Origin
Windber, PA
Morning in Windber on Tuesday
Local time
8:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Windber, PA to Altoona, PA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
44.2 mi
71 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Windber, PA
Sarah Craenhals
Trip Overview
This straightforward 44.2-mile drive from Windber, PA to Altoona, PA takes about 1 hour and 2 minutes and is perfectly suited for a single day trip. You'll navigate using a mix of main roads including William Penn Highway and Portage Street, with about 30% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is a budget-friendly $7, making it an economical option. The drive offers a mixed experience, not requiring an overnight stay and allowing for flexibility in your schedule. Both Windber and Altoona are located in the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, so you won't be crossing state lines or significantly different geographical areas.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| William Penn Highway | 10.2 mi | 11m |
| Portage Street | 9.5 mi | 13m |
| PA 56 | 8.8 mi | 11m |
| I 99 | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| Scalp Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| 17th Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Railroad Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Evergreen Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
William Penn Highway
— 10.2 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Windber, PA and Altoona, PA.
1
Start on Somerset Avenue
116 ft
·
12 sec
·
Somerset Avenue
2
Turn left onto PA 160
370 ft
·
9 sec
·
9th Street
3
Turn right onto Graham Avenue
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Graham Avenue
4
Continue on Bedford Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Bedford Street
5
Turn left onto PA 601
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Main Street
6
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
7
Turn straight onto PA 56
485 ft
·
7 sec
·
Clear Shade Drive
8
Continue on PA 56
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Scalp Avenue
9
Take the ramp onto PA 56
8.8 mi
·
11 min
·
PA 56
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
11
Turn right onto Railroad Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Railroad Street
12
Continue on PA 53
9.5 mi
·
13 min
·
Portage Street
13
Turn left onto PA 53
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Cleveland Street
14
Turn right onto PA 53
510 ft
·
9 sec
·
Main Street
15
Turn slight left onto PA 53
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Evergreen Street
16
Continue on PA 53
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West 2nd Street
17
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 22 East: Altoona
Use the right lane.
18
Merge onto US 22
10 mi
·
11 min
·
William Penn Highway
19
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
this road
Toward I 99, US 220: Altoona, Bedford
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
21
Merge onto I 99; US 220
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
I 99; US 220
22
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward 17th Street
23
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Altoona
24
Turn straight onto 17th Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
17th Street
25
Turn right onto PA 764
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
6th Avenue
26
Turn left onto 7th Street
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
7th Street
27
Arrive at destination
7th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.1 miles from Windber, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 41.7 — 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
|
PA 160 / 9th Street
Turn left onto PA 160 / 9th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Graham Avenue
Turn right onto Graham Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
24.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the ramp toward US 22 East: Altoona
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward US 22 East: Altoona
6
35.9 mi into trip
|
~50m in
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
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
5
41.7 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Altoona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Altoona
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.33 one way
$14.66 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.03 | $16.05 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.57 | $17.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.76 | $19.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.64 | $2.12 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.87 | $1.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.19 | $2.83 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Altoona, PA
Morning in Altoona on Tuesday
Local time
8:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Oil City, PA
22 mi in
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
15 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 2m 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?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 30% of the 44.2 miles on highway portions. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10.2 miles along William Penn Highway. The road will likely transition between faster highway speeds and more local driving as you navigate through towns and communities. This variation means you'll experience different driving conditions, so staying alert is key. The journey isn't a monotonous interstate grind but rather a blend of efficient travel and more community-focused roads.
30% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.2 mi on William Penn Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 early in the drive near PA 160 / 9th Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.2 miles you will encounter 16 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: near the start (PA 160 / 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Graham Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 24.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,342 ft
1,108 ft
Total Climb
1,281 ft
Total Descent
1,894 ft
Highest Point
2,342 ft
~28.4 mi in
Elevation Range
1,234 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Windber, PA to Altoona, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Bedford along the way.
Bedford
35.4 mi in
|
~50m
About the Cities
Arriving in Altoona, PA
Full guide →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.
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 2m. Total distance: 44.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.2 miles on William Penn Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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.
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: near the start (PA 160 / 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Graham Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 24.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Altoona, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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