Origin
Chester, PA
Morning in Chester on Wednesday
Local time
6:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chester, PA to Erie, PA
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
6h 39m
Distance
405.5 mi
653 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$67
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 27m
★
6 AM
6h 39m
8 AM
7h 3m
10 AM
6h 48m
12 PM
6h 45m
3 PM
6h 49m
5 PM
7h 2m
8 PM
6h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chester, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Chester, PA to Erie, PA covers 405.5 miles and takes about 6h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Welsh Street, Avenue of the States, Edgmont Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $67.23 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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
202.8 miles from Chester, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 19m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 39m drive with frequent turns across 405.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 41 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Welsh Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 39m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chester, PA to Erie, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Welsh Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Avenue of the States | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Edgmont Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South New Middletown Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Middletown Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Chester Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Chester Pike | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 322 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Welsh Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chester, PA and Erie, PA.
1
Start on East 5th Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
East 5th Street
2
Turn right onto Welsh Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Welsh Street
3
Continue on Avenue of the States
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Avenue of the States
4
Continue on Edgmont Avenue
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Edgmont Avenue
5
Continue on South New Middletown Road
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
South New Middletown Road
6
Continue on North Middletown Road
5.8 mi
·
9 min
·
North Middletown Road
7
Continue on South Chester Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Chester Road
8
Turn left onto West Chester Pike
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
West Chester Pike
9
Take the exit slight right toward US 322 West, US 202 North: King of Prussia, Downingtown
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
US 322 West, US 202 North: King of Prussia, Downingtown
10
Merge slight left onto West Chester Bypass
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
West Chester Bypass
11
Take the exit slight right toward PA 100 North: Exton
7.5 mi
·
11 min
·
PA 100 North: Exton
12
Take the exit slight right toward PATP
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
PATP
13
Keep slight left to continue on I 76 West: Harrisburg
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
I 76 West: Harrisburg
14
Merge slight left onto Pennsylvania Turnpike
65 mi
·
1 hr 9 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike
15
Take the exit slight right toward I 283, PA 283: Harrisburg, Hershey
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
I 283, PA 283: Harrisburg, Hershey
16
Continue straight
2.5 mi
·
3 min
17
Keep slight right to continue on I 83 North, US 322
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
I 83 North, US 322
18
Keep slight left to continue on I 83 North, US 322 West: Hazleton, State College
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
I 83 North, US 322 West: Hazleton, State College
19
Continue straight
3.7 mi
·
5 min
20
Continue on I 81 South, US 322 West: Carlisle, State College
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
I 81 South, US 322 West: Carlisle, State College
21
Take the exit slight right toward US 22 East, PA 230 East, US 22 West, US 322 West: Harrisburg, Lewistown, State College
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
US 22 East, PA 230 East, US 22 West, US 322 West: Harrisburg, Lewistown, State College
22
Keep slight right to continue on US 22 West, US 322 West: Lewistown, State College
52 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
US 22 West, US 322 West: Lewistown, State College
23
Keep slight left to continue on US 22 West, US 322 West: Mount Union, State College
24 mi
·
32 min
·
US 22 West, US 322 West: Mount Union, State College
24
Continue on Boal Avenue
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Boal Avenue
25
Continue on Mount Nittany Expressway
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Mount Nittany Expressway
26
Keep slight right to continue on 28th Division Highway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
28th Division Highway
27
Continue on Port Matilda Highway
10 mi
·
14 min
·
Port Matilda Highway
28
Continue on Railroad Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Railroad Street
29
Turn right onto North Centre Street
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
North Centre Street
30
Continue on North Front Street
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
North Front Street
31
Continue on Philipsburg Bigler Highway
7.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Philipsburg Bigler Highway
32
Continue on Woodland Bigler Highway
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Woodland Bigler Highway
33
Turn right onto Shawville Highway
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Shawville Highway
34
Take the exit left
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
35
Merge slight left onto Keystone Shortway
103 mi
·
1 hr 50 min
·
Keystone Shortway
36
Take the exit slight right toward I 79 North: Erie
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 79 North: Erie
37
Merge slight right
66 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
38
Take the exit slight right toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
39
Turn right onto West 12th Street
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
West 12th Street
40
Turn left onto State Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
State Street
41
Arrive at your destination
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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 202.8 miles from Chester, PA, or about 3h 19m into the drive.
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 89 miles or 1h 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 202.8 miles or 3h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 40m
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, 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 Chester, PA
This is one driving day of about 405.5 miles and 6h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 89 miles from Chester, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 202.8 mi from Chester, PA · 3h 19m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
203 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 89 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 202.8 miles from Chester, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Erie, PA
The final approach into Erie, PA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Erie, PA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$67.23 one way
$134.45 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
142 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $73.63 | $147.26 |
| premium | $4.93 | $78.64 | $157.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $89.53 | $179.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$67
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$92–$117
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 141.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $43 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 121.6 | 1 | $42.58 | $19.46 |
| Efficient EV | 101.4 | 1 | $35.48 | $16.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 162.2 | 2 | $56.77 | $25.95 |
Gas CO2
142 kg
EV CO2
47 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
Morning in Erie on Wednesday
Local time
6:36 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
3 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
6h 39m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Chester, PA to Erie, PA covers 405.5 miles and takes about 6h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Welsh Street, Avenue of the States, Edgmont Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 202.8 miles from Chester, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $67.23 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 39m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chester, PA to Erie, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Chester, PA to Erie, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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