West Pittston to Altoona is 180.2 miles and takes about 3 hours 31 minutes via Jacksonville Road and I-81, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive keeps you within Pennsylvania's Northeast region for its entirety. Expect a turn-heavy local drive experience, so plan for a more engaged journey than a simple interstate cruise. With just 1 recommended stop, you have flexibility on when and where to break up the 180.2 miles. This route is best suited for a single day of travel.
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
90.1 miles from West Pittston, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
98.5 mi
1h 47m
Jacksonville Road
24.2 mi
28m
I 81
23.5 mi
29m
I 99
23.3 mi
24m
East Pleasant Valley Boulevard
2.8 mi
4m
Oak Street
1.2 mi
2m
William Street
0.7 mi
1m
Greenwood Road
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 98.5 mi, about 1h 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Pittston, PA and Altoona, PA.
1
Start on this road
200 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn straight onto PA 92
0.1 mi·20 sec·Exeter Avenue
3
Turn left onto Linden Street
260 ft·16 sec·Linden Street
4
Turn left onto Stanton Street
236 ft·16 sec·Stanton Street
5
Turn right
253 ft·24 sec
6
Turn left onto US 11
0.1 mi·13 sec·Wyoming Avenue
7
Continue on US 11
0.2 mi·30 sec·Fort Jenkins Bridge
Use the right lane.
8
Turn right onto US 11
0.2 mi·36 sec·Kennedy Boulevard
Use the right lane.
9
Turn left onto US 11
0.7 mi·1 min·William Street
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn sharp right onto South Township Boulevard
0.6 mi·1 min·South Township Boulevard
11
Turn left onto Oak Street
1.2 mi·2 min·Oak Street
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto PA 315
0.2 mi·26 sec·PA 315
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·48 sec
Toward I 81 South: Hazleton
14
Merge onto I 81
24 mi·29 min·I 81
15
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 151BToward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
16
Merge onto I 80
99 mi·1 hr 47 min·Keystone Shortway
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·53 sec
Exit 161Toward I 99 South, US 220 South, PA 26: Bellefonte
18
Turn left onto US 220; PA 26
24 mi·28 min·Jacksonville Road
Use the straight lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220
23 mi·24 min·I 99; US 220
Toward I 99 South, US 220 South: Port Matilda, Altoona
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward PA 764 South: Pinecroft
21
Turn right onto PA 764
0.5 mi·52 sec·Sabbath Rest Road
22
Turn left onto US 220 Business; PA 764
2.8 mi·4 min·East Pleasant Valley Boulevard
23
Turn right onto PA 764
174 ft·3 sec·Rutgers Lane
24
Continue on PA 764
0.1 mi·14 sec·East Walton Avenue
25
Turn right onto Greenwood Road
0.6 mi·1 min·Greenwood Road
26
At end of road, turn left onto 6th Avenue Road
0.6 mi·53 sec·6th Avenue Road
27
Continue on East 6th Avenue
0.3 mi·22 sec·East 6th Avenue
28
Continue on Bellwood Avenue
0.2 mi·19 sec·Bellwood Avenue
29
Turn slight left onto PA 764
0.4 mi·43 sec·7th Avenue
30
Turn right onto 7th Street
0.1 mi·11 sec·7th Street
31
Arrive at destination
7th Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a single-day trip of just over 3.5 hours, you have the flexibility to depart at your convenience. Consider leaving mid-morning to avoid early rush hour and still have ample daylight for the drive. With only one recommended stop, you can decide if you prefer to power through or take a brief break. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the 26% highway share means you'll encounter more towns and potentially more frequent fuel opportunities than a pure interstate drive, but planning around the 98.5-mile stretch on the Keystone Shortway is wise.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 90.1 miles from West Pittston, PA, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 98.5 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 40 miles or 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 90.1 miles or 1h 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 2h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Altoona, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving West Pittston, 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 West Pittston, PA
This is one driving day of about 180.2 miles and 3h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from West Pittston, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Keystone Shortway for about 98.5 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 24
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 150.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.6 mi into trip|~2m in|US 11 / Kennedy Boulevard
Turn right onto US 11 / Kennedy Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
0.8 mi into trip|~2m in|US 11 / William Street
Turn left onto US 11 / William Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
2.1 mi into trip|~5m in|Oak Street
Turn left onto Oak Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
126.5 mi into trip|~2h 27m in
Take the exit toward I 99 South, US 220 South, PA 26: Bellefonte
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 161
Toward I 99 South, US 220 South, PA 26: Bellefo...
6
150.9 mi into trip|~2h 56m in|I 99; US 220
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220 toward I 99 South, US 220 South: Port Matilda, Altoona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 99 South, US 220 South: Port Matilda,...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.87 one way
$59.75 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg63 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$32.72
$65.44
premium
$4.93
$34.95
$69.89
diesel
$5.61
$39.79
$79.57
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 63 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
54.1
0
$18.92
$8.65
Efficient EV
45.1
0
$15.77
$7.21
EV Truck/SUV
72.1
0
$25.23
$11.53
Gas CO2
63 kg
EV CO2
21 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 19, 2026
Origin
West Pittston, PA
Morning
in West Pittston on Sunday
Local time
10:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Altoona, PA
Morning
in Altoona on Sunday
Local time
10:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°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
13 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
3h 31m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
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...
23 mi from route
~58 min detour
Free
near mile 180.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip features a significant amount of local road driving, indicated by its 'turn-heavy local drive' profile. With only 26% of the route on highways, you'll spend most of your time navigating local streets and roads. The longest stretch you'll cover without a major turn or change in road type is 98.5 miles along the Keystone Shortway. This suggests a dynamic driving experience, moving from potentially quicker highway sections to more intricate, slower-paced local roads as you progress.
Only 26% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 98.5 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near US 11 / Kennedy Boulevard.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 180.2 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 0.6 miles (US 11 / Kennedy Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (US 11 / William Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (Oak Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Altoona is a city in central Pennsylvania. Altoona was founded as a railroad town by the Pennsylvania Railroad as the site of their Altoona Works shops, and its history as a railroad town still shows in the town today despite the decline of the railroad and its eventual absorption into Penn Central, Conrail, and now Norfolk Southern.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 31m. Total distance: 180.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 98.5 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Altoona, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (US 11 / Kennedy Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (US 11 / William Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (Oak Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Johnstown Flood National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Altoona, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
