The drive from Cheltenham, PA to Scranton, PA covers 120.3 miles and takes about 2h 24m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, I 81, Pennsylvania Turnpike for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 94.1 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.94 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.
Midpoint
60.2 miles from Cheltenham, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 15m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 24m. Total distance: 120.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 24m highway drive covering 120.3 miles, with most of the trip on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and I 81. The longest continuous stretch is about 94.1 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension is the longest continuous segment at about 94.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and I 81. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.3 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 120.3 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 9.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 24 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
9.3 mi into trip|~17m in
Take the exit toward PATP, I 276: PA Turnpike, Fort Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward PATP, I 276: PA Turnpike, Fort Washingto...
8
9.6 mi into trip|~18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward PATP, I 276: Pennsylvania Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward PATP, I 276: Pennsylvania Turnpike
7
10.1 mi into trip|~19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 276 West: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 276 West: Harrisburg
7
14.6 mi into trip|~24m in
Take the exit toward I 476: Chester, Allentown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 476: Chester, Allentown
7
119.7 mi into trip|~2h 23m in|Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cheltenham, PA and Scranton, PA, road signs point toward Patp, Fort Washington and Allentown.
The midpoint is around 60.4 miles from Cheltenham, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Scranton, PA
The final approach into 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 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.
Independence National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The park represents the founding ideals of the nation, and preserves national and international symbols of freedom and democracy, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The Declaration of I...
Visit the house where wounded Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko lived and hear how this brilliant military engineer designed successful fortifications during the American Revolution. See the...
Valley Forge is the place where George Washington and the Continental Army took refuge during the winter of 1777-1778. Today the park protects 3,500 acres of meadows, woodlands, historic landscapes, a...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
near mile 16.6
Famous as the First State to ratify the Constitution, Delaware was born out of a conflict among three world powers for dominance of the Delaware Valley. From this beginning, the region developed a dis...
26 mi from route
~64 min detour
Free
near mile 16.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.94 one way
$39.89 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$21.84
$43.69
premium
$4.93
$23.33
$46.66
diesel
$5.61
$26.56
$53.12
Estimated Tolls: $12.77
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(98.2 mi)$12.77
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Tolls
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.1
0
$12.63
$5.77
Efficient EV
30.1
0
$10.53
$4.81
EV Truck/SUV
48.1
0
$16.84
$7.70
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (67% 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 as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Cheltenham, PA
Afternoon
in Cheltenham on Friday
Local time
1:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Afternoon
in Scranton on Friday
Local time
1:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
NW 5 to 8 mph20% chanceLive forecast
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
26 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
2h 24m 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 Cheltenham, PA to Scranton, PA covers 120.3 miles and takes about 2h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, I 81, Pennsylvania Turnpike. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 60.2 miles from Cheltenham, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.94 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 120.3 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Cheltenham, PA and Scranton, PA, road signs point toward Patp, Fort Washington and Allentown.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
