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Trip from Pittsburgh, PA to Franklin, PA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 42m

Distance

84.5 mi

136 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Fair

4 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 35m ★
6 AM
1h 42m
8 AM
1h 58m
10 AM
1h 48m
12 PM
1h 46m
3 PM
1h 49m
5 PM
1h 57m
8 PM
1h 38m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city and county seat in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States

Pittsburgh, PA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States

Franklin, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Embark on a straightforward 84.5-mile journey from Pittsburgh, PA, to Franklin, PA, a trip that typically takes just over an hour and a half. This drive is primarily focused on highway travel, with 66% of the route utilizing major roads like I-79 and the Parkway North. With a modest estimated fuel cost of $14, this 1-day trip is an easy addition to your itinerary. The route stays within the Northeast region, offering a consistent driving experience without significant shifts in scenery or road type. Its manageable length makes it ideal for a day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

42.2 miles from Pittsburgh, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 79 44.5 mi 48m
Parkway North 11.6 mi 16m
Richard Frame Memorial Highway 11.5 mi 13m
Keystone Shortway 9 mi 9m
Pittsburgh Road 2.9 mi 4m
15th Street 1.9 mi 3m
Veterans Bridge 0.9 mi 1m
Liberty Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 79 — 44.5 mi, about 48m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Pittsburgh, PA and Franklin, 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

45 mi · 48 min · I 79
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Toward I 80 East: Clarion
10

Merge onto I 80

9.0 mi · 9 min · Keystone Shortway
Toward I 80 East: Clarion
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 45 sec
Toward PA 8: Franklin - Oil City Area, Barkeyville
12

Turn left onto PA 8

1.1 mi · 1 min · Pittsburgh Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
13

Continue on PA 8

12 mi · 13 min · Richard Frame Memorial Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
14

Continue on PA 8

1.8 mi · 2 min · Pittsburgh Road
Use the straight lane.
15

Continue on PA 8

1.9 mi · 3 min · 15th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16

Turn right onto US 62; PA 8

0.3 mi · 44 sec · Liberty Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17

Turn right onto 13th Street

27 ft · 1 sec · 13th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18

Arrive at destination

13th Street

Trip Plan

Given the relatively short duration of 1 hour and 42 minutes, you have considerable flexibility with this 84.5-mile trip. Consider departing mid-morning to avoid the peak rush hour in Pittsburgh. With no designated stops, you can easily pause for a quick break or meal whenever needed. The longest stretch without a major change is 44.5 miles on I-79, so plan your fuel needs accordingly before heading out, as the $14 fuel cost suggests a straightforward fill-up. Keep an eye out for potential construction on I-79, which can occasionally impact travel times.

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 42.2 miles from Pittsburgh, PA, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 44.5 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 19 miles or 25m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 42.2 miles or 50m 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 24m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Franklin, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Pittsburgh, PA

This is one driving day of about 84.5 miles and 1h 42m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 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 44.5 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

township of Pennsylvania

Mid-route town

Meal stop

North Sewickley, PA

42 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Valencia, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Muddy Creek, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 42.2 miles from Pittsburgh, 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.

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Best meal stop

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Near the start, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20

Hours: 10:30 am–12 pm

+14122611599

Visit website

Kiku Japanese Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

0.7 mi

Severina Restaurant and Bar

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

0.8 mi

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 10:30 am–12 pm

+14122611599

Visit website

Kiku Japanese Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour $20 to $30

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 12–2 pm

+14127653200

Visit website

Severina Restaurant and Bar

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

First break 0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour Moderately

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 9 am–9 pm

+14129393610

Grand Concourse

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour Expensive

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 11:30 am–9:30 pm

+14122611717

Visit website

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 8 am–12 pm

+14122632142

Visit website

J & J's Family Restaurant & Catering

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

1 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

+14123811822

Cambod-Ican Kitchen Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 5:30 pm–2 am

