Origin
North Buffalo, PA
Evening in North Buffalo on Friday
Local time
5:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Buffalo, PA to Scranton, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 10m
Distance
262.1 mi
422 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 57m
★
6 AM
5h 11m
8 AM
5h 38m
10 AM
5h 20m
12 PM
5h 18m
3 PM
5h 22m
5 PM
5h 36m
8 PM
5h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Buffalo, PA
Jack Pace
Trip Overview
The drive from North Buffalo, PA to Scranton, PA covers 262.1 miles and takes about 5h 10m 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, PA 66 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 180.6 miles on Keystone Shortway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $42.16 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
131 miles from North Buffalo, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 42m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 10m. Total distance: 262.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (21%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 10m drive with frequent turns across 262.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Keystone Shortway is the longest continuous segment at about 180.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near PA 128 / Cadogan Slate Lick Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 262.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 (PA 128 / Cadogan Slate Lick Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 227.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 261.4 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
PA 128 / Cadogan Slate Lick Road
Turn sharp left onto PA 128 / Cadogan Slate Lick Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
227.2 mi into trip
|
~4h 26m 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
261.4 mi into trip
|
~5h 9m in
|
Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
261.8 mi into trip
|
~5h 10m in
|
Biden Street
Turn left onto Biden Street
Navigation decision point
5
262 mi into trip
|
~5h 10m in
|
Wyoming Avenue
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Keystone Shortway | 180.6 mi | 3h 15m |
| I 81 | 32.4 mi | 39m |
| PA 66 | 21 mi | 30m |
| Brookville Street | 19.1 mi | 29m |
| Main Street | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Ford City Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| River Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Prospect Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 180.6 mi, about 3h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Buffalo, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on Boarts Road
76 ft
·
10 sec
·
Boarts Road
2
Turn sharp left onto PA 128
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Cadogan Slate Lick Road
3
Continue on PA 128
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Main Street
4
Turn left onto PA 128
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
Prospect Avenue
5
Continue on PA 128
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Ford City Road
6
Turn slight right onto Hill Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Hill Street
7
Turn straight onto Pleasantview Drive
481 ft
·
29 sec
·
Pleasantview Drive
8
Turn left onto PA 66
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
9
Take the exit onto PA 66
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
PA 66
10
Keep slight left at fork onto PA 66
21 mi
·
29 min
·
PA 66
11
Continue on PA 28
19 mi
·
29 min
·
Brookville Street
12
Take the ramp onto PA 28 Truck
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
PA 28 Truck
13
Merge onto I 80; PA 28 Truck
181 mi
·
3 hr 15 min
·
Keystone Shortway
14
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 260B
Toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
15
Merge onto I 81
32 mi
·
39 min
·
I 81
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward PA 307
17
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
River Street
18
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Adams Avenue
20
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Biden Street
21
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft
·
4 sec
·
Wyoming Avenue
22
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 131 miles from North Buffalo, PA, or about 2h 42m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 180.6 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 58 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 131 miles or 2h 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 12m
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 North Buffalo, 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 North Buffalo, PA
This is one driving day of about 262.1 miles and 5h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from North Buffalo, 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 180.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 131 mi from North Buffalo, PA · 2h 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
131 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 58 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 131 miles from North Buffalo, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Keystone Shortway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 180.6 miles.
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.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.16 one way
$84.33 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
92 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $47.46 | $94.91 |
| premium | $4.95 | $51.12 | $102.24 |
| diesel | $5.98 | $61.71 | $123.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 91.7 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 78.6 | 0 | $27.52 | $12.58 |
| Efficient EV | 65.5 | 0 | $22.93 | $10.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 104.8 | 1 | $36.69 | $16.77 |
Gas CO2
92 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Destination
Scranton, PA
Evening in Scranton on Friday
Local time
5:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Cloudy
SW 2 mph
2% chance
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
11 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
5h 10m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from North Buffalo, PA to Scranton, PA covers 262.1 miles and takes about 5h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Keystone Shortway, I 81, PA 66. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 131 miles from North Buffalo, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $42.16 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 262.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 (PA 128 / Cadogan Slate Lick Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 227.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 261.4 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from North Buffalo, PA to Scranton, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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