Philadelphia to Pittsburgh distance
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are 258 miles (415 km) apart in a straight line and 305 miles (492 km) apart by road: about 5 hr 45 min of driving without stops, mostly on I-76 and I-376. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing and where every figure comes from.
By the All Map Tools Team
- By road
- 305 mi (492 km)
- Driving time
- 5 hr 45 min
- Straight line
- 258 mi (415 km)
- Driving route
- Straight line
- Straight-line midpoint
- Halfway by road
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on November 1, 2026; simplified line.
The figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight line | 258 mi (415 km) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 305 mi (492 km) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 5 hr 45 min no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +18% 1.18 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 53 mph (85 km/h) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 279° (west) leaving Philadelphia toward Pittsburgh |
| Midpoint | 40.2217° N, 77.5712° W near Newburg (Pennsylvania) |
| Halfway by road | Near Shade Gap (Pennsylvania) 153 mi from each city by road |
| Time difference | None both share the same time |
| Elevation | Philadelphia: 35 ft (11 m) · Pittsburgh: 765 ft (233 m) USGS 3DEP |
| Population | Philadelphia: 1,574,281 · Pittsburgh: 307,632 Census Bureau estimate for 2025 |
Philadelphia to Pittsburgh by road
The fastest driving route is 305 miles (492 km) long and takes about 5 hr 45 min without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on I-76 (288 mi) and I-376 (13.2 mi).
The whole route stays in Pennsylvania. That’s an average of 53 mph (85 km/h). AAA recommends a break every two hours or 100 miles: with 2 stops of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 6 hr 25 min. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.
Straight-line distance and bearing
In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are 258 miles (415 km) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 18% longer: for every 100 miles in a straight line you drive 118. That’s a normal detour between two cities. Of the 110 US driving pairs in this series, it ranks 26th for detour (the average is 16%).
From Philadelphia, Pittsburgh lies to the west (bearing 279°), and from Pittsburgh, Philadelphia lies to the east. The straight line reaches Pittsburgh on a bearing of 276°: on a sphere the bearing keeps changing along the way, which is why the shortest route looks slightly curved on a flat map.
Halfway between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh
Halfway along the straight line, 129 miles (207 km) from each city, is the point 40.2217° N, 77.5712° W. It falls near Newburg (Pennsylvania, pop. 359), 5.9 mi away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is McNair (Virginia, pop. 22,655), 88.0 mi away.
By road, the halfway point is 153 miles (246 km) from each city, near Shade Gap (Pennsylvania, pop. 78), 7.5 mi away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is McNair (Virginia, pop. 22,655), 83.3 mi away. The two midpoints are 10.8 mi apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.
Time zone and flight
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh share the same time all year: both are on Eastern Time.
No flight time is given: under 500 km (311 miles) in a straight line, time at the airport outweighs time in the air.
The two cities
Philadelphia sits at 35 ft (11 m) and Pittsburgh at 765 ft (233 m), 730 ft (223 m) higher.
Philadelphia has 1.6 million people and Pittsburgh 307,632 people (Census Bureau estimate for 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many miles is it from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh?
258 miles (415 km) in a straight line and 305 miles (492 km) by road on the fastest route (mostly on I-76 and I-376).
How long is the drive from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh?
About 5 hr 45 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 2 stops of 20 minutes, about 6 hr 25 min.
Where is the halfway point between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh?
In a straight line, near Newburg (Pennsylvania). By road, 153 mi from each city, near Shade Gap (Pennsylvania).
Are Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in the same time zone?
Yes: both are on Eastern Time all year.
Which city is higher, Philadelphia or Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh, at 765 ft (233 m); Philadelphia sits at 35 ft (11 m).
Measure it yourself on the map
The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.
- Distance between two points Measure the distance between any two places or points on the map, in miles or kilometers.
- Straight line vs driving distance Compare the as-the-crow-flies distance with the real driving distance and see how much the road adds.
- Halfway point Find the exact halfway point between two places and see it on the map, ready to share.
Similar pairs
The ones in this series whose cities are closest to these two, in case another one suits you better.
More distances from Philadelphia
All distancesMore distances from Pittsburgh
Sources
- Driving route: FOSSGIS OSRM, car profile (calculated on November 1, 2026) · FOSSGIS e.V.
- Roads, streets and places · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Straight line, bearings and midpoint (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- US city centers (GNIS) and their elevation (3DEP) · USGS (public domain)
- Population estimates, Vintage 2025 · US Census Bureau (public domain)
- Places near the midpoints: All Map Tools gazetteer (GeoNames, INE, IGN and Census) · All Map Tools
- Time zones (timezone-boundary-builder outlines and the IANA database) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Map: provinces (IGN), states (US Census Bureau) and countries (Natural Earth) · IGN, Census and Natural Earth
- Methodology