Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 17m
Distance
169.2 mi
272 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$28
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
Lynn, PA
Haneul Trac
Erie to Lynn is 169 miles and takes about 3 hours 17 minutes via Raymond P Shafer Highway and Pennsylvania Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $28 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, entirely within Pennsylvania. You'll primarily be on surface roads, making it a more relaxed pace than a pure highway cruise. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short driving time, this route offers flexibility for departure and arrival times.
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
84.6 miles from Erie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 34m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Raymond P Shafer Highway | 104 mi | 1h 51m |
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 39.2 mi | 42m |
| Dwight D Eisenhower Highway | 7.3 mi | 9m |
| PA 51 | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| PA 136 | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Arona Road | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| West 12th Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| Waltz Mill Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,459 veh/hr typical · worst 1,947
Quietest
2 AM
~72 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
20.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Erie, PA and Lynn, 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
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 76; PATP
Turn left onto Wendel Road
Turn right onto Arona Road
Turn right onto PA 136
Continue on Waltz Mill Road
Enter roundabout
Continue
Enter roundabout
Continue
Merge onto I 70
Take the exit
Turn slight left
Merge onto PA 51
Turn left onto West Constitution Street
At end of road, turn left onto North Hancock Street
Turn slight left onto North Liberty Street
Arrive at destination
Given the 3 hour 17 minute drive time, you can easily complete this trip in one day. Aim to depart in the morning to take advantage of daylight and avoid any potential end-of-day fatigue. With only one stop suggested and a manageable fuel cost of around $28, you have flexibility in planning your breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before heading onto longer stretches of highway, as services can be spaced out.
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 37 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84.6 miles or 1h 34m 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 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lynn, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Erie, PA
This is one driving day of about 169.2 miles and 3h 17m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
85 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 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 84.6 miles from Erie, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Raymond P Shafer Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 104 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 108.1 — 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
Take the exit toward Cranberry, Pennsylvania Turnpike
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward Youngstown Ohio, Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 76, PATP: Youngstown Ohio, Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$28.27 one way
$56.54 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $31.12 | $62.23 |
| premium | $5.01 | $33.39 | $66.77 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $37.30 | $74.59 |
Estimated Tolls: $5.10
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
$28
Tolls
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 50.8 | 0 | $17.77 | $8.12 |
| Efficient EV | 42.3 | 0 | $14.81 | $6.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 67.7 | 0 | $23.69 | $10.83 |
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (66% 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
Morning in Erie on Friday
Local time
6:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Mostly Sunny
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:30AM EDT until September 1 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
Morning in Lynn on Friday
Local time
6:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:30AM EDT until September 1 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
82°F
Valencia, PA
85 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
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 Battlefield
The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This drive is mostly surface roads, with only 28% of the 169 miles on highways like the Pennsylvania Turnpike. You'll encounter the longest stretch of 104 miles on Raymond P Shafer Highway before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a more varied driving experience with more frequent intersections and lower speed limits after leaving the main highway sections.
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 19 significant decision points across 169.2 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 106.7 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
1,485 ft
Total Descent
1,180 ft
Highest Point
1,470 ft
~24.2 mi in
Elevation Range
818 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Erie, PA and Lynn, PA, road signs point toward Cranberry, Pennsylvania Turnpike, Youngstown Ohio, Harrisburg and Patp: Youngstown Ohio.
Cranberry
Pennsylvania Turnpike
Youngstown Ohio
Harrisburg
Patp: Youngstown Ohio
Founded 1795
Erie is a city of about 100,000 in Northwestern Pennsylvania. It is Pennsylvania's only lake port on the Great Lakes (Lake Erie).
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 17m. Total distance: 169.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
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, 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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