Erie, PA to Clifford, PA is 305 miles and takes about 6h 5m via Southern Tier Expressway and I 81, with a fuel budget near $51 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive primarily stays within the Northeast region, offering a straightforward journey across Pennsylvania. It's a highway-focused trip, meaning you'll spend most of your time on major interstates. If you're looking for a direct, no-fuss way to get from point A to point B within the state, this route is a solid choice for a single-day adventure.
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
152.5 miles from Erie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 3m into the drive
.
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 56 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~527 veh/hr typical
· worst 690
Quietest
2 AM
~31 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Erie, PA and Clifford, PA.
1
Start on State Street
0.1 mi·35 sec·State Street
2
Turn left onto East 8th Street
1.1 mi·2 min·East 8th Street
3
Turn right onto East Bayfront Parkway
0.3 mi·44 sec·East Bayfront Parkway
4
Continue on PA 290
4.4 mi·7 min·Bayfront Connector
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on PA 290; PA 430
1.0 mi·1 min·Station Road
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
7
Merge onto I 90
4.1 mi·4 min·AMVETS Memorial Highway
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi·37 sec
Exit 37Toward I 86 East: Jamestown
9
Continue on I 86
7.0 mi·8 min·Hopkins-Bowser Highway
10
Continue on I 86; NY 17
249 mi·4 hr 50 min·Southern Tier Expressway
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
30 mi·34 min·I 81
Toward I 81 South: Scranton
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi·21 sec
Toward PA 92: Lenox
13
Turn right onto PA 92
0.2 mi·25 sec·State Route 92
14
Turn left onto PA 106
6.7 mi·11 min·State Route 106
15
Turn right
58 ft·4 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a total drive time of just over 6 hours, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. Aim for an early morning departure from Erie to maximize daylight and minimize traffic. You'll encounter one recommended stop, so plan to refuel and stretch your legs around the halfway point. Given the 249.5-mile stretch on the Southern Tier Expressway, ensure you have enough fuel before embarking on that segment. While the fuel cost is estimated at $51, keeping an eye on your gauge is always wise on longer highway segments.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 152.5 miles from Erie, PA, or about 3h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 249.5 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 67 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 152.5 miles or 3h 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 4h 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Clifford, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Erie, 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 Erie, PA
This is one driving day of about 305 miles and 6h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 67 miles from Erie, 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 Southern Tier Expressway for about 249.5 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 298.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East 8th Street
Turn left onto East 8th Street
Navigation decision point
5
11.3 mi into trip|~19m in
Take the exit toward I 86 East: Jamestown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 37
Toward I 86 East: Jamestown
5
268.3 mi into trip|~5h 18m in|I 81
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81 toward I 81 South: Scranton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 81 South: Scranton
4
298 mi into trip|~5h 52m in
Take the exit toward PA 92: Lenox
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward PA 92: Lenox
4
298.2 mi into trip|~5h 53m in|PA 92 / State Route 92
Turn right onto PA 92 / State Route 92
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$48.63 one way
$97.26 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg107 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$53.82
$107.64
premium
$4.81
$57.73
$115.47
diesel
$4.80
$57.59
$115.18
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$49
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$74–$99
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 106.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
91.5
1
$32.03
$14.64
Efficient EV
76.3
0
$26.69
$12.20
EV Truck/SUV
122
1
$42.70
$19.52
Gas CO2
107 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (66% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 19, 2026
Origin
Erie, PA
Late night
in Erie on Monday
Local time
5:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Sunny
N 3 to 7 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Clifford, PA
Late night
in Clifford on Monday
Local time
5:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Sunny
NW 12 mph0% chanceLive forecast
80°F
Howard, NY
153 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 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
6h 5m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 94% of the journey utilizing major interstates like the Southern Tier Expressway and I 81. Expect long stretches of consistent speed; you'll be on the Southern Tier Expressway for a significant 249.5 miles without interruption. The character of the drive is primarily about covering ground efficiently, rather than winding through small towns or along scenic backroads. It's designed for steady progress, allowing you to maintain a good pace for most of the 6-hour duration.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 249.5 mi on Southern Tier Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern Tier Expressway and I 81. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East 8th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 5m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 10 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East 8th Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 268.3 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,597 ft653 ft
Total Climb
1,387 ft
Total Descent
974 ft
Highest Point
1,597 ft
~130.7 mi in
Elevation Range
945 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
The longest stretch is about 249.5 miles on Southern Tier Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 27 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Clifford, 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 27 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East 8th Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 268.3 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.1 hours each way, a round trip means 12.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Clifford, PA before the return drive.
