The drive from Youngstown, OH to Columbia, OH covers 276.7 miles and takes about 5h 17m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 71, I 76, Kenmore Expressway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 198.7 miles on I 71.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $40.36 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
138.4 miles from Youngstown, OH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 39m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 17m. Total distance: 276.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 5h 17m highway drive covering 276.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 71 and I 76. The longest continuous stretch is about 198.7 miles on I 71.
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 71 is the longest continuous segment at about 198.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 71 and I 76. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 50.6 miles in near I 76 / Kenmore Expressway.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 276.7 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 50.6 miles (I 76 / Kenmore Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 70.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 173.5 miles (I 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
50.6 mi into trip|~59m in|I 76 / Kenmore Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76 / Kenmore Expressway toward I 76 West: Barberton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 76 West: Barberton
7
70.4 mi into trip|~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward I 71 South: Columbus
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1A
Toward I 71 South: Columbus
6
173.5 mi into trip|~3h 17m in|I 71
Keep slight right at fork onto I 71
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
270.4 mi into trip|~5h 4m in
Take the exit toward Red Bank Road, Fairfax
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 9
Toward Red Bank Road, Fairfax
7
274.4 mi into trip|~5h 11m in|US 50 Truck
Take the exit onto US 50 Truck toward US 50 Truck, SR 32, SR 125, SR 561: Lunken Airport, Eastern Avenue, Beechmont Avenue, Linwood Avenue
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 US 50 Truck, SR 32, SR 125, SR 561: Lunk...
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 71
198.7 mi
3h 38m
I 76
39.2 mi
44m
Kenmore Expressway
19.8 mi
24m
I 80
4.6 mi
5m
Wickliffe Expressway
4.6 mi
6m
US 50 Truck
2.2 mi
5m
South Shore Expressway
1.5 mi
2m
Red Bank Expressway
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 71
— 198.7 mi, about 3h 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Youngstown, OH and Columbia, OH.
1
Start on Central Square
123 ft·9 sec·Central Square
2
Continue on Central Square
340 ft·14 sec·Central Square
3
Turn straight onto Market Street
0.5 mi·50 sec·Market Street
4
Turn right onto West Woodland Avenue
230 ft·4 sec·West Woodland Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·16 sec
6
Merge onto I 680
1.5 mi·2 min·South Shore Expressway
7
Continue on I 680
4.6 mi·6 min·Wickliffe Expressway
8
Merge onto I 80
4.6 mi·5 min·I 80
9
Continue on I 76
39 mi·44 min·I 76
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76
20 mi·24 min·Kenmore Expressway
Toward I 76 West: BarbertonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
1.2 mi·2 min
Exit 1AToward I 71 South: ColumbusUse the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 71
102 mi·1 hr 51 min·I 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 71
97 mi·1 hr 47 min·I 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 9Toward Red Bank Road, FairfaxUse the slight right lane.
15
Continue on Red Bank Expressway
1.4 mi·2 min·Red Bank Expressway
Use the straight lane.
16
Continue on Red Bank Road
0.9 mi·2 min·Red Bank Road
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn left onto Colbank Road
492 ft·15 sec·Colbank Road
Toward US 50: Milford, CincinnatiUse the left / straight lanes.
18
Turn left
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward US 50 West
19
Merge onto US 50
0.8 mi·52 sec·Columbia Parkway
20
Take the exit onto US 50 Truck
2.2 mi·5 min·US 50 Truck
Toward US 50 Truck, SR 32, SR 125, SR 561: Lunken Airport, Eastern Avenue, Beechmont Avenue, Linwood AvenueUse the slight right lane.
21
Turn right onto Stites Avenue
139 ft·11 sec·Stites Avenue
22
Turn left
176 ft·12 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 138.4 miles from Youngstown, OH, or about 2h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 198.7 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 61 miles or 1h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 138.4 miles or 2h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Columbia, OH than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Youngstown, OH 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 Youngstown, OH
This is one driving day of about 276.7 miles and 5h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Youngstown, OH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 71 for about 198.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 138.4 mi from Youngstown, OH
· 2h 39m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument
National Monument
Throughout his life, Charles Young overcame countless obstacles in his ascent to prominence. In spite of overt racism and stifling inequality, Young rose through the military ranks to become one of th...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 229
Though a short distance from the urban areas of Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley National Park seems worlds away. The park is a refuge for native plants and wildlife, and provides routes of discov...
14 mi from route
~35 min detour
Free
near mile 47.7
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park was established to honor the lives and achievements of poet and author Paul Laurence Dunbar and aviation pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright. Through p...
23 mi from route
~58 min detour
Free
near mile 229
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$40.36 one way
$80.72 round trip
$3.71/gal25.4 MPG avg97 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.24
$46.21
$92.42
premium
$4.79
$52.18
$104.36
diesel
$4.30
$46.89
$93.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$40
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$65–$90
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
83
1
$29.05
$13.28
Efficient EV
69.2
0
$24.21
$11.07
EV Truck/SUV
110.7
1
$38.74
$17.71
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 17, 2026
Origin
Youngstown, OH
Evening
in Youngstown on Friday
Local time
5:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
W 3 mph41% chanceLive forecast
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued April 16 at 10:31PM EDT until April 17 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 11:54AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Destination
Columbia, OH
Evening
in Columbia on Friday
Local time
5:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Mansfield, OH
138 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
2 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
5h 17m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Youngstown, OH to Columbia, OH covers 276.7 miles and takes about 5h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 71, I 76, Kenmore Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 138.4 miles from Youngstown, OH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $40.36 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 276.7 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 50.6 miles (I 76 / Kenmore Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 70.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 173.5 miles (I 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Youngstown, OH to Columbia, OH does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
