Erie to Throop is 319.8 miles and takes about 6h 23m via Southern Tier Expressway and I 81, with a fuel budget near $57 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, traversing the Northeast region for its entirety. With 92% of the route on highways, it's a straightforward trip that prioritizes speed over scenery. Consider this route if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently, as it minimizes time spent on slower 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
159.9 miles from Erie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 12m 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 Throop, 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
44 mi·50 min·I 81
Toward I 81 South: Scranton
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·35 sec
Toward PA 632: Waverly
13
Turn left onto PA 632
0.4 mi·42 sec·Carbondale Road
14
Turn right onto PA 347
4.0 mi·7 min·Justus Boulevard
15
Continue on PA 347
0.3 mi·48 sec·Scott Road
16
Keep slight left at fork onto PA 347
0.3 mi·36 sec·Scott Road
17
Continue on PA 347
351 ft·13 sec·Dundaff Street
18
Continue on PA 347
398 ft·8 sec·Dundaff Street
19
Continue on PA 347
0.8 mi·1 min·West Lackawanna Avenue
20
Turn right onto PA 347
1.4 mi·2 min·South Valley Avenue
21
Turn sharp left onto Dudley Street
462 ft·27 sec·Dudley Street
22
Turn sharp left onto PA 347
294 ft·4 sec·Cypress Street
23
Arrive at destination
PA 347
Trip Plan
To maximize daylight, aim for an early morning departure from Erie. The 6h 23m drive time means you can comfortably complete this trip in one day, but if you prefer a more relaxed pace, consider breaking it up. The longest stretch on the Southern Tier Expressway is nearly 250 miles, so plan your fuel stops accordingly to avoid running low. Keep an eye on the fuel cost estimate of $57, which should help you budget for gas on this all-Pennsylvania trip.
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 159.9 miles from Erie, PA, or about 3h 12m 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 159.9 miles or 3h 12m 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 11m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Throop, 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 319.8 miles and 6h 23m.
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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 319.7 — 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
5
319.7 mi into trip|~6h 23m in|Dudley Street
Turn sharp left onto Dudley Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
319.7 mi into trip|~6h 23m in|PA 347 / Cypress Street
Turn sharp left onto PA 347 / Cypress Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.99 one way
$101.98 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg112 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$56.43
$112.86
premium
$4.81
$60.54
$121.07
diesel
$4.80
$60.38
$120.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 111.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
95.9
1
$33.58
$15.35
Efficient EV
80
0
$27.98
$12.79
EV Truck/SUV
127.9
1
$44.77
$20.47
Gas CO2
112 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 Jul 19, 2026
Origin
Erie, PA
Evening
in Erie on Monday
Local time
7:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Patchy Smoke
NW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Throop, PA
Evening
in Throop on Monday
Local time
7:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Mostly Clear
N 0 to 10 mph0% chanceLive 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
23 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
6h 23m 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?
You'll spend most of your time on highways, with 92% of the 319.8 miles covered by them. The longest continuous stretch on the Southern Tier Expressway is 249.5 miles, indicating long periods of consistent cruising. The highway portion will likely conclude around mile 290, giving you about 30 miles on surface roads into Throop. Expect a high volume of exits and merging traffic as you navigate these expressways.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 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?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern Tier Expressway and I 81. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East 8th Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 319.8 miles you will encounter 14 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 (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
1,901 ft653 ft
Total Climb
1,619 ft
Total Descent
1,430 ft
Highest Point
1,901 ft
~137.1 mi in
Elevation Range
1,249 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 23m. Total distance: 319.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 23m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 Throop, 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 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 6.4 hours each way, a round trip means 12.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Throop, PA before the return drive.
