Origin
Chester Heights, PA
Afternoon in Chester Heights on Saturday
Local time
2:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chester Heights, PA to Erie, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 41m
Distance
387.9 mi
624 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$64
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 32m
★
6 AM
7h 42m
8 AM
8h 1m
10 AM
7h 48m
12 PM
7h 46m
3 PM
7h 49m
5 PM
8h 0m
8 PM
7h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chester Heights, PA
Michael Taccetta
Erie, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Chester Heights, PA to Erie, PA covers 387.9 miles and takes about 7h 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Keystone Shortway, I 79, Pennsylvania Turnpike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 102.7 miles on Keystone Shortway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $64.31 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
193.9 miles from Chester Heights, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 3m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Keystone Shortway | 102.7 mi | 1h 50m |
| I 79 | 65.8 mi | 1h 10m |
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 64.5 mi | 1h 9m |
| US 322 | 54.4 mi | 1h 7m |
| US 22 | 24.5 mi | 32m |
| Mount Nittany Expressway | 17.5 mi | 21m |
| Port Matilda Highway | 10.1 mi | 14m |
| PA 100 | 7.5 mi | 11m |
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 102.7 mi, about 1h 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chester Heights, PA and Erie, PA.
1
Start on this road
59 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Valleybrook Road
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Valleybrook Road
3
Turn left onto US 1
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Baltimore Pike
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Turn right onto US 202; US 322
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Wilmington Pike
5
Take the exit onto US 202; US 322
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
US 202; US 322
Toward US 202 North, US 322 West: Paoli, Downingtown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto PA 100
7.5 mi
·
11 min
·
PA 100
Toward PA 100 North: Exton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward PATP
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 76 West: Harrisburg
9
Merge onto I 76; PATP
65 mi
·
1 hr 9 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
1 min
Exit 247
Toward I 283, PA 283: Harrisburg, Hershey
Use the slight right lane.
11
Continue on I 283
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
I 283
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 283
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
I 283
Exit 3B-C
Toward I 83 North, US 322
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 3B
Toward I 83 North, US 322 West: Hazleton, State College
14
Continue on I 83
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
I 83
15
Continue on US 322
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
US 322
Exit 51A
Toward I 81 South, US 322 West: Carlisle, State College
16
Take the exit onto US 322
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
US 322
Exit 67A; 67B
Toward US 22 East, PA 230 East, US 22 West, US 322 West: Harrisburg, Lewistown, State College
17
Keep slight right at fork onto US 322
52 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
US 322
Exit 67B
Toward US 22 West, US 322 West: Lewistown, State College
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto US 22; US 322
24 mi
·
32 min
·
US 22; US 322
Toward US 22 West, US 322 West: Mount Union, State College
19
Continue on US 322; PA 144 Truck
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Boal Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Continue on US 322; PA 144 Truck
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Mount Nittany Expressway
21
Keep slight right at fork onto US 322
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
28th Division Highway
Exit 62
Toward US 322 West: Philipsburg
22
Continue on US 322
10 mi
·
14 min
·
Port Matilda Highway
Use the straight lane.
23
Continue on US 322
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Railroad Street
24
Turn right onto US 322; PA 53
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
North Centre Street
25
Continue on US 322; PA 53
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
North Front Street
26
Continue on US 322
7.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Philipsburg Bigler Highway
27
Continue on US 322
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Woodland Bigler Highway
28
Turn right onto PA 970
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Shawville Highway
Use the straight lane.
29
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
30
Merge onto I 80
103 mi
·
1 hr 50 min
·
Keystone Shortway
31
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 79 North: Erie
32
Merge onto I 79
66 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
I 79
33
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 183A
Toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
34
Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
West 12th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
35
Turn left onto State Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
State Street
Use the left lane.