+14123816199

Visit website

Royal Myanmar Restaurant

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

First break 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+14124153380

Visit website

Orbis Caffe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.8 mi from route ~12 min detour $1 to $10

Pittsburgh, PA

Hours: 7 am–9 pm

+14125631220

Visit website

Autel Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

Cochran Charging Station

3.0 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

1.0 ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Near the start, ~10 min detour

4.2 mi from route ~10 min detour

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

ChargeSmart EV Charging Station

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour

Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania

Hours: 9 am–8 pm

+18887174544

Visit website

Rest Area

0 mi from route

TA

0.1 mi from route

Rest Area

0.1 mi from route

Love's Travel Stop

0.1 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

0.3 mi from route

Venango County Rest Area Eastbound

0.9 mi from route

Service Plaza

1.4 mi from route

Venango County Rest Area Westbound

1.5 mi from route

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 13.2 and 84.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

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
67.5 mi into trip | ~1h 18m in

Take the exit toward PA 8: Franklin - Oil City Area, Barkeyville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward PA 8: Franklin - Oil City Area, Barkeyvi...
6
67.8 mi into trip | ~1h 19m in | PA 8 / Pittsburgh Road

Turn left onto PA 8 / Pittsburgh Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
84.2 mi into trip | ~1h 41m in | US 62; PA 8 / Liberty Street

Turn right onto US 62; PA 8 / Liberty Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
84.5 mi into trip | ~1h 42m in | 13th Street

Turn right onto 13th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.01 one way

$28.02 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 30 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $15.34 $30.69
premium $4.93 $16.39 $32.78
diesel $5.61 $18.66 $37.31

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 29.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 25.3 0 $8.87 $4.06
Efficient EV 21.1 0 $7.39 $3.38
EV Truck/SUV 33.8 0 $11.83 $5.41

Gas CO2

30 kg

EV CO2

10 kg (67% 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 20, 2026

Origin

Pittsburgh, PA

Late night in Pittsburgh on Tuesday

Local time

5:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Franklin, PA

Late night in Franklin on Tuesday

Local time

5:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

66°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

3 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

1h 42m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is largely a highway-focused drive, with 66% of the journey on major arteries including I-79 and the Richard Frame Memorial Highway. You'll experience a significant uninterrupted stretch of 44.5 miles on I-79, offering a chance to cover ground efficiently. While predominantly highway, the initial Parkway North segment might offer a slightly different feel before merging onto the main interstate. Expect a consistent pace for most of the drive, making it a predictable and efficient trip.

66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.5 mi on I 79.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 79 and Parkway North. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 13.2 miles in near I 79.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 84.5 miles you will encounter 11 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 13.2 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 67.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67.8 miles (PA 8 / Pittsburgh Road): Lane positioning matters here.

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 Franklin, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Barkeyville along the way.

Barkeyville

67.5 mi in | ~1h 18m

About the Cities

Starting in Pittsburgh, PA

Full guide →

Founded 1758

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.

Top landmarks

  • • Carnegie Museum of Natural History — natural history museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
  • • Allegheny Observatory — historic observatory of the University of Pittsburgh
  • • Carnegie Museum of Art — museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Arriving in Franklin, PA

Full guide →

Franklin is a city in Venango County, in the Erie Region of Pennsylvania. Franklin, Titusville and Oil City, make up the Oil Region. Although the town remains rather quiet, the oil boom has left the city with many historic buildings. The architectural features range from Victorian to Gothic Revival; it is said that all of the architectural styles used in the state from 1830 to 1930 can be observed in Franklin. The Appalachian Mountains and forests that surround the area also make it a popular destination for hikers and bikers looking to get out of the cities to experience nature.

Top landmarks

  • • Franklin Historic District — historic district in Franklin, Pennsylvania

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 42m. Total distance: 84.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 44.5 miles on I 79. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 8 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 Franklin, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 13.2 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 67.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67.8 miles (PA 8 / Pittsburgh Road): Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Franklin, PA before heading back.

How this page is built

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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