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Trip from Johnsonburg, PA to Scranton, PA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 5m

Distance

209.6 mi

337 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$35

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 53m ★
6 AM
4h 6m
8 AM
4h 32m
10 AM
4h 15m
12 PM
4h 12m
3 PM
4h 16m
5 PM
4h 31m
8 PM
3h 58m

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

Downtown Johnsonburg, PA, PA

Johnsonburg, PA

Jack Pace

Trip Overview

The drive from Johnsonburg, PA to Scranton, PA covers 209.6 miles and takes about 4h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Keystone Shortway, I 81, Mahaffey Grampian Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 139.7 miles on Keystone Shortway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.75 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

104.8 miles from Johnsonburg, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 5m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Keystone Shortway 139.7 mi 2h 31m
I 81 32.4 mi 39m
Mahaffey Grampian Highway 9.8 mi 11m
PA 36 6.9 mi 10m
Curwensville Grampian Road 4.7 mi 5m
Clearfield Shawville Highway 4.2 mi 6m
Hillman Road 3 mi 7m
Curwensville Grampian Highway 2.6 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Keystone Shortway — 139.7 mi, about 2h 31m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Johnsonburg, PA and Scranton, PA.

1

Start on Johnsonburg Road

0.6 mi · 2 min · Johnsonburg Road
2

At end of road, turn right onto Hillman Road

3.0 mi · 7 min · Hillman Road
3

Turn straight onto PA 36

6.9 mi · 10 min · PA 36
4

Continue on US 219

9.8 mi · 11 min · Mahaffey Grampian Highway
5

Continue on US 219

0.7 mi · 47 sec · 1st Street
6

Continue on PA 879

4.7 mi · 5 min · Curwensville Grampian Road
7

Continue on PA 879

2.6 mi · 2 min · Curwensville Grampian Highway
8

Continue on PA 879

0.4 mi · 24 sec · Curwensville Grampain Highway
9

Continue on PA 879

2.0 mi · 2 min · Clearfield Curwensville Highway
10

Turn right onto PA 879

4.2 mi · 6 min · Clearfield Shawville Highway
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 36 sec
12

Merge onto I 80

140 mi · 2 hr 31 min · Keystone Shortway
13

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 260B Toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
14

Merge onto I 81

32 mi · 39 min · I 81
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward PA 307
16

Turn left onto River Street

1.0 mi · 1 min · River Street
17

At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue

0.3 mi · 31 sec · Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
18

Continue on Adams Avenue

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Adams Avenue
19

Turn left onto Biden Street

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Biden Street
20

Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue

135 ft · 4 sec · Wyoming Avenue
21

Arrive at destination

Wyoming 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 104.8 miles from Johnsonburg, PA, or about 2h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 139.7 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 46 miles or 1h 1m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 104.8 miles or 2h 5m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 17m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Johnsonburg, 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 Johnsonburg, PA

This is one driving day of about 209.6 miles and 4h 5m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Johnsonburg, 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 Keystone Shortway for about 139.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Central City, PA, PA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Central City, PA

105 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

Ashland, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 46 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lock Haven, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 104.8 miles from Johnsonburg, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Keystone Shortway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 139.7 miles.

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 209.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.6 mi into trip | ~2m in | Hillman Road

At end of road, turn right onto Hillman Road

Navigation decision point

5
174.8 mi into trip | ~3h 20m in

Take the exit toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 260B Toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
7
209 mi into trip | ~4h 4m in | Cedar Avenue

At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
5
209.4 mi into trip | ~4h 5m in | Biden Street

Turn left onto Biden Street

Navigation decision point

5
209.6 mi into trip | ~4h 5m in | Wyoming Avenue

Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$34.75 one way

$69.50 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 73 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $38.06 $76.12
premium $4.93 $40.65 $81.30
diesel $5.61 $46.28 $92.55

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$35

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$60–$85

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 73.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 62.9 0 $22.01 $10.06
Efficient EV 52.4 0 $18.34 $8.38
EV Truck/SUV 83.8 1 $29.34 $13.41

Gas CO2

73 kg

EV CO2

25 kg (66% 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 14, 2026

Origin

Johnsonburg, PA

Afternoon in Johnsonburg on Saturday

Local time

3:23 PM

EDT

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Scranton, PA

Afternoon in Scranton on Saturday

Local time

3:23 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 3:26PM EDT until April 14 at 4:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH

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

41 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

4h 5m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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

What kind of drive is this?

209.6 mi in 4h 5m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 139.7 mi on Keystone Shortway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Hillman Road.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 4h 5m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Hillman Road): Navigation decision point; at 174.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 209 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving in Scranton, PA

Full guide →

Scranton is a city in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is near Wilkes-Barre, and is the seventh most populous city in the state. Today, it is perhaps best known as the setting of the hit TV show "The Office" and the birthplace of Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 5m. Total distance: 209.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (19%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 139.7 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Hillman Road): Navigation decision point; at 174.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 209 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.

Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Scranton, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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