36
Arrive at destination
State Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 193.9 miles from Chester Heights, PA, or about 4h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102.7 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 85 miles or 1h 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 193.9 miles or 4h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 33m
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 Chester Heights, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Chester Heights, PA
This is one driving day of about 387.9 miles and 7h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 85 miles from Chester Heights, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Keystone Shortway for about 102.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
194 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 85 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 193.9 miles from Chester Heights, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Keystone Shortway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 102.7 miles.
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 245 decision points cluster between mile 9 and 94.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
9 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
US 202; US 322
Take the exit onto US 202; US 322 toward US 202 North, US 322 West: Paoli, Downingtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 202 North, US 322 West: Paoli, Downin...
8
85.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 43m in
Take the exit toward I 283, PA 283: Harrisburg, Hershey
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 247
Toward I 283, PA 283: Harrisburg, Hershey
7
88 mi into trip
|
~1h 48m in
|
I 283
Keep slight right at fork onto I 283 toward I 83 North, US 322
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 3B-C
Toward I 83 North, US 322
8
88.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 49m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 83 North, US 322 West: Hazleton, State College
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 3B
Toward I 83 North, US 322 West: Hazleton, State...
9
94.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 58m in
|
US 322
Keep slight right at fork onto US 322 toward US 22 West, US 322 West: Lewistown, State College
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 67B
Toward US 22 West, US 322 West: Lewistown, Stat...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$64.31 one way
$128.62 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
136 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $70.43 | $140.87 |
| premium | $4.93 | $75.23 | $150.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $85.64 | $171.29 |
Estimated Tolls: $8.39
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(64.5 mi)
$8.39
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
$64
Tolls
$8
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$98–$123
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 135.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 116.4 | 1 | $40.73 | $18.62 |
| Efficient EV | 97 | 1 | $33.94 | $15.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 155.2 | 1 | $54.31 | $24.83 |
Gas CO2
136 kg
EV CO2
45 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Erie, PA
Afternoon in Erie on Saturday
Local time
2:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Wellsville, NY
194 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
12 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
7h 41m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
First State National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Famous as the First State to ratify the Constitution, Delaware was born out of a conflict among three world powers for dominance of the Delaware Valley. From this beginning, the region developed a dis...
6 mi from route
~16 min detour
Free
View on nps.gov
Valley Forge National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Valley Forge is the place where George Washington and the Continental Army took refuge during the winter of 1777-1778. Today the park protects 3,500 acres of meadows, woodlands, historic landscapes, a...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 13.4
View on nps.gov
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
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...
13 mi from route
~31 min detour
Free
near mile 66.9
View on nps.gov
Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
16 mi from route
~40 min detour
Free
near mile 107
View on nps.gov
Independence National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The park represents the founding ideals of the nation, and preserves national and international symbols of freedom and democracy, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The Declaration of I...
18 mi from route
~45 min detour
$1
View on nps.gov
Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
National Memorial
Visit the house where wounded Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko lived and hear how this brilliant military engineer designed successful fortifications during the American Revolution. See the...
18 mi from route
~44 min detour
Free
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
387.9 mi in 7h 41m, mostly highway — 102.7 mi of that is on Keystone Shortway.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
36 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 102.7 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Keystone Shortway and I 79. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9 miles in near US 202; US 322.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 24 significant decision points across 387.9 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 9 miles (US 202; US 322): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 85.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 88 miles (I 283): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Chester Heights, PA and Erie, PA, road signs point toward Patp, Hershey, State College and Lewistown.
Patp
20 mi in
|
~32m
Hershey
85.2 mi in
|
~1h 43m
State College
88.2 mi in
|
~1h 49m
Lewistown
94.6 mi in
|
~1h 58m
|
via US 322
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 7h 41m. Total distance: 387.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 41m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 102.7 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $8.39 in tolls one way, starting with Pennsylvania Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Erie, 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 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 9 miles (US 202; US 322): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 85.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 88 miles (I 283): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — First State National Historical Park, Valley Forge National Historical Park and Appalachian National Scenic Trail (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.7 hours each way, a round trip means 15.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Erie, PA before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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