Origin
Germany, PA
Afternoon in Germany on Saturday
Local time
4:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Germany, PA to Erie, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 29m
Distance
168.8 mi
272 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$28
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 17m
★
6 AM
3h 29m
8 AM
3h 54m
10 AM
3h 38m
12 PM
3h 35m
3 PM
3h 39m
5 PM
3h 52m
8 PM
3h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Germany, PA
Paul Scheelen
Erie, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Germany, PA to Erie, PA is 168.8 miles and takes about 3h 29m via I 79 and US 422, with a fuel budget near $28 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward, highway-focused drive, making it an efficient option for a single-day journey. Expect a drive that's largely on major interstates, so pack accordingly for a more utilitarian travel experience. This route is best suited for those prioritizing getting from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
84.4 miles from Germany, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 54m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 79 | 83.6 mi | 1h 29m |
| US 422 | 51.3 mi | 1h 10m |
| PA 56 | 12.2 mi | 16m |
| Indiana Highway | 10 mi | 11m |
| William Penn Highway | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| West 12th Street | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| PA 259 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Snyder Lane | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 79
— 83.6 mi, about 1h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Germany, PA and Erie, PA.
1
Start on PA 259
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
PA 259
2
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
3
Turn right onto US 22
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
William Penn Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn right onto Snyder Lane
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Snyder Lane
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
At end of road, turn right onto US 119
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Indiana Highway
6
Take the exit onto PA 56
12 mi
·
16 min
·
PA 56
Exit B
Toward US 422 West: Kittanning
7
Continue on US 422
13 mi
·
17 min
·
US 422
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit onto US 422
39 mi
·
52 min
·
US 422
9
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 79 North: Erie
10
Merge onto I 79
84 mi
·
1 hr 29 min
·
I 79
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 183A
Toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
12
Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
West 12th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto State Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
State Street
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
State Street
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of just under 3.5 hours, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. Consider departing in the morning to take full advantage of daylight and allow for an easy arrival. With only one primary road to follow for significant stretches, you won't need to worry about complex navigation. The longest stretch without a major exit is 83.6 miles on I-79, so ensure you have adequate fuel before embarking on that segment. This route is straightforward enough that you can be flexible with your departure time and any brief stops you might want to make.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 84.4 miles from Germany, PA, or about 1h 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 83.6 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 37 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84.4 miles or 1h 54m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 52m
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 Germany, 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 Germany, PA
This is one driving day of about 168.8 miles and 3h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Germany, 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.
The longest stretch is on I 79 for about 83.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
84 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 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 84.4 miles from Germany, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 79 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 83.6 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 168.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 22 / William Penn Highway
Turn right onto US 22 / William Penn Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
7.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
Snyder Lane
Turn right onto Snyder Lane
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
18.4 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
PA 56
Take the exit onto PA 56 toward US 422 West: Kittanning
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit B
Toward US 422 West: Kittanning
6
165.8 mi into trip
|
~3h 21m 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
168.3 mi into trip
|
~3h 27m in
|
State Street
Turn left onto State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.98 one way
$55.97 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
59 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $30.65 | $61.30 |
| premium | $4.93 | $32.74 | $65.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $37.27 | $74.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 50.6 | 0 | $17.72 | $8.10 |
| Efficient EV | 42.2 | 0 | $14.77 | $6.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 67.5 | 0 | $23.63 | $10.80 |
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 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.
Destination
Erie, PA
Afternoon in Erie on Saturday
Local time
4:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 16 to 20 mph
94% chance
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 29m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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.
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
National Memorial
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
19 mi from route
~47 min detour
Free
Park Closure: North Abutment Overlook Closure
Flight 93 National Memorial
National Memorial
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
27 mi from route
~69 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?
This drive is predominantly a highway-focused experience, with an 88% highway share. You'll spend the majority of your time on I-79, which offers a consistent, high-speed journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 83.6 miles on I-79, so be prepared for extended periods of steady driving. While US 422 and PA 56 are part of the route, the character remains largely that of an interstate cruise. Expect a driving experience that prioritizes efficiency over winding backroads or dramatic scenic detours.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 83.6 mi on I 79.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 79 and US 422. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in near US 22 / William Penn Highway.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 168.8 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 2.3 miles (US 22 / William Penn Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles (Snyder Lane): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.4 miles (PA 56): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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 3h 29m. Total distance: 168.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 83.6 miles on I 79. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles (US 22 / William Penn Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles (Snyder Lane): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.4 miles (PA 56): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Johnstown Flood National Memorial and Flight 93 National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Erie, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Erie, PA
More trips to Erie, PA
Explore more options from Germany, PA or browse trips ending in Erie, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.