Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 12m
Distance
317.9 mi
512 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$53
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bristol, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Ford City, PA
Victor Miyata
This 317.9-mile drive from Bristol, PA to Ford City, PA is a straightforward, highway-focused journey. Expect to spend about 6 hours and 12 minutes on the road, making it a feasible, albeit long, day trip. With 76% of the drive on highways, including significant stretches of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I-99, this route is designed for efficient travel. The estimated fuel cost is around $53. Given its Northeast to Northeast location within Pennsylvania, you'll be navigating familiar terrain, making it a practical choice for those seeking a direct path.
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
159 miles from Bristol, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 57m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 213.1 mi | 3h 52m |
| Ben Franklin Highway | 44.6 mi | 59m |
| I 99 | 27.8 mi | 29m |
| William Penn Highway | 15.9 mi | 18m |
| Benjamin Franklin Highway | 6 mi | 8m |
| Indiana Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| PA 66 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bristol, PA and Ford City, PA.
Start on this road
Turn right onto Washington Street
Turn left onto Wood Street
Turn left onto Jefferson Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Beaver Street
Turn slight right onto US 13
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 95
Keep slight left at fork onto I 276; PATP
Take the exit
Turn left onto US 220 BUS
Take the ramp
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 99; US 220
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Continue on US 22
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto Rowena Drive
Continue on East High Street
Take the exit
Continue on Ben Franklin Highway
Merge onto US 422
Continue on US 422
Continue on US 422 Business
Turn left onto Main Street
Continue on PA 66
Take the exit
Turn straight onto PA 128
Turn right onto 11th Street
Turn left onto 4th Avenue
Arrive at destination
To make the most of this 6-hour, 12-minute trip, consider an early morning departure from Bristol, PA, to bypass potential traffic. With only one recommended stop and a long 213.1-mile stretch on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, plan your breaks strategically, perhaps around the halfway point. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before entering longer highway segments. For this single-day journey, flexibility is key; you can adjust your timing as needed, but being prepared for a full day of driving is advisable.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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 70 miles or 1h 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 159 miles or 2h 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 4h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ford City, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Bristol, 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 Bristol, PA
This is one driving day of about 317.9 miles and 6h 12m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
159 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 70 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 159 miles from Bristol, 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 213.1 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 1.7 and 262 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Turnpike toward I 95: Philadelphia, New York
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South: Philadelphia, Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 276; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike toward I 276 Toll West, PATP West: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Altoona, Johnstown
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 Ebensburg, Loretto
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$52.70 one way
$105.41 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $57.72 | $115.45 |
| premium | $4.93 | $61.65 | $123.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $70.19 | $140.38 |
Estimated Tolls: $27.70
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
$53
Tolls
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$105–$130
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 111.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 95.4 | 1 | $33.38 | $15.26 |
| Efficient EV | 79.5 | 0 | $27.82 | $12.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 127.2 | 1 | $44.51 | $20.35 |
Gas CO2
111 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Morning in Bristol on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Ford City on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
54°F
Hancock, MD
159 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
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Historical Park
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...
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 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 Historical Park
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...
National Memorial
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...
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This route is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 76% of its length utilizing major thoroughfares. You'll experience a substantial 213.1-mile stretch on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, offering a consistent, high-speed experience. The journey incorporates sections of the Ben Franklin Highway and I-99, ensuring most of your time is spent on well-maintained, multi-lane roads designed for longer distances. Expect a driving profile that prioritizes covering ground efficiently over varied terrain.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and Ben Franklin Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near Pennsylvania Turnpike.
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 24 significant decision points across 317.9 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 1.7 miles (Pennsylvania Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.9 miles (I 276; PATP / Pennsylvania Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
2,060 ft
Total Descent
1,291 ft
Highest Point
1,837 ft
~249.8 mi in
Elevation Range
1,814 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bristol, PA and Ford City, PA, road signs point toward Altoona, Johnstown, Hollidaysburg, Ebensburg and Loretto.
Altoona
Johnstown
Hollidaysburg
Ebensburg
Loretto
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 12m. Total distance: 317.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 12m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Bristol, PA or browse trips ending in Ford City, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.
