How far is Northern Cambria, PA from Altoona, PA?

The driving distance from Northern Cambria, PA to Altoona, PA is about 30.1 miles (48.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 43m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 22.5 miles (36.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 27m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
30.04 mi
00h 43m
Flight
22.51 mi
36.22 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Northern Cambria.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
22.51 mi
Kilometers
36.22 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
30.04 mi
Kilometers
48.35 km
Drive Time
00h 43m

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 00h 43m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Altoona
Sat, Apr 18, 10:14 PM EDT
Return by in Northern Cambria
Sat, Apr 18, 10:58 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Northern Cambria
2026-04-18T21:30
Arrive Altoona
Sat, Apr 18, 10:14 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 43m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:44 AM to 7:44 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:02 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Northern Cambria
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Chest Springs
PA

Borough of Pennsylvania

From Northern Cambria
15 mi
00h 21m
To Altoona
15 mi
00h 21m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
39°F
Tonight

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 7:00 PM EDT
Wind
12 to 15 mph W
Destination
81°F
This Afternoon

Partly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 5:00 PM EDT
Wind
12 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Northern Cambria and Altoona.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Northern Cambria and Altoona.

  1. 1

    Start on 39th Street

    135 m · 25 sec · 39th Street

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Bigler Avenue

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Bigler Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on Theatre Road

    2.9 mi · 3 min · Theatre Road

  4. 4

    Continue on North Main Street

    1632 ft · 21 sec · North Main Street

  5. 5

    Continue on North Main Street

    3133 ft · 49 sec · North Main Street

  6. 6

    Turn left onto East Carroll Street

    2560 ft · 43 sec · East Carroll Street

  7. 7

    Continue on Carroll Road

    3 mi · 5 min · Carroll Road

  8. 8

    Continue on Mellon Avenue

    3200 ft · 54 sec · Mellon Avenue

  9. 9

    Turn slight right onto 5th Avenue

    1421 ft · 28 sec · 5th Avenue

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Magee Avenue

    2809 ft · 50 sec · Magee Avenue

  11. 11

    Continue on Colonel Drake Highway

    4.5 mi · 6 min · Colonel Drake Highway

  12. 12

    Continue on Colonel Drake Highway

    3.4 mi · 5 min · Colonel Drake Highway

  13. 13

    Continue on Liberty Street

    2521 ft · 43 sec · Liberty Street

  14. 14

    Continue on Colonel Drake Highway

    7.7 mi · 12 min · Colonel Drake Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on 18th Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · 18th Street

  16. 16

    Turn left onto 12th Avenue

    2994 ft · 58 sec · 12th Avenue

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Chestnut Avenue

    818 ft · 16 sec · Chestnut Avenue

  18. 18

    Turn right onto 8th Street

    1818 ft · 44 sec · 8th Street

  19. 19

    Turn left onto 6th Avenue

    103 m · 13 sec · 6th Avenue

  20. 20

    Turn left onto 7th Street

    976 ft · 19 sec · 7th Street

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 7th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Northern Cambria and Altoona.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
21 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
70 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Colonel Drake Highway
15.5 mi · 52%
Carroll Road
3.04 mi · 10%
Theatre Road
2.86 mi · 10%
Bigler Avenue
2.52 mi · 8%
18th Street
1.41 mi · 5%
North Main Street
0.9 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Colonel Drake Highway

Continue on Colonel Drake Highway

7.67 mi · 00h 12m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 43m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 28m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+7.6 mi
22.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Chest Springs
00h 21m from Northern Cambria
Leave By
7:02 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Northern Cambria and Partly Sunny near Altoona.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Northern Cambria to Altoona?

The road trip is about 30.1 miles (48.4 km) and usually takes 00h 43m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Chest Springs is a useful midpoint, sitting about 15 miles from Northern Cambria and 15 miles from Altoona.

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

The direct path is about 22.5 miles (36.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 7.6 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:02 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.33 one way or $8.66 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 9.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Northern Cambria and Partly Sunny near Altoona.

Stop Ideas Near Chest Springs

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Chest Springs, 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 Chest Springs.

RAIL

Altoona Transportation Center

19 mi away
1231 11th Avenue
RAIL

Tyrone

32 mi away
Pennsylvania Ave and West 10th St.
RAIL

Johnstown

39 mi away
47 Walnut Street
RAIL

Huntingdon

51 mi away
Fourth and Allegheny Sts.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Northern Cambria and Altoona. Straight-line distance: 22.51 mi (36.22 km).

Northern Cambria

#1 Northern Cambria

Borough of Pennsylvania

Population3,456
Coordinates40.6592300, -78.7816900
Altitude463
CountryUnited States
Altoona

#2 Altoona

A city in Blair County, Pennsylvania.

Population42,989
Coordinates40.5186800, -78.3947400
Altitude355
CountryUnited States
Start: Northern Cambria (-78.78169, 40.65923)
End: Altoona (-78.39474, 40.51868)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 48 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 00m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 45m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 36m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 25m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 22m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.06 gal
4.01 L · about $4.33
Round trip
$8.66
2.12 gal · 8.02 L
Estimated CO2
9.4 kg one way
Round trip: 18.8 kg / 41 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $4.33 $8.66
Mid-grade $4.60 $4.87 $9.75
Premium $4.95 $5.25 $10.50
Diesel $5.98 $6.34 $12.68

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Northern Cambria and Altoona. The current time is 21:30:57.

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.