Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 36m
Distance
411.8 mi
663 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$68
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Erie, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Dresher, PA
Haneul Trac
Erie to Dresher is 411.8 miles and takes about 7h 36m via Keystone Shortway, Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, and Raymond P Shafer Highway, with a fuel budget near $68 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip traverses the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, offering a direct path between these two points. Expect a driving experience that leans towards local roads with numerous turns, rather than a straight, high-speed interstate journey. With a recommended one-day drive, it's a feasible option for those looking to cover significant ground within a single day. Consider this route if you prefer a more engaged driving experience with frequent changes in direction over a less demanding highway cruise.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
205.9 miles from Erie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 46m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Keystone Shortway | 257.1 mi | 4h 38m |
| Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension | 74.6 mi | 1h 20m |
| Raymond P Shafer Highway | 66.8 mi | 1h 11m |
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 4.6 mi | 4m |
| West 12th Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| Dreshertown Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| State Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Erie, PA and Dresher, PA.
Start on State Street
Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290
Turn right onto Greengarden Boulevard
Turn left onto West Bayfront Parkway
Continue on I 79
Take the exit
Merge onto I 80
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 476; PATP
Take the exit
Merge onto I 276; PATP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue
Turn left onto Camp Hill Road
Turn right onto Dreshertown Road
At end of road, turn left onto PA 152
At end of road, turn left onto PA 152
Arrive at destination
Given the 7h 36m estimated duration, starting early in the morning is advisable to maximize daylight and allow for your two planned stops. While this is a one-day trip, don't hesitate to break it up further if needed; the flexibility of a less highway-dominant route means you can find convenient stopping points. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you move away from the highway segments, as local roads can sometimes have fewer service stations. A specific tip for this drive: pay close attention to road signage, particularly when transitioning between the Keystone Shortway, Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, and the Raymond P Shafer Highway, as the 'turn-heavy' nature means clear navigation is key.
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 91 miles or 1h 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 205.9 miles or 3h 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dresher, PA than in the middle of the route.
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.
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Erie, PA
This is one driving day of about 411.8 miles and 7h 36m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
206 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 91 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 205.9 miles from Erie, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Keystone Shortway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 257.1 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 0.4 and 411.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Greengarden Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward I 476 South: Allentown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward PA 309: Philadelphia, Ambler
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
At end of road, turn left onto PA 152 / Susquehanna Road
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$68.27 one way
$136.54 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $74.77 | $149.55 |
| premium | $4.93 | $79.86 | $159.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $90.92 | $181.84 |
Estimated Tolls: $10.29
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
$68
Tolls
$10
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$104–$129
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 144.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $43 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 123.5 | 1 | $43.24 | $19.77 |
| Efficient EV | 103 | 1 | $36.03 | $16.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 164.7 | 2 | $57.65 | $26.36 |
Gas CO2
144 kg
EV CO2
48 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
Night in Erie on Saturday
Local time
9:10 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Night in Dresher on Saturday
Local time
9:10 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
57°F
Wellsville, NY
206 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.
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Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This route is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter frequent changes in direction and speed. Only 19% of the journey is on highways, so be prepared for a more winding and potentially slower pace for a significant portion of the drive. The longest continuous stretch you'll experience is 257.1 miles along the Keystone Shortway, offering a period of more consistent travel before transitioning back to more varied local roads. The profile suggests a dynamic driving experience where you'll be actively navigating rather than passively cruising on a major interstate.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street.
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 17 significant decision points across 411.8 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 0.4 miles (PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (Greengarden Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 328 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Erie, PA and Dresher, PA, road signs point toward Patp and Allentown.
Patp
Allentown
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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 36m. Total distance: 411.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 36m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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