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Trip from Clifton, PA to Erie, PA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 43m

Distance

136.5 mi

220 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
2h 33m ★
6 AM
2h 44m
8 AM
3h 5m
10 AM
2h 51m
12 PM
2h 49m
3 PM
2h 52m
5 PM
3h 4m
8 PM
2h 37m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Clifton, PA, PA

Clifton, PA

Boys in Bristol Photography

Downtown Erie, PA, PA

Erie, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Clifton, PA to Erie, PA is 136.5 miles and takes about 2h 43m via Raymond P Shafer Highway, with a fuel budget near $23 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a local, turn-heavy experience rather than an interstate cruise. With a single day recommended, this route is best suited for those who enjoy navigating through towns and varied local roads, offering a direct, no-frills journey between these two points.

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

68.2 miles from Clifton, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 23m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Raymond P Shafer Highway 128 mi 2h 23m
West 12th Street 2.3 mi 4m
Lesnett Road 1.6 mi 3m
McMurray Road 1.2 mi 3m
Washington Pike 0.9 mi 1m
Bank Street 0.6 mi 1m
State Street 0.4 mi 1m
Washington Avenue 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Raymond P Shafer Highway — 128 mi, about 2h 23m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, PA and Erie, PA.

1

Start on this road

271 ft · 22 sec · this road
2

At end of road, turn right onto Orange Belt

1.2 mi · 3 min · McMurray Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
3

Enter roundabout onto Lesnett Road

186 ft · 3 sec · Lesnett Road
4

Continue on Lesnett Road

1.5 mi · 3 min · Lesnett Road
5

At end of road, turn right onto Bank Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · Bank Street
6

Turn right onto Dewey Avenue

417 ft · 16 sec · Dewey Avenue
7

At end of road, turn left onto Station Street

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Station Street
8

Turn right onto PA 50

0.4 mi · 38 sec · Washington Avenue
Use the straight lane.
9

Continue on PA 50

0.9 mi · 1 min · Washington Pike
10

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 13 sec
Toward I 79: Erie, Washington
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Toward I 79 North: Erie Use the slight right lane.
12

Merge onto I 79

128 mi · 2 hr 23 min · Raymond P Shafer Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 49 sec
Exit 183A Toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
14

Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290

2.3 mi · 4 min · West 12th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
15

Turn left onto State Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · State Street
Use the left lane.
16

Arrive at destination

State Street

Trip Plan

Given the relatively short duration of 2 hours and 43 minutes, this trip is easily accomplished in a single day. Leaving in the morning allows ample time for the drive and any brief stops you might need. Since it's not a long haul, you have flexibility in your departure time. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $23 and there's only one recommended stop, so plan accordingly before you get too low, especially during the 128-mile stretch on Raymond P Shafer Highway.

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 68.2 miles from Clifton, PA, or about 1h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 128 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 30 miles or 40m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 68.2 miles or 1h 23m 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 12m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Erie, PA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Clifton, 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 Clifton, PA

This is one driving day of about 136.5 miles and 2h 43m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Clifton, 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 Raymond P Shafer Highway for about 128 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

borough in counties Lawrence, and Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ellwood City, PA

68 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.

Popular next leg

Ellwood City, PA to Erie, PA

100.4 mi · 1h 59m

Pacing Suggestions

Sewickley, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ellwood City, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 68.2 miles from Clifton, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Raymond P Shafer Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 128 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Valenza Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Meadville, Pennsylvania

Later in the drive, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20 mile 97.5

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+18147241222

Visit website

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Upper St Clair, Pennsylvania

1.2 mi

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania

2 mi

Valenza Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Later in the drive, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20 mile 97.5

Meadville, Pennsylvania

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+18147241222

Visit website

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour $20 to $30

Upper St Clair, Pennsylvania

Hours: 11 am–12 pm

+14123474790

Visit website

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20

Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Hours: 11 am–1 pm

+14129429100

Visit website

Kasai Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20 mile 9.7

Carnegie, PA

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+14122795500

Visit website

Angkor | Cambodian Thai Cuisine

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20 mile 9.7

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 11:30 am–9 pm

+14129288424

Oasis Restaurant

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.6 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20

Bridgeville, Pennsylvania

Hours: 3–8 pm

+14125645007

Cassidy Family Restaurants LP

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour

Bridgeville, Pennsylvania

Hours: 5 am–11 pm

Luma | Wine Bar & Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour $40 to $50

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 4–9 pm

+14123430355

Visit website

Orbis Caffe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour $1 to $10

Pittsburgh, PA

Hours: 7 am–9 pm

+14125631220

Visit website

Electrify America Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 12–8 am

+18887584389

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 9.7

McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour

Bethel Park, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

Autel Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 9.7

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

Tesla Supercharger

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour

Bridgeville, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

Electrify America Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

3.3 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 9.7

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

Ionna Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour

Bridgeville, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18334662474

Visit website

Bicentennial Tower

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 136.5

Erie, Pennsylvania

Hours: Closed

+18144347376

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 136 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Orange Belt / McMurray Road

At end of road, turn right onto Orange Belt / McMurray Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
2.9 mi into trip | ~7m in | Bank Street

At end of road, turn right onto Bank Street

Navigation decision point

7
5.1 mi into trip | ~12m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 79 North: Erie

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 79 North: Erie
6
133.5 mi into trip | ~2h 36m in

Take the exit toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 183A Toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
6
136 mi into trip | ~2h 42m in | State Street

Turn left onto State Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$22.63 one way

$45.26 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 48 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $24.78 $49.57
premium $4.93 $26.47 $52.94
diesel $5.61 $30.14 $60.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$48–$73

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 47.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 40.9 0 $14.33 $6.55
Efficient EV 34.1 0 $11.94 $5.46
EV Truck/SUV 54.6 0 $19.11 $8.74

Gas CO2

48 kg

EV CO2

16 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Clifton, PA

Morning in Clifton on Sunday

Local time

8:06 AM

EDT

Current temp

58°F

Partly Cloudy

SE 2 to 7 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Destination

Erie, PA

Morning in Erie on Sunday

Local time

8:06 AM

EDT

Current temp

60°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

2 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

2h 43m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with zero highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 128 miles along Raymond P Shafer Highway, suggesting a significant portion of the journey follows this primary artery. Be prepared for frequent turns and changes in road type as you transition through different local areas. The drive will likely feel more like navigating through communities than a continuous open road.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 128 mi on Raymond P Shafer Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Orange Belt / McMurray Road.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 136.5 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 0.1 miles (Orange Belt / McMurray Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles (Bank Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving in Erie, PA

Full guide →

Erie is a city of about 100,000 in Northwestern Pennsylvania. It is Pennsylvania's only lake port on the Great Lakes (Lake Erie).

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 43m. Total distance: 136.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 43m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 128 miles on Raymond P Shafer Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Orange Belt / McMurray Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles (Bank Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Erie, PA before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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