Origin
Venango, PA
Morning in Venango on Saturday
Local time
10:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 48m
Distance
87.6 mi
141 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Venango, PA
Jessica Lewis 🦋 thepaintedsquare
Pittsburgh, PA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Venango, PA to Pittsburgh, PA covers 87.6 miles and takes about 1h 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 79, Richard Frame Memorial Highway, Parkway North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 45.1 miles on I 79. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.52 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
43.8 miles from Venango, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 55m into the drive .
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 48m. Total distance: 87.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This is a 1h 48m highway drive covering 87.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 79 and Richard Frame Memorial Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 45.1 miles on I 79.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 79 and Richard Frame Memorial Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.9 miles in near US 322 / Liberty Street.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 87.6 miles you will encounter 16 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 1.9 miles (US 322 / Liberty Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles (US 62; PA 8 / 15th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 74.6 miles (I 279 / Parkway North): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto US 322 / Liberty Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto US 62; PA 8 / 15th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 279 / Parkway North toward I 279: Pittsburgh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 579 toward I 579 South: Veterans Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward 7th Avenue, 6th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 79 | 45.1 mi | 49m |
| Richard Frame Memorial Highway | 11.5 mi | 13m |
| Parkway North | 11.4 mi | 15m |
| Keystone Shortway | 9.6 mi | 10m |
| Pittsburgh Road | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| 15th Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Lakes To the Sea Highway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Liberty Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Venango, PA and Pittsburgh, PA.
Start on Old 322 Road
Turn left onto Deep Hollow Road
Turn right onto US 322
Continue on US 322
Turn right onto US 322
Turn left onto US 62; PA 8
Continue on PA 8
Continue on PA 8
Continue on PA 8
Take the exit
Merge onto I 80
Take the exit
Merge onto I 79
Keep slight left at fork onto I 279
Keep slight right at fork onto I 579
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn straight onto Bigelow Boulevard
Continue on Bigelow Square
Turn right onto Sixth Avenue
Turn left onto Grant Street
Continue on Grant Street
Arrive at destination
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.
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 19 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.8 miles or 55m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pittsburgh, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Venango, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Venango, PA
This is one driving day of about 87.6 miles and 1h 48m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43.8 mi from Venango, PA · 55m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
44 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.
A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 43.8 miles from Venango, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Pittsburgh, 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.
Regular Gas
$14.52 one way
$29.05 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $15.91 | $31.81 |
| premium | $4.93 | $16.99 | $33.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $19.34 | $38.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 26.3 | 0 | $9.20 | $4.20 |
| Efficient EV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.66 | $3.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 35 | 0 | $12.26 | $5.61 |
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Venango on Saturday
Local time
10:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Pittsburgh on Saturday
Local time
10:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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