Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 30m
Distance
65.5 mi
105 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kimmel, PA
cottonbro studio
Pittsburgh, PA
Wikimedia Commons
This 65.5-mile drive from Kimmel, PA to Pittsburgh, PA is a straightforward 1.5-hour journey, making it an ideal day trip. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 82% of the drive on major roads. With an estimated fuel cost of $11, this trip is budget-friendly. Since there are no recommended overnight stops, you can easily complete this drive in a single day. The majority of your travel will be within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
32.8 miles from Kimmel, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 47m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 33.6 mi | 36m |
| Penn-Lincoln Parkway East | 13.2 mi | 18m |
| State Route 31 | 7 mi | 10m |
| Glades Pike | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Trent Road | 3.7 mi | 9m |
| Copper Kettle Highway | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Second Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Ross Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Kimmel, PA and Pittsburgh, PA.
Start on SR 3029
Turn right onto Trent Road
At end of road, turn left onto PA 31
Continue on PA 31
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 70; I 76; PATP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 376; US 22
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Second Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Ross Street
Turn left onto Fifth Avenue
Turn right onto Grant Street
Arrive at destination
Given the manageable 1.5-hour duration and 65.5-mile distance, you have flexibility with departure times. Leaving Kimmel, PA mid-morning should allow you to arrive in Pittsburgh with plenty of daylight. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you approach Pittsburgh, as the $11 estimated fuel cost is based on the entire trip. The longest stretch on the Pennsylvania Turnpike is over 33 miles, so plan your restroom breaks accordingly before or after this segment.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 14 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 32.8 miles or 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pittsburgh, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Kimmel, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Kimmel, PA
This is one driving day of about 65.5 miles and 1h 30m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 32.8 miles from Kimmel, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 16.6 and 65.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork toward I 76 West, I 70 West: Pittsburgh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 376 West, US 22: Pittsburgh, Monroeville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Second Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Grant Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$10.86 one way
$21.72 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $11.89 | $23.79 |
| premium | $4.93 | $12.70 | $25.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.46 | $28.92 |
Estimated Tolls: $4.37
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
$11
Tolls
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.88 | $3.14 |
| Efficient EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.2 | 0 | $9.17 | $4.19 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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 Kimmel on Sunday
Local time
9:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Pittsburgh on Sunday
Local time
9:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
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.
Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this 65.5-mile trip, with 82% of the route utilizing major highways like the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Penn-Lincoln Parkway East. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 33.6 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, offering a consistent pace. While primarily highway, you'll also navigate sections of State Route 31, providing a slight variation in your driving experience. This route offers a predominantly fast-paced journey.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and Penn-Lincoln Parkway East. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 16.6 miles in.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 65.5 miles you will encounter 13 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 16.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 51.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Kimmel, PA and Pittsburgh, PA, road signs point toward Patp and Monroeville.
Patp
Monroeville
The pleasure of Pittsburgh remains a well-kept secret. Though not built up by reputation, the city's unique combination of bridges, steep hills, and broad rivers make it one of the most naturally scenic cities in the country. Cheap food and beer abound in this true sports town and the locals are amazingly friendly. A city of about 303,000 (2021) in Allegheny County, at the center of a metro area of about 2.4 million in southwestern Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh is situated at the confluence of three rivers: the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, which meet to form the Ohio River. The city's unique terrain has resulted in an unusual city design and a hodge-podge of unique neighborhood "pockets" with diverse ethnic and architectural heritage.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 30m. Total distance: 65.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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