Origin
Penn, PA
Morning in Penn on Friday
Local time
8:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Penn, PA to Altoona, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 56m
Distance
83.6 mi
135 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 48m
★
6 AM
1h 56m
8 AM
2h 13m
10 AM
2h 2m
12 PM
2h 0m
3 PM
2h 3m
5 PM
2h 12m
8 PM
1h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Penn, PA
George Becker
Trip Overview
The drive from Penn, PA to Altoona, PA covers 83.6 miles and takes about 1h 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on William Penn Highway, Admiral Peary Highway, Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 51 miles on William Penn Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.86 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.
Midpoint
41.8 miles from Penn, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 1m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 56m. Total distance: 83.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 56m drive with frequent turns across 83.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
William Penn Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 51 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Harrison Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 83.6 miles you will encounter 19 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: near the start (Harrison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (11th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Penn Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Harrison Avenue
Turn right onto Harrison Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
11th Street
At end of road, turn right onto 11th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Penn Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Penn Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
9.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward US 22 East: Blairsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward US 22 East: Blairsville
6
75.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Penn, PA to Altoona, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Bedford along the way.
Bedford
74.8 mi in
|
~1h 43m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| William Penn Highway | 51 mi | 1h 6m |
| Admiral Peary Highway | 13.7 mi | 19m |
| Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass | 4.5 mi | 4m |
| I 99 | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| Harrison Avenue | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| 17th Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| 6th Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Clay Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
William Penn Highway
— 51 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Penn, PA and Altoona, PA.
1
Start on North Railroad Street
179 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Railroad Street
2
Turn right onto Harrison Avenue
326 ft
·
16 sec
·
Harrison Avenue
3
Turn right onto Locust Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Locust Street
4
At end of road, turn right onto 11th Street
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
11th Street
5
At end of road, turn left onto Penn Avenue
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Penn Avenue
6
Turn left onto 12th Street
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
12th Street
7
Continue on Clay Avenue
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Clay Avenue
8
Turn left onto Clay Avenue
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
Clay Avenue
9
Turn left onto South 2nd Street
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
South 2nd Street
10
Turn left onto North 2nd Street
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
North 2nd Street
11
Turn right onto PA 130
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Harrison Avenue
12
Turn left
0.6 mi
·
1 min
13
Merge onto PA Tpke 66
4.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass
14
Continue on PA 66
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
PA 66
Use the right lane.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Toward US 22 East: Blairsville
Use the right lane.
16
Merge onto US 22
34 mi
·
47 min
·
William Penn Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Continue on US 22
14 mi
·
19 min
·
Admiral Peary Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Continue on US 22
17 mi
·
19 min
·
William Penn Highway
19
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
this road
Toward I 99, US 220: Altoona, Bedford
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
21
Merge onto I 99; US 220
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
I 99; US 220
22
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward 17th Street
23
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Altoona
24
Turn straight onto 17th Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
17th Street
25
Turn right onto PA 764
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
6th Avenue
26
Turn left onto 7th Street
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
7th Street
27
Arrive at destination
7th Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 41.8 miles from Penn, PA, or about 1h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51 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 18 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 41.8 miles or 1h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 39m
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 Penn, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Penn, PA
This is one driving day of about 83.6 miles and 1h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Penn, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on William Penn Highway for about 51 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 41.8 mi from Penn, PA · 1h 1m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
42 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 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 41.8 miles from Penn, 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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.86 one way
$27.72 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
29 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $15.18 | $30.36 |
| premium | $4.93 | $16.21 | $32.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.46 | $36.92 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.32
Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass
(4.5 mi)
$0.32
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
$14
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 29.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 25.1 | 0 | $8.78 | $4.01 |
| Efficient EV | 20.9 | 0 | $7.31 | $3.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 33.4 | 0 | $11.70 | $5.35 |
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 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
Altoona, PA
Morning in Altoona on Friday
Local time
8:35 AM
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
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
1h 56m 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 Penn, PA to Altoona, PA covers 83.6 miles and takes about 1h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are William Penn Highway, Admiral Peary Highway, Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 41.8 miles from Penn, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.86 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 83.6 miles you will encounter 19 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Harrison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (11th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Penn Avenue): Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Penn, PA to Altoona, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Bedford along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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