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Trip from Hamburg, PA to Altoona, PA

Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026

Drive Time

3h 29m

Distance

177 mi

285 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$29

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min
4 AM
3h 17m ★
6 AM
3h 29m
8 AM
3h 54m
10 AM
3h 38m
12 PM
3h 36m
3 PM
3h 39m
5 PM
3h 53m
8 PM
3h 22m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Trip Overview

The drive from Hamburg, PA to Altoona, PA covers 177 miles and takes about 3h 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on State Street, North 4th Street, I 78 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.34 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

88.5 miles from Hamburg, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 44m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 3h 29m drive with frequent turns across 177 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 43 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
State 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. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Hamburg, PA to Altoona, PA is easy. At 3h 29m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Hamburg, PA to Altoona, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
State Street
North 4th Street
I 78 West
William Penn Highway
PA 61 North
Pottsville Pike
Centre Turnpike
Route 61 South

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: State Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hamburg, PA and Altoona, PA.

1

Start on Primrose Alley

89 ft · 9 sec · Primrose Alley
2

Turn right onto State Street

220 ft · 8 sec · State Street
3

Turn right onto North 4th Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · North 4th Street
4

Take the ramp left toward I 78 West, US 22 West: Harrisburg

0.2 mi · 22 sec · I 78 West, US 22 West: Harrisburg
5

Merge slight left onto William Penn Highway

0.5 mi · 32 sec · William Penn Highway
6

Take the exit slight right toward PA 61 North: Pottsville

0.2 mi · 25 sec · PA 61 North: Pottsville
7

Keep slight right to continue on PA 61 North: Pottsville

0.3 mi · 44 sec · PA 61 North: Pottsville
8

Merge slight left onto Pottsville Pike

2.4 mi · 3 min · Pottsville Pike
9

Continue on Centre Turnpike

11 mi · 12 min · Centre Turnpike
10

Continue on Route 61 South

3.0 mi · 3 min · Route 61 South
11

Continue on Pottsville Boulevard

0.3 mi · 18 sec · Pottsville Boulevard
12

Continue on South Claude A. Lord Boulevard

0.2 mi · 21 sec · South Claude A. Lord Boulevard
13

Turn left onto Mauch Chunk Street

0.1 mi · 11 sec · Mauch Chunk Street
14

At the end of the road, turn right onto South Centre Street

0.4 mi · 39 sec · South Centre Street
15

Turn left onto West Market Street

2.3 mi · 4 min · West Market Street
16

Continue on Pottsville Minersville Highway

1.8 mi · 2 min · Pottsville Minersville Highway
17

At the end of the road, turn left onto East Sunbury Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Sunbury Street
18

Continue on Sunbury Road

9.4 mi · 11 min · Sunbury Road
19

Continue on Fairgrounds Road

2.2 mi · 2 min · Fairgrounds Road
20

Continue on Locust Gap Highway

0.3 mi · 43 sec · Locust Gap Highway
21

Continue on Locust Gap Highway

6.2 mi · 7 min · Locust Gap Highway
22

Continue on Colonial Avenue

5.0 mi · 5 min · Colonial Avenue
23

Continue on South Market Street

9.7 mi · 11 min · South Market Street
24

Turn right onto Danville-Riverside Bridge Road

0.3 mi · 46 sec · Danville-Riverside Bridge Road
25

Continue on Factory Street

0.1 mi · 20 sec · Factory Street
26

Continue on Continental Boulevard

3.0 mi · 3 min · Continental Boulevard
27

Take the exit slight right

0.4 mi · 52 sec
28

Merge slight left onto Keystone Shortway

63 mi · 1 hr 8 min · Keystone Shortway
29

Take the exit slight right toward I 99 South, US 220 South, PA 26: Bellefonte

0.3 mi · 54 sec · I 99 South, US 220 South, PA 26: Bellefonte
30

Turn left onto Jacksonville Road

24 mi · 28 min · Jacksonville Road
31

Keep slight left to continue on I 99 South, US 220 South: Port Matilda, Altoona

23 mi · 24 min · I 99 South, US 220 South: Port Matilda, Altoona
32

Take the exit slight right toward PA 764 South: Pinecroft

0.3 mi · 39 sec · PA 764 South: Pinecroft
33

Turn right onto Sabbath Rest Road

0.5 mi · 52 sec · Sabbath Rest Road
34

Turn left onto East Pleasant Valley Boulevard

2.8 mi · 4 min · East Pleasant Valley Boulevard
35

Turn right onto Rutgers Lane

174 ft · 3 sec · Rutgers Lane
36

Continue on East Walton Avenue

0.1 mi · 15 sec · East Walton Avenue
37

Turn right onto Greenwood Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Greenwood Road
38

At the end of the road, turn left onto 6th Avenue Road

0.6 mi · 53 sec · 6th Avenue Road
39

Continue on East 6th Avenue

0.3 mi · 23 sec · East 6th Avenue
40

Continue on Bellwood Avenue

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Bellwood Avenue
41

Turn slight left onto 7th Avenue

0.4 mi · 43 sec · 7th Avenue
42

Turn right onto 7th Street

0.1 mi · 11 sec · 7th Street
43

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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 88.5 miles from Hamburg, PA, or about 1h 44m 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 39 miles or 46m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 88.5 miles or 1h 44m 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 51m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Hamburg, 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 Hamburg, PA

This is one driving day of about 177 miles and 3h 29m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Hamburg, 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 88.5 mi from Hamburg, PA · 1h 44m into the drive

borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

California, PA

89 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

Catawissa, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

California, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 88.5 miles from Hamburg, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Altoona, PA

The final approach into Altoona, 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 Altoona, 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

$29.34 one way

$58.69 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 62 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $32.14 $64.28
premium $4.93 $34.33 $68.65
diesel $5.61 $39.08 $78.16

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$29

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$54–$79

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 61.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 53.1 0 $18.59 $8.50
Efficient EV 44.3 0 $15.49 $7.08
EV Truck/SUV 70.8 0 $24.78 $11.33

Gas CO2

62 kg

EV CO2

21 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 15, 2026

Origin

Hamburg, PA

Evening in Hamburg on Wednesday

Local time

6:13 PM

EDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Altoona, PA

Evening in Altoona on Wednesday

Local time

6:13 PM

EDT

Current temp

65°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

9 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

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Hamburg, PA to Altoona, PA covers 177 miles and takes about 3h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are State Street, North 4th Street, I 78 West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 88.5 miles from Hamburg, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $29.34 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Hamburg, PA to Altoona, PA is easy. At 3h 29m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Hamburg, PA to Altoona, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Hamburg, PA to Altoona, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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