Trip from Benton, PA to City of Scranton, PA

Data updated 1 hour ago

Drive Time

3h 19m

Distance

141.3 mi

227 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 36 min

4 AM

3h 8m ★

6 AM

3h 20m

8 AM

3h 44m

10 AM

3h 28m

12 PM

3h 26m

3 PM

3h 29m

5 PM

3h 43m

8 PM

3h 13m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Benton, PA

Haneul Trac

City of Scranton, PA

Michael Taccetta

Trip Overview

The drive from Benton, PA to City of Scranton, PA covers 141.3 miles and takes about 3h 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 81, PA 183, Lancaster Pike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 59.6 miles on I 81. At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.43 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

70.7 miles from Benton, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 53m into the drive .

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Drive Character

The drive from Benton, PA to City of Scranton, PA covers 141.3 miles and takes about 3h 19m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 38 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 81 is the longest continuous segment at about 59.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4 miles in near River Road.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 141.3 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 4 miles (River Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.5 miles (PA 272 / Lancaster Pike): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 53.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4 mi into trip | ~11m in | River Road

At end of road, turn right onto River Road

Navigation decision point

4.5 mi into trip | ~13m in | PA 272 / Lancaster Pike

Turn sharp left onto PA 272 / Lancaster Pike

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

53.2 mi into trip | ~1h 27m in

Take the exit toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown

56.9 mi into trip | ~1h 31m in

Take the exit toward PA 419: Rehrersburg

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 17 Toward PA 419: Rehrersburg

141.1 mi into trip | ~3h 19m in | Cedar Avenue

At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 81	59.6 mi	1h 10m
PA 183	9.9 mi	15m
Lancaster Pike	8.9 mi	13m
Lititz Pike	6.1 mi	11m
Willow Street Pike	6.1 mi	11m
Stiegel Pike	6 mi	6m
Lancaster Avenue	5.5 mi	6m
South College Street	5.5 mi	6m

Longest stretch: I 81 — 59.6 mi, about 1h 10m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Benton, PA and City of Scranton, PA.

Start on Bald Eagle Road

0.2 mi · 54 sec · Bald Eagle Road

Continue on Benton Hollow Road

1.0 mi · 3 min · Benton Hollow Road

At end of road, turn left onto Slate Hill Road

2.8 mi · 6 min · Slate Hill Road

At end of road, turn right onto River Road

0.2 mi · 32 sec · River Road

Turn slight left onto Spring Valley Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · Spring Valley Road

Turn sharp left onto PA 272

8.5 mi · 12 min · Lancaster Pike

Keep slight right at fork onto PA 272

0.4 mi · 30 sec · Lancaster Pike

Continue on PA 272

6.1 mi · 11 min · Willow Street Pike

Continue on US 222; PA 272

0.2 mi · 32 sec · Highland Avenue

Continue on US 222; PA 272

1.8 mi · 5 min · South Queen Street

Use the straight lane.

Turn right onto East Liberty Street

0.1 mi · 18 sec · East Liberty Street

Turn left onto US 222; PA 272

490 ft · 18 sec · North Duke Street

Continue on US 222; PA 272

6.1 mi · 11 min · Lititz Pike

Continue on PA 501

1.7 mi · 2 min · South Broad Street

Continue on PA 501

2.4 mi · 3 min · Furnace Hills Pike

Continue on PA 501

4.2 mi · 4 min · Furnace Hill Pike

Continue on PA 501

6.0 mi · 6 min · Stiegel Pike

Continue on PA 501

5.5 mi · 6 min · South College Street

Use the left / straight / right lanes.

Continue on PA 501

4.1 mi · 4 min · Lancaster Avenue

Continue on PA 501

1.2 mi · 1 min · Lancaster Avenue

Continue on PA 501

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Lancaster Avenue

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown

Merge onto I 78; US 22

3.5 mi · 4 min · William Penn Highway

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec

Exit 17 Toward PA 419: Rehrersburg Use the slight right lane.

Turn left onto PA 419

1.9 mi · 2 min · Four Point Road

Turn left onto PA 183

9.9 mi · 15 min · PA 183

Turn right onto PA 183

0.7 mi · 2 min · Pottsville Street

Turn left onto PA 61

2.9 mi · 3 min · Route 61 South

Continue on PA 61

0.3 mi · 18 sec · Pottsville Boulevard

Continue on PA 61

1.5 mi · 2 min · South Claude A. Lord Boulevard

Continue on PA 61

1.0 mi · 1 min · Pottsville Saint Clair Highway

Continue on PA 61

4.8 mi · 5 min · Joseph H. Long Boulevard

Use the straight lane.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec

Toward I 81 North: Hazleton

Merge onto I 81

60 mi · 1 hr 10 min · I 81

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec

Toward PA 307

Turn left onto River Street

1.0 mi · 1 min · River Street

At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue

0.2 mi · 18 sec · Cedar Avenue

Use the straight / right lanes.

Arrive at destination

Cedar Avenue

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 70.7 miles from Benton, PA, or about 1h 53m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.6 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 80 miles or 2h 5m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 70.7 miles or 1h 53m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 48m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Benton, PA 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 Benton, PA

This is one driving day of about 141.3 miles and 3h 19m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Benton, PA.

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 81 for about 59.6 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 70.7 mi from Benton, PA · 1h 53m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

71 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Ramapo, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 70.7 miles from Benton, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in City of Scranton, PA

The final approach into City of Scranton, PA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around City of Scranton, PA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

National Scenic Trail

The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...

7 mi from route ~18 min detour Free near mile 48.7

Park Closure: List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene

Caution: Black Bears Frequenting the McAfee Knob Area in Virginia

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$23.43 one way

$46.85 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 49 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.61	$25.66	$51.31
premium	$4.93	$27.40	$54.81
diesel	$5.61	$31.20	$62.39

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$48–$73

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 49.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	42.4	$14.84	$6.78
Efficient EV	35.3	$12.36	$5.65
EV Truck/SUV	56.5	$19.78	$9.04

Gas CO2

49 kg

EV CO2

17 kg (65% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

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 data refreshed 1 hour ago

Origin

Benton, PA

Evening in Benton on Tuesday

Local time

7:02 PM

EDT

Current temp

78°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

City of Scranton, PA

Evening in City of Scranton on Tuesday

Local time

7:02 PM

EDT

Current temp

82°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 12 mph 27% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 4:55PM EDT until April 14 at 5:30PM EDT by NWS Pittsburgh PA

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued April 14 at 2:51PM EDT until April 14 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

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

4 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

3h 19m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Benton, PA to City of Scranton, PA covers 141.3 miles and takes about 3h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 81, PA 183, Lancaster Pike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 70.7 miles from Benton, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.43 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The route from Benton, PA to City of Scranton, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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