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Trip from Vandergrift, 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 52m

Distance

82 mi

132 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 44m ★
6 AM
1h 52m
8 AM
2h 9m
10 AM
1h 58m
12 PM
1h 57m
3 PM
1h 59m
5 PM
2h 8m
8 PM
1h 48m

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

Downtown Vandergrift, PA, PA

Vandergrift, PA

Michael Taccetta

Trip Overview

The drive from Vandergrift, PA to Altoona, PA covers 82 miles and takes about 1h 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 422, 1st Street, William Penn Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.5 miles on US 422. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.59 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 miles from Vandergrift, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 56m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 52m. Total distance: 82 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile.

Drive Character

The drive from Vandergrift, PA to Altoona, PA covers 82 miles and takes about 1h 52m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 422 is the longest continuous segment at about 18.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near PA 56; PA 66 ALT / Farragut Avenue.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 82 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.3 miles (PA 56; PA 66 ALT / Farragut Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 19.4 miles (US 422; PA 56 / Benjamin Franklin Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 56.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

4
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | PA 56; PA 66 ALT / Farragut Avenue

Turn left onto PA 56; PA 66 ALT / Farragut Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
19.4 mi into trip | ~28m in | US 422; PA 56 / Benjamin Franklin Highway

Turn right onto US 422; PA 56 / Benjamin Franklin Highway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
7
56.5 mi into trip | ~1h 20m in

Turn left toward US 22 East: Hollidaysburg

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward US 22 East: Hollidaysburg
6
73.7 mi into trip | ~1h 40m 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
5
79.5 mi into trip | ~1h 48m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Altoona

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward 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 Vandergrift, PA to Altoona, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Bedford along the way.

Bedford

73.2 mi in | ~1h 40m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 422 18.5 mi 23m
1st Street 16.4 mi 24m
William Penn Highway 16.4 mi 19m
Benjamin Franklin Highway 15.6 mi 21m
I 99 4.4 mi 4m
PA 56 2.6 mi 3m
Ben Franklin Highway 1.6 mi 2m
17th Street 1.4 mi 2m
Longest stretch: US 422 — 18.5 mi, about 23m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Washington Avenue

54 ft · 2 sec · Washington Avenue
2

Continue on PA 56; PA 66 ALT

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Washington Avenue
3

Continue on PA 56; PA 66 ALT

463 ft · 12 sec · 1st Street
4

Turn left onto PA 56; PA 66 ALT

171 ft · 2 sec · Farragut Avenue
5

Continue on PA 56; PA 66 ALT

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Dime Road
6

Turn right onto PA 56; PA 66

2.6 mi · 3 min · PA 56; PA 66
7

Turn left onto PA 56

16 mi · 24 min · 1st Street
8

Turn right onto US 422; PA 56

9.4 mi · 12 min · Benjamin Franklin Highway
Use the straight lane.
9

Continue on US 422; PA 286 Truck

18 mi · 23 min · US 422; PA 286 Truck
10

Continue on US 422; PA 271

6.2 mi · 9 min · Benjamin Franklin Highway
11

Continue on US 422

1.6 mi · 2 min · Ben Franklin Highway
12

Continue on West High Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · West High Street
13

Turn slight right onto Rowena Drive

0.6 mi · 1 min · Rowena Drive
14

Merge onto Admiral Peary Highway

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Admiral Peary Highway
Toward US 22 East: Hollidaysburg
15

Turn left

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Toward US 22 East: Hollidaysburg Use the left lane.
16

Merge onto US 22

16 mi · 19 min · William Penn Highway
17

Continue on this road

0.5 mi · 45 sec · this road
Toward I 99, US 220: Altoona, Bedford
18

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
19

Merge onto I 99; US 220

4.4 mi · 4 min · I 99; US 220
20

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward 17th Street
21

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward Altoona
22

Turn straight onto 17th Street

1.4 mi · 2 min · 17th Street
23

Turn right onto PA 764

0.7 mi · 1 min · 6th Avenue
24

Turn left onto 7th Street

0.2 mi · 18 sec · 7th Street
25

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 miles from Vandergrift, PA, or about 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 18.5 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 26m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 41 miles or 56m 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 36m

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 Vandergrift, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Vandergrift, PA

This is one driving day of about 82 miles and 1h 52m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Vandergrift, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 422 for about 18.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 41 mi from Vandergrift, PA · 56m into the drive

Downtown Nanty Glo, PA, PA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Nanty Glo, PA

41 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

Ben Avon, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Brush Valley, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 41 miles from Vandergrift, 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

$13.59 one way

$27.19 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 29 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $14.89 $29.78
premium $4.93 $15.90 $31.81
diesel $5.61 $18.10 $36.21

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 28.7 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 24.6 0 $8.61 $3.94
Efficient EV 20.5 0 $7.18 $3.28
EV Truck/SUV 32.8 0 $11.48 $5.25

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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Vandergrift, PA

Late night in Vandergrift on Friday

Local time

5:25 AM

EDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Altoona, PA

Late night in Altoona on Friday

Local time

5:25 AM

EDT

Current temp

84°F

Mostly Sunny

SW 13 mph 0% 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

38 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

1h 52m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Vandergrift, PA to Altoona, PA covers 82 miles and takes about 1h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 422, 1st Street, William Penn Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 41 miles from Vandergrift, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.59 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 82 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 0.3 miles (PA 56; PA 66 ALT / Farragut Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 19.4 miles (US 422; PA 56 / Benjamin Franklin Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 56.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

On the drive from Vandergrift, 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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Explore More

Return Trip

Altoona, PA to Vandergrift, PA

Plan the drive back the other way.

79.7 mi 1h 51m

Explore more options from Vandergrift, PA or browse trips ending in Altoona, PA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.