Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 37m
Distance
190.4 mi
306 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$31
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Altoona, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Whitfield, PA
Mylo Kaye
Traveling from Altoona to Whitfield covers 190.4 miles of Pennsylvania scenery, requiring approximately 3 hours and 37 minutes of driving time. Because this journey stays entirely within the Northeast region, you won't experience major climate shifts, but you should prepare for a turn-heavy local drive rather than a straight highway shot. Budgeting about $32 for fuel is a safe estimate for the trip. Given the duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. Expect a more hands-on driving experience that prioritizes local roads over high-speed transit.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
95.2 miles from Altoona, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 47m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 141.3 mi | 2h 33m |
| I 99 | 32.1 mi | 34m |
| US 222 | 8.5 mi | 10m |
| Shillington Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| 17th Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Colonel Howard Boulevard | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 7th Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 8th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
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
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Altoona, PA and Whitfield, PA.
Start on 7th Street
Turn left onto Lexington Avenue
Turn left onto 8th Street
Turn right onto PA 764
Turn left onto 17th Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 99; US 220
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn slight right onto US 220 BUS
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 70; I 76; PATP
Take the exit
Continue on Colonel Howard Boulevard
Keep slight left at fork onto Colonel Howard Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto US 222
Continue on US 222
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn left onto PA 724
Take the ramp
Turn right onto Mull Avenue
Continue on Van Reed Road
Turn left onto Wilshire Boulevard
Turn right onto Saint Albans Drive
Arrive at destination
Since this is a turn-heavy local route, you should factor in extra time for navigation and potential congestion along your primary streets. Plan for at least one planned stop during your 3-hour and 37-minute drive to stretch your legs and reset after tackling the winding local roads. Leaving early in the morning is your best strategy to avoid peak traffic on these smaller thoroughfares, which can significantly impact your travel time. Keep your fuel gauge in mind and top off before leaving Altoona, as local routes can sometimes have fewer high-capacity service options than major highways. Embracing the flexibility of a single-day trip allows you to adjust your pace based on local road conditions as they arise.
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.
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 42 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 95.2 miles or 1h 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Whitfield, PA than in the middle of the route.
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 190.4 miles and 3h 37m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
95 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 95.2 miles from Altoona, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Pennsylvania Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 141.3 miles.
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 187.8 — 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 left at fork toward I 76 East, I 70 East: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward US 222: Reading, Ephrata
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward US 222 North: Reading
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward PA 724: Sinking Spring
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$31.06 one way
$62.13 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.56 | $34.16 | $68.32 |
| premium | $4.86 | $36.45 | $72.91 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $40.50 | $81.00 |
Estimated Tolls: $18.37
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
$31
Tolls
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$74–$99
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 66.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 57.1 | 0 | $19.99 | $9.14 |
| Efficient EV | 47.6 | 0 | $16.66 | $7.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 76.2 | 0 | $26.66 | $12.19 |
Gas CO2
67 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (67% 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
Evening in Altoona on Sunday
Local time
7:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Evening in Whitfield on Sunday
Local time
7:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
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 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...
National Scenic Trail
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...
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.
Forget about monotonous interstate cruising; this route is defined by its technical, turn-heavy nature. You will navigate primarily via Lexington Avenue, 8th Street, and 7th Avenue, as the trip features a 0% highway share. Because you aren't relying on major interstates, the road demands your full attention as you wind through the local landscape. The lack of long, uninterrupted highway stretches means your speed will likely remain consistent but moderate throughout the 190.4-mile journey. Prepare for a driving experience that feels more personal and engaged than a typical cross-country highway haul.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and I 99. 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.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 190.4 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 36.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 178.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,019 ft
Total Descent
1,846 ft
Highest Point
1,540 ft
~27.2 mi in
Elevation Range
1,205 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Altoona, PA and Whitfield, PA, road signs point toward Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Patp: Pittsburgh and Ephrata.
Pittsburgh
Harrisburg
Patp: Pittsburgh
Ephrata
Founded 1849
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 37m. Total distance: 190.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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