Erie to West Pittston is 337.3 miles and takes about 6h 16m via Keystone Shortway and I 81, with a fuel budget near $56 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Pennsylvania, traversing the Northeast region. The profile suggests you'll be on mostly surface roads, so expect a more relaxed pace compared to interstate-only travel. With a recommended one-day drive, this trip is well-suited for those looking to cover ground efficiently without being solely on high-speed highways.
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
168.6 miles from Erie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
240.3 mi
4h 19m
Raymond P Shafer Highway
66.8 mi
1h 11m
I 81
23.1 mi
29m
West 12th Street
2 mi
4m
Oak Street
1.2 mi
2m
William Street
0.7 mi
1m
South Township Boulevard
0.6 mi
1m
State Street
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 240.3 mi, about 4h 19m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,099 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,466
Quietest
2 AM
~186 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
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 West Pittston, PA.
1
Start on State Street
0.4 mi·1 min·State Street
2
Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290
2.0 mi·4 min·West 12th Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn right onto Greengarden Boulevard
0.1 mi·23 sec·Greengarden Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto West Bayfront Parkway
0.2 mi·20 sec·West Bayfront Parkway
5
Continue on I 79
67 mi·1 hr 11 min·Raymond P Shafer Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·59 sec
Toward I 80 East: Clarion
7
Merge onto I 80
240 mi·4 hr 19 min·Keystone Shortway
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
9
Merge onto I 81
23 mi·29 min·I 81
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi·19 sec
Toward PA 315 North: Dupont, Pittston
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward PA 315 North: Dupont, Pittston
12
Continue on PA 315
405 ft·6 sec·Chestnut Street
13
Turn left onto Oak Street
1.2 mi·2 min·Oak Street
14
Turn right onto South Township Boulevard
0.6 mi·1 min·South Township Boulevard
15
Turn sharp left onto US 11
0.7 mi·1 min·William Street
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto US 11
0.2 mi·32 sec·North Main Street
17
Turn left onto US 11
0.2 mi·28 sec·Fort Jenkins Bridge
18
Turn straight
12 ft·0 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given this is a 6h 16m drive, leaving in the morning should allow you to arrive well before evening. You'll have one stop recommended, so plan for a break around the halfway point or when you transition from highway to surface roads. Fuel costs are estimated at $56, so ensure your tank is full before departing Erie, as fuel availability might vary more on the surface road sections. The longest stretch on the Keystone Shortway is over 240 miles, so be prepared for a significant period on that road before the profile shifts to more surface driving.
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 168.6 miles from Erie, PA, or about 3h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 240.3 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 74 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 168.6 miles or 3h 5m 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 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near West Pittston, 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 337.3 miles and 6h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 74 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 Keystone Shortway for about 240.3 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 0.4 and 336.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street
Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
2.4 mi into trip|~5m in|Greengarden Boulevard
Turn right onto Greengarden Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
2.6 mi into trip|~6m in|West Bayfront Parkway
Turn left onto West Bayfront Parkway
Navigation decision point
7
334.2 mi into trip|~6h 9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward PA 315 North: Dupont, Pittston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward PA 315 North: Dupont, Pittston
7
336.2 mi into trip|~6h 14m in|US 11 / William Street
Turn sharp left onto US 11 / William Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$53.78 one way
$107.56 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg118 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$59.52
$119.04
premium
$4.81
$63.85
$127.70
diesel
$4.80
$63.69
$127.38
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$54
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$79–$104
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 118 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
101.2
1
$35.42
$16.19
Efficient EV
84.3
0
$29.51
$13.49
EV Truck/SUV
134.9
1
$47.22
$21.59
Gas CO2
118 kg
EV CO2
39 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 17, 2026
Origin
Erie, PA
Late night
in Erie on Sunday
Local time
4:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Smoke
W 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
West Pittston, PA
Late night
in West Pittston on Sunday
Local time
4:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Smoke
NW 0 to 3 mph1% 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
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 16m 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 about 7% of your 337.3 miles on highways. The longest continuous highway stretch is 240.3 miles on the Keystone Shortway. After that, expect a shift to surface roads, which will likely involve more varied speed limits and potentially more local traffic. The overall profile is mostly surface roads, so plan for a driving experience that's less about rapid transit and more about cruising.
Only 7% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 240.3 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 337.3 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.4 miles (PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (Greengarden Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (West Bayfront Parkway): Navigation decision point.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 16m. Total distance: 337.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 16m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 240.3 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 41 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 route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at West Pittston, 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 41 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 2.6 miles (West Bayfront Parkway): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.3 hours each way, a round trip means 12.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at West Pittston, PA before the return drive.
