In a plasma display apparatus and a method of driving the same which is driven by a driving signal having a reset period, an address period and a sustain period, a sustain pulse is applied during the sustain period, the sustain pulse including: an interval in which the sustain pulse rises from a ground voltage to a first voltage; an interval in which the first voltage is substantially constant for predetermined period of time; an interval in which the sustain pulse rises from the first voltage to a second voltage; and an interval in which the second voltage is substantially constant for a predetermined period of time. At least two discharges can be generated per a single sustain pulse by applying a sustain pulse rising and falling in two stages during one sustain period, and discharge efficiency and luminance can be improved by lengthening a light emission time by maintaining the light generated by a discharge for a predetermined time.