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Trip from Venango, PA to Pittsburgh, PA

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

Excellent

29 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min
4 AM
1h 41m ★
6 AM
1h 49m
8 AM
2h 5m
10 AM
1h 54m
12 PM
1h 53m
3 PM
1h 55m
5 PM
2h 4m
8 PM
1h 44m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Venango, PA, PA

Venango, PA

Jessica Lewis 🦋 thepaintedsquare

city and county seat in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States

Pittsburgh, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

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 .

Main Roads

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
Longest stretch: I 79 — 45.1 mi, about 49m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Venango, PA and Pittsburgh, PA.

1

Start on Old 322 Road

94 ft · 11 sec · Old 322 Road
2

Turn left onto Deep Hollow Road

140 ft · 4 sec · Deep Hollow Road
3

Turn right onto US 322

1.7 mi · 2 min · Lakes To the Sea Highway
4

Continue on US 322

0.2 mi · 19 sec · 8th Street
5

Turn right onto US 322

1.1 mi · 2 min · Liberty Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
6

Turn left onto US 62; PA 8

1.9 mi · 3 min · 15th Street
Use the straight lane.
7

Continue on PA 8

1.8 mi · 2 min · Pittsburgh Road
Use the straight lane.
8

Continue on PA 8

11 mi · 13 min · Richard Frame Memorial Highway
9

Continue on PA 8

1.0 mi · 1 min · Pittsburgh Road
Use the straight lane.
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
11

Merge onto I 80

9.6 mi · 10 min · Keystone Shortway
12

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 56 sec
Toward I 79 South: Pittsburgh
13

Merge onto I 79

45 mi · 49 min · I 79
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight left at fork onto I 279

11 mi · 15 min · Parkway North
Exit 72 Toward I 279: Pittsburgh Use the slight left / straight lanes.
15

Keep slight right at fork onto I 579

0.9 mi · 1 min · I 579
Toward I 579 South: Veterans Bridge Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Toward 7th Avenue, 6th Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight left at fork

502 ft · 14 sec
Toward PPG Arena, 6th Avenue
18

Turn straight onto Bigelow Boulevard

224 ft · 3 sec · Bigelow Boulevard
19

Continue on Bigelow Square

386 ft · 6 sec · Bigelow Square
Toward 6th Avenue Use the straight / left lanes.
20

Turn right onto Sixth Avenue

347 ft · 11 sec · Sixth Avenue
21

Turn left onto Grant Street

296 ft · 22 sec · Grant Street
22

Continue on Grant Street

254 ft · 13 sec · Grant Street
23

Arrive at destination

Grant 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 43.8 miles from Venango, PA, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 45.1 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 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.

Before You Leave

+

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.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Venango, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 79 for about 45.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Muddy Creek, PA, PA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Muddy Creek, PA

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.

Pacing Suggestions

Grove City, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Muddy Creek, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 43.8 miles from Venango, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Near the end, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 87.6

Hours: 10:30 am–12 pm

+14122611599

Visit website

Kiku Japanese Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

0.7 mi

Severina Restaurant and Bar

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

0.7 mi

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 87.6

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 10:30 am–12 pm

+14122611599

Visit website

Kiku Japanese Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour $20 to $30 mile 87.6

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 12–2 pm

+14127653200

Visit website

Severina Restaurant and Bar

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour Moderately mile 81.3

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 9 am–9 pm

+14129393610

Grand Concourse

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour Expensive mile 87.6

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 11:30 am–9:30 pm

+14122611717

Visit website

Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20 mile 87.6

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 8 am–12 pm

+14122632142

Visit website

J & J's Family Restaurant & Catering

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

1 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20 mile 87.6

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

+14123811822

Cambod-Ican Kitchen Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20 mile 87.6

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 5:30 pm–2 am

+14123816199

Visit website

KAVSAR RESTAURANT

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

1 mi from route ~3 min detour Moderately mile 87.6

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: 4–9:30 pm

+14124888708

Visit website

Orbis Caffe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~12 min detour

4.8 mi from route ~12 min detour $1 to $10 mile 87.6

Pittsburgh, PA

Hours: 7 am–9 pm

+14125631220

Visit website

Autel Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~9 min detour

3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 87.6

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

Cochran Charging Station

3.0 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the end, ~9 min detour

3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 87.6

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

1.0 ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Near the end, ~10 min detour

4.2 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 87.6

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

ChargeSmart EV Charging Station

Near the end, ~12 min detour

4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour mile 87.6

Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania

Hours: 9 am–8 pm

+18887174544

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.9 and 86.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
1.9 mi into trip | ~3m in | US 322 / Liberty Street

Turn right onto US 322 / Liberty Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.
6
3 mi into trip | ~6m in | US 62; PA 8 / 15th Street

Turn left onto US 62; PA 8 / 15th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
8
74.6 mi into trip | ~1h 29m in | I 279 / Parkway North

Keep slight left at fork onto I 279 / Parkway North toward I 279: Pittsburgh

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Exit 72 Toward I 279: Pittsburgh
7
85.9 mi into trip | ~1h 45m in | I 579

Keep slight right at fork onto I 579 toward I 579 South: Veterans Bridge

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 579 South: Veterans Bridge
7
86.8 mi into trip | ~1h 46m in

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward 7th Avenue, 6th Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.52 one way

$29.05 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 31 kg CO2
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.

EV Charging Along Route

29 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Sheetz - Tesla Supercharger

Harrisville, PA

Tesla

12 DCFC

Cranberry Mall - Tesla Supercharger

Cranberry Township, PA

Tesla

12 DCFC

Sheetz - Tesla Supercharger

Franklin Park, PA

Tesla

8 DCFC

Sheetz - Tesla Supercharger

Grove City, PA

Tesla

6 DCFC

Residence Inn Cranberry Township - Tesla Supercharger

Cranberry, PA

Tesla

6 DCFC

PowerUp Point

Pittsburgh, PA

Non-Networked

6 DCFC

Shell - Mercer

Mercer, PA

FCN

4 DCFC

Pilot Travel Center 81

Portersville (New Castle Area), PA

eVgo Network

4 DCFC

ChargePoint Network: 12 Tesla: 5 EV Connect: 3 Non-Networked: 3 Blink Network: 2 Electrify America: 2 FCN: 1 eVgo Network: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Venango, PA

Afternoon in Venango on Saturday

Local time

3:03 PM

EDT

Current temp

40°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Pittsburgh, PA

Afternoon in Pittsburgh on Saturday

Local time

3:03 PM

EDT

Current temp

83°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 14 mph 32% 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

43 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 48m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

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.

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.
I 79 is the longest continuous segment at about 45.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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.

Driving Effort 10/10

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.

About the Cities

Arriving in Pittsburgh, PA

Full guide →

The pleasure of Pittsburgh remains a well-kept secret. Though not built up by reputation, the city's unique combination of bridges, steep hills, and broad rivers make it one of the most naturally scenic cities in the country. Cheap food and beer abound in this true sports town and the locals are amazingly friendly. A city of about 303,000 (2021) in Allegheny County, at the center of a metro area of about 2.4 million in southwestern Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh is situated at the confluence of three rivers: the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, which meet to form the Ohio River. The city's unique terrain has resulted in an unusual city design and a hodge-podge of unique neighborhood "pockets" with diverse ethnic and architectural heritage.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Venango, PA to Pittsburgh, PA covers 87.6 miles and takes about 1h 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 79, Richard Frame Memorial Highway, Parkway North. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 43.8 miles from Venango, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.52 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 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.

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.

The route from Venango, PA to Pittsburgh, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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