Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 46m
Distance
284.6 mi
458 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$47
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
Slatington, PA
Haneul Trac
Pittsburgh to Slatington is 284.6 miles and takes about 5h 46m via Pennsylvania Turnpike and William Penn Highway, with a fuel budget near $47 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. You'll spend most of your time on highways, making for a straightforward drive. It's a good option if you're looking for a direct route with minimal navigation complexity.
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
142.3 miles from Pittsburgh, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 43m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 170.5 mi | 3h 7m |
| William Penn Highway | 27.1 mi | 31m |
| American Legion Memorial Highway | 22.5 mi | 27m |
| Penn-Lincoln Parkway East | 13.6 mi | 18m |
| I 81 | 12.7 mi | 15m |
| Willow Street | 12.2 mi | 19m |
| 78th Division Highway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| PA 309 | 4.7 mi | 7m |
Step-by-step road directions between Pittsburgh, PA and Slatington, PA.
Start on Grant Street
Continue on Grant Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 376; US 22; US 30
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 76; PATP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on US 11
Take the exit
Merge onto I 81
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 81
Continue on I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
Take the exit
Continue on I 78
Continue on I 78; US 22
Take the exit
Turn left onto PA 143
Continue on PA 143
Turn right onto PA 309
Turn left onto Lowhill Road
Turn right onto Memorial Road
Turn left onto Hausman Road
Turn right onto Heidelberg Heights Road
Continue on Church Road
Turn right onto Apple Butter Road
At end of road, turn right onto Best Station Road
Turn left onto Eagle Road
At end of road, turn left onto PA 873
Arrive at destination
To make the most of this 5 hour and 46 minute drive, consider leaving Pittsburgh in the morning to take advantage of daylight. The longest continuous driving segment is 170.5 miles, so plan a break before or after this stretch to stay refreshed. With a fuel cost estimated around $47, it's wise to confirm gas prices in advance. Given the relatively short duration and single recommended day, you have flexibility in stopping, but ensure you're aware of the transition from highway to surface roads as you get closer to Slatington.
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 63 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 142.3 miles or 2h 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Slatington, 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 284.6 miles and 5h 46m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
142 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 63 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 142.3 miles from Pittsburgh, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Pennsylvania Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 170.5 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 14.3 and 260.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 76, PATP: Ohio, Harrisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 76 East: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 81, US 11: Carlisle, Harrisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward US 11 North: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward PA 143: Lenhartsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$47.18 one way
$94.37 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $51.68 | $103.35 |
| premium | $4.93 | $55.19 | $110.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $62.84 | $125.67 |
Estimated Tolls: $22.16
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
$47
Tolls
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$94–$119
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 99.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 85.4 | 1 | $29.88 | $13.66 |
| Efficient EV | 71.2 | 0 | $24.90 | $11.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 113.8 | 1 | $39.84 | $18.21 |
Gas CO2
100 kg
EV CO2
33 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Pittsburgh on Tuesday
Local time
6:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Morning in Slatington on Tuesday
Local time
6:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
67°F
Hancock, MD
142 mi in
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
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Monument
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National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
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...
National Battlefield
The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal...
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 72% of the 284.6 miles on major roads. You'll experience a long stretch of 170.5 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. After this extensive highway segment, the route transitions to surface roads, indicated by the American Legion Memorial Highway, which will likely feature more local traffic and potentially more frequent exits as you approach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and William Penn Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.3 miles in.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 28 significant decision points across 284.6 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 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 185.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
2,444 ft
Total Descent
2,711 ft
Highest Point
2,514 ft
~81.3 mi in
Elevation Range
2,167 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Pittsburgh, PA and Slatington, PA, road signs point toward Patp: Ohio, Harrisburg and Marysville.
Patp: Ohio
Harrisburg
Marysville
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 46m. Total distance: 284.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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