Pittsburgh to Cambridge Springs is 106.5 miles and takes about 2 hours 7 minutes via I 79, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This northeastern Pennsylvania drive is mostly highway, making it a straightforward trip. You'll primarily be on Interstate 79, which offers a direct path. Given its relatively short duration and highway focus, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing for a relaxed pace. It's a practical option for getting from the Pittsburgh area to northwestern Pennsylvania without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.3 miles from Pittsburgh, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 2m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 79
82.1 mi
1h 29m
Parkway North
11.6 mi
16m
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
4.6 mi
6m
PA-198
2.9 mi
5m
Route 6/Route 19
1.4 mi
2m
Veterans Bridge
0.9 mi
1m
Venango Avenue
0.8 mi
2m
Church Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 79
— 82.1 mi, about 1h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pittsburgh, PA and Cambridge Springs, PA.
1
Start on Grant Street
45 ft·5 sec·Grant Street
2
Turn right onto Sixth Avenue
309 ft·10 sec·Sixth Avenue
3
Turn left onto Bigelow Square
365 ft·8 sec·Bigelow Square
4
Continue on Bigelow Boulevard
0.2 mi·19 sec·Bigelow Boulevard
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·46 sec
Toward I 579: Veterans Bridge
6
Merge onto I 579
0.9 mi·1 min·Veterans Bridge
7
Continue on I 279
12 mi·16 min·Parkway North
8
Merge onto I 79
82 mi·1 hr 29 min·I 79
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward PA 198: Saegertown, Conneautville
10
Turn right onto PA 198
2.9 mi·5 min·PA-198
11
Enter roundabout onto US 6; US 19
248 ft·4 sec·Route 6/Route 19
12
Continue on US 6; US 19
1.4 mi·2 min·Route 6/Route 19
13
Continue on US 6; US 19
0.2 mi·16 sec·Grand Army of the Republic Highway
14
Continue on US 6; US 19
0.2 mi·14 sec·Grand Army of the Republic Army
15
Continue on US 6; US 19
1.9 mi·2 min·Grand Army of the Republic Highway
16
Continue on US 6; US 19
0.5 mi·1 min·Church Street
17
Turn right onto US 6; US 19
0.2 mi·31 sec·Cussewago Street
Use the right lane.
18
Continue on US 6; US 19
0.3 mi·39 sec·River Street
19
Continue on US 6; US 19
2.5 mi·3 min·Grand Army of the Republic Highway
20
Continue on US 6; US 19
0.8 mi·2 min·Venango Avenue
21
Turn right onto US 6; US 19
276 ft·9 sec·Church Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
22
Arrive at destination
PA 408
Trip Plan
For this 2 hour 7 minute drive, departing Pittsburgh in the morning is recommended to maximize your daylight. Since it’s a relatively short trip at 106.5 miles, you won't need extensive stops, but keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 82.1-mile stretch on I 79. The $18 fuel cost estimate is helpful for budgeting. Consider a brief stop for a stretch before you hit that longest highway segment to ensure you're refreshed for the continuous driving.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 53.3 miles from Pittsburgh, PA, or about 1h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 82.1 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 23 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.3 miles or 1h 2m 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 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cambridge Springs, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Pittsburgh, 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 Pittsburgh, PA
This is one driving day of about 106.5 miles and 2h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Pittsburgh, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 79 for about 82.1 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 106.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Sixth Avenue
Turn right onto Sixth Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
13.2 mi into trip|~18m in|I 79
Merge onto I 79
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
95.2 mi into trip|~1h 48m in
Take the exit toward PA 198: Saegertown, Conneautville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward PA 198: Saegertown, Conneautville
6
102.6 mi into trip|~2h in|US 6; US 19 / Cussewago Street
Turn right onto US 6; US 19 / Cussewago Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
106.5 mi into trip|~2h 6m in|US 6; US 19 / Church Street
Turn right onto US 6; US 19 / Church Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.66 one way
$35.31 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$19.34
$38.68
premium
$4.93
$20.65
$41.31
diesel
$5.61
$23.51
$47.03
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32
0
$11.18
$5.11
Efficient EV
26.6
0
$9.32
$4.26
EV Truck/SUV
42.6
0
$14.91
$6.82
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Pittsburgh, PA
Late night
in Pittsburgh on Sunday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Partly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms
S 6 to 16 mph80% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Cambridge Springs, PA
Late night
in Cambridge Springs on Sunday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live 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
22 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
2h 7m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 92% of the route utilizing major roadways like I 79 and the Parkway North. Expect a consistent pace for most of the 106.5 miles, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 82.1 miles on I 79. The Grand Army of the Republic Highway also features in parts of the journey. This profile suggests a drive characterized by efficiency rather than winding scenic byways. You'll likely experience a predictable driving environment for the majority of your travel time.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 82.1 mi on I 79.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 79 and Parkway North. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Sixth Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 7m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Sixth Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 13.2 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 95.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Pittsburgh, PA to Cambridge Springs, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Conneautville along the way.
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.
The longest stretch is about 82.1 miles on I 79. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Sixth Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 13.2 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 95.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cambridge Springs, PA before heading back.
