Origin
Erie, PA
Afternoon in Erie on Saturday
Local time
4:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Erie, PA to Carbondale, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 20m
Distance
313.4 mi
504 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$52
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 7m
★
6 AM
6h 20m
8 AM
6h 45m
10 AM
6h 29m
12 PM
6h 26m
3 PM
6h 30m
5 PM
6h 44m
8 PM
6h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Erie, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Carbondale, PA
Michael Taccetta
Trip Overview
The drive from Erie, PA to Carbondale, PA covers 313.4 miles and takes about 6h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East 8th Street, East Bayfront Parkway, Bayfront Connector for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $51.96 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
156.7 miles from Erie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 10m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East 8th Street | — | — |
| East Bayfront Parkway | — | — |
| Bayfront Connector | — | — |
| Station Road | — | — |
| AMVETS Memorial Highway | — | — |
| I 86 East | — | — |
| Hopkins-Bowser Highway | — | — |
| Southern Tier Expressway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
East 8th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Erie, PA and Carbondale, PA.
1
Start on State Street
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
State Street
2
Turn left onto East 8th Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East 8th Street
3
Turn right onto East Bayfront Parkway
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Bayfront Parkway
4
Continue on Bayfront Connector
4.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Bayfront Connector
5
Continue on Station Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Station Road
6
Take the exit slight right
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
7
Merge slight left onto AMVETS Memorial Highway
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
AMVETS Memorial Highway
8
Take the exit slight right toward I 86 East: Jamestown
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
·
I 86 East: Jamestown
9
Continue on Hopkins-Bowser Highway
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Hopkins-Bowser Highway
10
Continue on Southern Tier Expressway
249 mi
·
4 hr 50 min
·
Southern Tier Expressway
11
Keep slight right to continue on I 81 South: Scranton
30 mi
·
34 min
·
I 81 South: Scranton
12
Take the exit slight right toward PA 92: Lenox
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
PA 92: Lenox
13
Turn right onto State Route 92
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
State Route 92
14
Turn left onto State Route 106
7.3 mi
·
12 min
·
State Route 106
15
Continue on Route 106
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Route 106
16
Continue on Fallbrook Road
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Fallbrook Road
17
Continue on Fall Brook Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Fall Brook Road
18
Continue on Fallbrook Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Fallbrook Street
19
Continue on Dundaff Street
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Dundaff Street
20
Turn left onto Salem Avenue
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Salem Avenue
21
Turn left onto North Main Street
56 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Main Street
22
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 156.7 miles from Erie, PA, or about 3h 10m 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 69 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 156.7 miles or 3h 10m 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 11m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Carbondale, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Erie, 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 Erie, PA
This is one driving day of about 313.4 miles and 6h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 69 miles from Erie, 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.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
157 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 69 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 156.7 miles from Erie, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.96 one way
$103.92 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
110 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $56.91 | $113.81 |
| premium | $4.93 | $60.78 | $121.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $69.19 | $138.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$52
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 109.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 94 | 1 | $32.91 | $15.04 |
| Efficient EV | 78.4 | 0 | $27.42 | $12.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 125.4 | 1 | $43.88 | $20.06 |
Gas CO2
110 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (66% 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
Carbondale, PA
Afternoon in Carbondale on Saturday
Local time
4:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°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
19 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 20m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
313.4 mi in 6h 20m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: East 8th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 20m, 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 Erie, PA to Carbondale, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Starting 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 6h 20m. Total distance: 313.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 20m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Carbondale, 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.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Erie, PA to Carbondale, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.3 hours each way, a round trip means 12.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Carbondale, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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