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Trip from Zelienople, PA to Erie, PA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 54m

Distance

100.1 mi

161 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$17

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 46m ★
6 AM
1h 54m
8 AM
2h 11m
10 AM
2h 0m
12 PM
1h 59m
3 PM
2h 1m
5 PM
2h 10m
8 PM
1h 49m

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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Downtown Zelienople, PA, PA

Zelienople, PA

Haneul Trac

Downtown Erie, PA, PA

Erie, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 100.1-mile drive from Zelienople, PA, to Erie, PA, is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 54 minutes. Primarily utilizing I-79, this route is almost entirely highway driving, making it ideal for a single-day trip. With an estimated fuel cost of $17, it's an economical option for exploring more of the Northeast region of Pennsylvania. You'll spend most of your time on the interstate, so if you're looking for a quick and efficient way to get from point A to point B, this route fits the bill perfectly.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

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

Midpoint

50.1 miles from Zelienople, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 56m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 79 94.6 mi 1h 41m
West 12th Street 2.3 mi 4m
Perry Highway 1.1 mi 2m
Little Creek Road 0.8 mi 1m
State Street 0.4 mi 1m
South Main Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 79 — 94.6 mi, about 1h 41m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Zelienople, PA and Erie, PA.

1

Start on US 19; PA 68

0.3 mi · 54 sec · South Main Street
Use the straight lane.
2

Continue on US 19

1.1 mi · 2 min · Perry Highway
3

Turn right onto Little Creek Road

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Little Creek Road
4

Enter roundabout onto Little Creek Road

120 ft · 2 sec · Little Creek Road
5

Continue on Little Creek Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Little Creek Road
6

Turn left

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Use the left lane.
7

Merge onto I 79

95 mi · 1 hr 41 min · I 79
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 49 sec
Exit 183A Toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
9

Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290

2.3 mi · 4 min · West 12th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10

Turn left onto State Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · State Street
Use the left lane.
11

Arrive at destination

State Street

Trip Plan

Given the short duration of under two hours, this drive is best undertaken as a single-day trip, offering flexibility in your departure time. Leaving in the morning will allow you to maximize your time in Erie. The longest stretch on I-79 is nearly the entire route, so plan for fuel and rest stops before you embark or when you see services along the interstate. Since there are no specific recommended stops, consider making a brief pause around the halfway mark to stretch your legs and stay refreshed before the final leg into Erie.

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 50.1 miles from Zelienople, PA, or about 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 94.6 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 22 miles or 26m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 50.1 miles or 56m 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 31m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Erie, PA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Zelienople, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Zelienople, PA

This is one driving day of about 100.1 miles and 1h 54m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Zelienople, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 79 for about 94.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Shenango, PA, PA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Shenango, PA

50 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

Grove City, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Shenango, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 50.1 miles from Zelienople, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 79 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 94.6 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Valenza Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Meadville, Pennsylvania

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20 mile 64.4

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+18147241222

Visit website

Valenza Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20 mile 64.4

Meadville, Pennsylvania

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+18147241222

Visit website

Camelot Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, ~9 min detour

3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour $1 to $10 mile 21.5

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

Hours: 5 am–3 pm

+17247945005

Visit website

Rainbow Valley Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

4.1 mi from route ~10 min detour $10 to $20 mile 42.9

Hadley, Pennsylvania

Hours: 7 am–7 pm

+17242532208

Visit website

The Factory Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, ~10 min detour

4.1 mi from route ~10 min detour $10 to $20 mile 71.5

Saegertown, Pennsylvania

Hours: 6 am–1:30 pm

+18147633517

Visit website

Bicentennial Tower

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 100.1

Erie, Pennsylvania

Hours: Closed

+18144347376

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 99.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
1.6 mi into trip | ~3m in | Little Creek Road

Enter roundabout onto Little Creek Road

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

5
2.2 mi into trip | ~4m in

Turn left

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
2.5 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 79

Merge onto I 79

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
97.1 mi into trip | ~1h 47m in

Take the exit toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street

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

Exit 183A Toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
6
99.7 mi into trip | ~1h 52m in | State Street

Turn left onto State Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$16.60 one way

$33.19 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 35 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $18.18 $36.35
premium $4.93 $19.41 $38.83
diesel $5.61 $22.10 $44.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$17

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$42–$67

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 35 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 30 0 $10.51 $4.80
Efficient EV 25 0 $8.76 $4.00
EV Truck/SUV 40 0 $14.01 $6.41

Gas CO2

35 kg

EV CO2

12 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026

Origin

Zelienople, PA

Morning in Zelienople on Sunday

Local time

10:36 AM

EDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Erie, PA

Morning in Erie on Sunday

Local time

10:36 AM

EDT

Current temp

60°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

10 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 54m 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 highway-focused drive for this trip, with 94% of the 100.1 miles on interstates. The vast majority of your journey, a continuous stretch of 94.6 miles, will be on I-79. This means you'll experience a consistent pace for most of the drive. While the profile is predominantly highway, there will be brief transitions onto roads like West 12th Street and Perry Highway as you approach and enter Erie. This route offers little in the way of varied road types, focusing on efficient travel.

94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 94.6 mi on I 79.

How Hard Is This Drive?

2/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 79 and West 12th Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near Little Creek Road.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Zelienople, PA to Erie, PA is easy. At 1h 54m with 94% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (Little Creek Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving in Erie, PA

Full guide →

Erie is a city of about 100,000 in Northwestern Pennsylvania. It is Pennsylvania's only lake port on the Great Lakes (Lake Erie).

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 54m. Total distance: 100.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 94.6 miles on I 79. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 1.6 miles (Little Creek Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Erie, 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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