Erie to Mayfield is 316.6 miles and takes about 6h 20m via Southern Tier Expressway and I 81, with a fuel budget near $52 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive keeps you within Pennsylvania for its entirety, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. With 94% highway driving, expect a straightforward trip that feels mostly like cruising. It's a solid option if you need to get between these two points efficiently, especially if you prefer sticking to major roads.
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
158.3 miles from Erie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 10m into the drive
.
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 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 Mayfield, 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
39 mi·45 min·I 81
Toward I 81 South: Scranton
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·36 sec
Exit 202Toward PA 107: Tompkinsville, Fleetville
13
Turn left onto PA 107
7.8 mi·13 min·PA 107
14
Turn left onto Washington Avenue
0.2 mi·16 sec·Washington Avenue
15
Continue on Main Street
0.3 mi·29 sec·Main Street
16
Turn right onto Poplar Street
0.2 mi·42 sec·Poplar Street
17
Turn left onto Hill Street
0.2 mi·47 sec·Hill Street
18
Turn left onto Maple Street
109 ft·4 sec·Maple Street
19
Arrive at destination
Maple Street
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 6-hour drive, consider an early morning departure to maximize daylight and avoid potential afternoon traffic. Since the longest stretch without a significant change in road type is nearly 250 miles, plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly, perhaps around the halfway point. With a fuel cost estimate of $52, keep an eye on gas prices as you travel. Given it's a single-day trip, you have flexibility, but knowing the route is predominantly highway means you can maintain a steady pace.
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 158.3 miles from Erie, PA, or about 3h 10m 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 70 miles or 1h 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 158.3 miles or 3h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mayfield, 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 316.6 miles and 6h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 70 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 11.3 and 316.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
6
307.7 mi into trip|~6h 4m in
Take the exit toward PA 107: Tompkinsville, Fleetville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 202
Toward PA 107: Tompkinsville, Fleetville
5
316.1 mi into trip|~6h 19m in|Poplar Street
Turn right onto Poplar Street
Navigation decision point
5
316.4 mi into trip|~6h 19m in|Hill Street
Turn left onto Hill Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$55.99 one way
$111.98 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg111 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$61.33
$122.65
premium
$5.24
$65.36
$130.73
diesel
$5.35
$66.69
$133.37
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$56
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$81–$106
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 110.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
95
1
$33.24
$15.20
Efficient EV
79.2
0
$27.70
$12.66
EV Truck/SUV
126.6
1
$44.32
$20.26
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of May 28, 2026
Origin
Erie, PA
Afternoon
in Erie on Wednesday
Local time
4:09 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Sunny
N 6 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Mayfield, PA
Afternoon
in Mayfield on Wednesday
Local time
4:09 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Partly Sunny
NW 10 to 16 mph14% chanceLive forecast
69°F
South Bristol, NY
158 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
8 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 20m 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 route is heavily focused on highway travel, with 94% of the drive on major expressways like the Southern Tier Expressway and I 81. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 249.5 miles on the Southern Tier Expressway, which means fewer exits and a more continuous pace. The shift to surface roads begins around mile 297, where you'll transition to PA 107 for the final leg. Expect a consistent driving environment for the vast majority of your trip.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 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 11.3 miles in.
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 20m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 12 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 11.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 268.3 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 307.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 28 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 Mayfield, 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 28 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 11.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 268.3 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 307.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.3 hours each way, a round trip means 12.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Mayfield, PA before the return drive.
