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Trip from Scottdale, PA to Altoona, PA

Data updated 2 hours ago

Drive Time

2h 10m

Distance

107.3 mi

173 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$18

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min
4 AM
2h 1m ★
6 AM
2h 11m
8 AM
2h 29m
10 AM
2h 17m
12 PM
2h 15m
3 PM
2h 18m
5 PM
2h 28m
8 PM
2h 5m

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

Downtown Scottdale, PA, PA

Scottdale, PA

Michael Taccetta

Trip Overview

The drive from Scottdale, PA to Altoona, PA covers 107.3 miles and takes about 2h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Pennsylvania Turnpike, I 99, State Route 31 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 55 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.79 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

53.6 miles from Scottdale, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 8m into the drive .

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Drive Character

This is a 2h 10m highway drive covering 107.3 miles, with most of the trip on Pennsylvania Turnpike and I 99. The longest continuous stretch is about 55 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pennsylvania Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 55 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and I 99. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.1 miles in.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 107.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 15.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 70.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 17 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
15.1 mi into trip | ~24m in

Take the ramp toward PATP, I 70, I 76

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward PATP, I 70, I 76
5
15.2 mi into trip | ~25m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

7
70.4 mi into trip | ~1h 26m in

Take the exit toward Bedford, Altoona

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward Bedford, Altoona
6
71.1 mi into trip | ~1h 29m in

Take the ramp toward I 99, US 220: Cumberland, Altoona

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 99, US 220: Cumberland, Altoona
7
71.3 mi into trip | ~1h 29m in

Keep slight right 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.

Between Scottdale, PA and Altoona, PA, road signs point toward Patp and Bedford.

Patp

15.1 mi in | ~24m

Bedford

70.4 mi in | ~1h 26m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Pennsylvania Turnpike 55 mi 1h 1m
I 99 32.7 mi 35m
State Route 31 5.9 mi 9m
West Main Street 3.8 mi 5m
Water Street 2 mi 3m
Morewood Street 1.5 mi 2m
17th Street 1.4 mi 2m
State Route 981 1.1 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Pennsylvania Turnpike — 55 mi, about 1h 1m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on PA 819

0.6 mi · 1 min · North Broadway Street
2

Keep slight right at fork onto PA 819

213 ft · 6 sec · Porter Avenue
3

Turn left onto Water Street

2.0 mi · 3 min · Water Street
4

Turn right onto PA 981

1.1 mi · 1 min · State Route 981
5

Continue on PA 981

1.5 mi · 2 min · Morewood Street
6

Turn right onto PA 31; PA 981

3.8 mi · 5 min · West Main Street
7

Continue on PA 31

5.9 mi · 9 min · State Route 31
8

Turn slight left

0.2 mi · 33 sec
9

Turn left

28 ft · 3 sec
10

Take the ramp

493 ft · 12 sec
Toward PATP, I 70, I 76
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 35 sec
12

Merge onto I 70; I 76; PATP

55 mi · 1 hr 1 min · Pennsylvania Turnpike
13

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward Bedford, Altoona Use the slight right lane.
14

Turn left onto US 220 BUS

0.3 mi · 42 sec · Business 220
15

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Toward I 99, US 220: Cumberland, Altoona
16

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
17

Merge onto I 99; US 220

33 mi · 35 min · I 99; US 220
18

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward 17th Street
19

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward Altoona
20

Turn straight onto 17th Street

1.4 mi · 2 min · 17th Street
21

Turn right onto PA 764

0.7 mi · 1 min · 6th Avenue
22

Turn left onto 7th Street

0.2 mi · 18 sec · 7th Street
23

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 53.6 miles from Scottdale, PA, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55 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 80 miles or 1h 39m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 53.6 miles or 1h 8m 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 47m

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 Scottdale, 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 Scottdale, PA

This is one driving day of about 107.3 miles and 2h 10m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Scottdale, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Pennsylvania Turnpike for about 55 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 53.6 mi from Scottdale, PA · 1h 8m into the drive

capital city of the United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Washington, DC

54 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

Jamestown, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Washington, DC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 53.6 miles from Scottdale, 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

$17.79 one way

$35.58 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 38 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $19.48 $38.97
premium $4.93 $20.81 $41.62
diesel $5.61 $23.69 $47.38

Estimated Tolls: $7.15

Pennsylvania Turnpike (55 mi) $7.15

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

$18

Tolls

$7

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$50–$75

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 37.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 32.2 0 $11.27 $5.15
Efficient EV 26.8 0 $9.39 $4.29
EV Truck/SUV 42.9 0 $15.02 $6.87

Gas CO2

38 kg

EV CO2

13 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 data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

Scottdale, PA

Late night in Scottdale on Wednesday

Local time

2:53 AM

EDT

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Altoona, PA

Late night in Altoona on Wednesday

Local time

2:53 AM

EDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

68°F

Washington, DC

54 mi in

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

2h 10m 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 Scottdale, PA to Altoona, PA covers 107.3 miles and takes about 2h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pennsylvania Turnpike, I 99, State Route 31. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 53.6 miles from Scottdale, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $17.79 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 is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 107.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 15.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 70.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Scottdale, PA and Altoona, PA, road signs point toward Patp and Bedford.

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