Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 33m
Distance
161 mi
259 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$27
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pittsburgh, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Church Hill, PA
Dominik Kristen
This 161-mile journey from Pittsburgh to Church Hill, Pennsylvania, is a manageable one-day trip, taking approximately 3 hours and 33 minutes. You'll navigate primarily via the William Penn Highway, I-99, and General Potter Highway, with a fuel cost estimated around $27. The drive offers a mixed experience, making it suitable for a single day of travel without the need for an overnight stop. Given its manageable length and the regions remaining within the Northeast, this route is a straightforward option for a day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
80.5 miles from Pittsburgh, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 55m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| William Penn Highway | 61.6 mi | 1h 25m |
| I 99 | 44.9 mi | 49m |
| General Potter Highway | 13.8 mi | 18m |
| Penn-Lincoln Parkway East | 13.8 mi | 19m |
| Admiral Peary Highway | 13.7 mi | 19m |
| Mount Nittany Expressway | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Boal Avenue | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Old US Route 322 | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Pittsburgh, PA and Church Hill, PA.
Start on Grant Street
Continue on Grant Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 376; US 22; US 30
Merge onto US 22
Continue on US 22
Continue on US 22
Continue on this road
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 99; US 220
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220; US 322
Keep slight right at fork onto US 322
Continue on US 322; PA 144 Truck
Continue on US 322; PA 144 Truck
Take the exit
Continue on West Colonial Drive
Turn right onto Old US Route 322
Turn left onto Crossover Lane
Arrive at destination
With a total duration of just over 3.5 hours, this 161-mile trip from Pittsburgh to Church Hill offers flexibility for departure. Leaving in the morning allows ample time for the drive and any brief stops you might need. Consider pacing your journey, as the longest stretch without a significant road change is over 61 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as you transition between the William Penn Highway and I-99, to ensure a smooth drive with your estimated $27 fuel cost.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 35 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 80.5 miles or 1h 55m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Church Hill, PA than in the middle of the route.
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 161 miles and 3h 33m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
81 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 80.5 miles from Pittsburgh, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before William Penn Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 61.6 miles.
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 0.7 and 136 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Merge onto I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto US 22 / William Penn Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220; US 322
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto US 322 / Mount Nittany Expressway toward US 322 East: Penn State University, State College
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$26.69 one way
$53.38 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $29.23 | $58.47 |
| premium | $4.93 | $31.22 | $62.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $35.55 | $71.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 56.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 48.3 | 0 | $16.90 | $7.73 |
| Efficient EV | 40.3 | 0 | $14.09 | $6.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 64.4 | 0 | $22.54 | $10.30 |
Gas CO2
56 kg
EV CO2
19 kg (66% 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 Pittsburgh on Sunday
Local time
6:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Partly Cloudy
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued April 17 at 4:51AM EDT until April 17 at 11:00AM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Destination
Morning in Church Hill on Sunday
Local time
6:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Memorial
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
National Memorial
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Expect a mixed drive on this 161-mile route, with 41% of it on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 61.6 miles along the William Penn Highway, indicating significant portions of the journey will be on this established roadway. As you progress, the character of the drive will likely shift between more direct highway segments and potentially more winding or local road sections, offering a varied driving experience.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 161 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles (US 22 / William Penn Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 90.2 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 Pittsburgh, PA and Church Hill, PA, road signs point toward Bedford and State College.
Bedford
State College
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 3h 33m. Total distance: 161 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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