The drive from Macungie, PA to Scranton, PA covers 78.2 miles and takes about 1h 36m 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, East Main Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 57 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.96 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
39.1 miles from Macungie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 49m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 36m. Total distance: 78.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 36m highway drive covering 78.2 miles, with most of the trip on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and I 81. The longest continuous stretch is about 57 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 25 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 57 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 early in the drive.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 78.2 miles you will encounter 19 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 7.8 miles (US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in
At end of road, turn right
Navigation decision point
9
7.8 mi into trip|~12m in|US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 51
Toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI A...
7
9.1 mi into trip|~14m in
Take the exit toward PATP, I 476: Philadelphia, Scranton
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 476: Philadelphia, Scranton
7
9.6 mi into trip|~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 476 North: Scranton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 476 North: Scranton
7
77.6 mi into trip|~1h 35m 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 Macungie, PA and Scranton, PA, road signs point toward Lvi Airport and Patp.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Valley Forge National Historical Park
National Historical Park
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...
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.5
0
$8.21
$3.75
Efficient EV
19.6
0
$6.84
$3.13
EV Truck/SUV
31.3
0
$10.95
$5.00
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Macungie, PA
Morning
in Macungie on Friday
Local time
8:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Partly Sunny then Isolated Rain Showers
NW 5 to 10 mph22% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Morning
in Scranton on Friday
Local time
8:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live 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
34 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 36m 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 Macungie, PA to Scranton, PA covers 78.2 miles and takes about 1h 36m 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, East Main Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.1 miles from Macungie, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.96 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 78.2 miles you will encounter 19 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 7.8 miles (US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Macungie, PA and Scranton, PA, road signs point toward Lvi Airport and Patp.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
EV charging comes from the
NREL Alternative Fuels
dataset.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
