penn Hills on Sunday
Local time
8:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
8 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
2h 13m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
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...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
Free
near mile 28.4
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...
26 mi from route
~65 min detour
Free
near mile 34.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip features a mixed drive profile, with 39% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch spans 44.8 miles along the William Penn Highway, offering a substantial period of consistent travel. As you progress, the route transitions, moving from the William Penn Highway to US 22 and then onto the Penn-Lincoln Parkway East. Expect a blend of faster highway sections and potentially more local road segments as you near your destination.
39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.8 mi on William Penn Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 91.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
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 81.5 miles (I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 13m. Total distance: 91.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44.8 miles on William Penn Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Penn Hills, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 81.5 miles (I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Johnstown Flood National Memorial and Flight 93 National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Penn Hills, PA before heading back.
