How far is Great Bend, PA from Erie, PA?

The driving distance from Great Bend, PA to Erie, PA is about 279.9 miles (450.4 km), with a travel time of about 04h 29m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 223 miles (358.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 08h 59m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
279.87 mi
04h 29m
Flight
223 mi
358.89 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Great Bend.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
223 mi
Kilometers
358.89 km
Flight Time
00h 26m

Driving Distance

Road route
279.87 mi
Kilometers
450.41 km
Drive Time
04h 29m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 04h 29m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Erie
Sat, Apr 18, 10:52 AM EDT
Return by in Great Bend
Sat, Apr 18, 3:22 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Great Bend
2026-04-18T06:23
Arrive Erie
Sat, Apr 18, 10:52 AM EDT
Route Timing
04h 29m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:30 AM to 12:30 PM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
8:00 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Great Bend
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Genesee
PA

Township of Pennsylvania

From Great Bend
140.2 mi
02h 14m
To Erie
139.7 mi
02h 14m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
72°F
Saturday

Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 7 mph S
Destination
72°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
9 to 14 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Great Bend and Erie.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Great Bend and Erie.

  1. 1

    Start on Williams Street

    66 m · 12 sec · Williams Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Franklin Street

    131 m · 21 sec · Franklin Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Pine Street

    89 m · 20 sec · Pine Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Main Street

    1492 ft · 43 sec · Main Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto State Route 171

    814 ft · 21 sec · State Route 171

  6. 6

    Take the ramp left

    863 ft · 22 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    15.1 mi · 18 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on I 86: Corning

    100 mi · 1 hr 57 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on Southern Tier Expressway

    60.6 mi · 1 hr 10 min · Southern Tier Expressway

  10. 10

    Turn left onto State Highway 16

    5.7 mi · 9 min · State Highway 16

  11. 11

    Continue on North Union Street

    1829 ft · 35 sec · North Union Street

  12. 12

    Take the ramp right

    967 ft · 24 sec

  13. 13

    Keep slight left

    3230 ft · 1 min

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Southern Tier Expressway

    78.9 mi · 1 hr 32 min · Southern Tier Expressway

  15. 15

    Continue on Hopkins-Bowser Highway

    6.8 mi · 8 min · Hopkins-Bowser Highway

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on I-90: Erie

    1.2 mi · 1 min

  17. 17

    Merge slight left onto AMVETS Memorial Highway

    3.4 mi · 4 min · AMVETS Memorial Highway

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward PA 290, PA 430: Wesleyville, Bayfront Connector

    1507 ft · 54 sec

  19. 19

    Turn right onto Station Road

    1.5 km · 2 min · Station Road

  20. 20

    Continue on Bayfront Connector

    4.4 mi · 8 min · Bayfront Connector

  21. 21

    Continue on East Bayfront Parkway

    836 ft · 26 sec · East Bayfront Parkway

  22. 22

    Turn left onto East 10th Street

    1.1 mi · 3 min · East 10th Street

  23. 23

    Turn right onto State Street

    1499 ft · 59 sec · State Street

  24. 24

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · State Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Great Bend and Erie.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
24 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Southern Tier Expressway
139 mi · 50%
I 86
100 mi · 36%
State Route 171
15.4 mi · 5%
Hopkins-Bowser Highway
6.85 mi · 2%
State Highway 16
5.74 mi · 2%
Bayfront Connector
4.36 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 86

Keep slight left to continue on I 86: Corning

100 mi · 01h 57m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
04h 29m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
09h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+56.9 mi
223 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Genesee
02h 14m from Great Bend
Leave By
8:00 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving Great Bend and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Erie.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Great Bend to Erie?

The road trip is about 279.9 miles (450.4 km) and usually takes 04h 29m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Genesee is a useful midpoint, sitting about 140.2 miles from Great Bend and 139.7 miles from Erie.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 223 miles (358.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 56.9 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 8:00 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $40.33 one way or $80.66 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 87.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers around Great Bend and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Erie.

Stop Ideas Near Genesee

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Genesee, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Genesee.

BUS

Jamestown, New York

114 mi away
111 West Third Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Great Bend and Erie. Straight-line distance: 223 mi (358.89 km).

Great Bend

#1 Great Bend

Township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania

Population663
Coordinates41.9717400, -75.7432400
Altitude272
CountryUnited States
Erie

#2 Erie

The second most populous city in Pennsylvania.

Population95,077
Coordinates42.1292200, -80.0850600
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Start: Williams Street (-75.743293, 41.971802)
End: State Street (-80.085094, 42.129207)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 450 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 19m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 59m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 35m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 39m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 59m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 29m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
9.87 gal
37.38 L · about $40.33
Round trip
$80.66
19.74 gal · 74.76 L
Estimated CO2
87.7 kg one way
Round trip: 175.4 kg / 387 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $40.33 $80.66
Mid-grade $4.60 $45.39 $90.78
Premium $4.95 $48.90 $97.79
Diesel $5.98 $59.02 $118.05

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Pennsylvania · Apr 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Great Bend and Erie. The current time is 06:23:05.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.