Origin
Penn Hills, PA
Late night in Penn Hills on Saturday
Local time
5:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Penn Hills, 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
5h 41m
Distance
280.4 mi
451 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$46
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 28m
★
6 AM
5h 42m
8 AM
6h 8m
10 AM
5h 51m
12 PM
5h 48m
3 PM
5h 52m
5 PM
6h 7m
8 PM
5h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Penn Hills, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Penn Hills, PA to Scranton, PA covers 280.4 miles and takes about 5h 41m 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 286 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 139.7 miles on Keystone Shortway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $46.49 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
140.2 miles from Penn Hills, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 2m into the drive .
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 5h 41m. Total distance: 280.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 41m drive with frequent turns across 280.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 46 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 139.7 miles.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,608 ft
515 ft
Total Climb
2,270 ft
Total Descent
2,461 ft
Highest Point
1,608 ft
~120.2 mi in
Elevation Range
1,093 ft
Notable High Points
1,453 ft at ~180.2 miles
+663 ft prominence
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 24 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Verona Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 280.4 miles you will encounter 24 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: at 0.1 miles (Verona Road): Navigation decision point; at 41.7 miles (US 422 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 245.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 24 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Verona Road
Turn left onto Verona Road
Navigation decision point
6
41.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
US 422 Business
Take the exit onto US 422 Business toward Philadelphia Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Philadelphia Street
5
245.5 mi into trip
|
~4h 56m 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
279.8 mi into trip
|
~5h 40m in
|
Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
280.2 mi into trip
|
~5h 41m in
|
Biden Street
Turn left onto Biden Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Penn Hills, PA to Scranton, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Greensburg along the way.
Greensburg
16 mi in
|
~28m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Keystone Shortway | 139.7 mi | 2h 31m |
| I 81 | 32.4 mi | 39m |
| PA 286 | 27.7 mi | 32m |
| Mahaffey Grampian Highway | 9.8 mi | 11m |
| PA 56 | 8.7 mi | 13m |
| Sheridan Road | 8.2 mi | 12m |
| Saltsburg Road | 7.6 mi | 14m |
| Fairview Drive | 6 mi | 8m |
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 139.7 mi, about 2h 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Penn Hills, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on Sylvan Avenue
134 ft
·
11 sec
·
Sylvan Avenue
2
Turn left onto Mount Avenue
519 ft
·
28 sec
·
Mount Avenue
3
Turn left onto Verona Road
252 ft
·
7 sec
·
Verona Road
4
Turn right onto Second Avenue
248 ft
·
8 sec
·
Second Avenue
5
Turn right onto Shannon Road
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Shannon Road
6
At end of road, turn right onto Hamil Road
211 ft
·
6 sec
·
Hamil Road
7
Turn right onto Yellow Belt
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Hulton Road
8
Turn left onto PA 380
3.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Saltsburg Road
9
Continue on PA 380; Orange Belt
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Saltsburg Road
10
Turn left onto PA 380
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Golden Mile Highway
11
Continue on PA 380
6.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Fairview Drive
12
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward PA 66: Apollo, Greensburg
13
Turn right onto PA 66
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Sheridan Road
14
Merge onto PA 66
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
State Route 66
15
Take the exit
424 ft
·
8 sec
16
Merge onto PA 66
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
State Route 66
17
Continue on PA 66
7.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Sheridan Road
18
Continue on PA 56; PA 156
8.7 mi
·
13 min
·
PA 56; PA 156
19
Turn right onto US 422; PA 56
4.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Benjamin Franklin Highway
20
Take the exit onto US 422 Business
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
US 422 Business
Toward Philadelphia Street
Use the slight left lane.
21
Continue on Philadelphia Street
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
Philadelphia Street
22
Continue on West Pike Road
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
West Pike Road
23
Continue on Philadelphia Street
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Philadelphia Street
24
Take the exit onto PA 286
28 mi
·
32 min
·
PA 286
Toward PA 286 East: Clymer
25
Continue on US 219
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Burnside McGee Highway
26
Continue on US 219
515 ft
·
6 sec
·
Burnside - McGees Highway
27
Continue on US 219; PA 36
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Colonel Drake Highway
28
Continue on US 219; PA 36
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
West Main Street
29
Continue on US 219
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Mahaffey Grampian Highway
30
Continue on US 219
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
·
1st Street
31
Continue on PA 879
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Curwensville Grampian Road
32
Continue on PA 879
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Curwensville Grampian Highway
33
Continue on PA 879
0.4 mi
·
24 sec
·
Curwensville Grampain Highway
34
Continue on PA 879
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Clearfield Curwensville Highway
35
Turn right onto PA 879
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Clearfield Shawville Highway
36
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
37
Merge onto I 80
140 mi
·
2 hr 31 min
·
Keystone Shortway
38
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 260B
Toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
39
Merge onto I 81
32 mi
·
39 min
·
I 81
40
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward PA 307
41
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
River Street
42
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
43
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Adams Avenue
44
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Biden Street
45
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft
·
4 sec
·
Wyoming Avenue
46
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 140.2 miles from Penn Hills, PA, or about 3h 2m 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 62 miles or 1h 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 140.2 miles or 3h 2m 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 39m
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 Penn Hills, 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 Penn Hills, PA
This is one driving day of about 280.4 miles and 5h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from Penn Hills, 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.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 140.2 mi from Penn Hills, PA · 3h 2m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
140 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 62 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 140.2 miles from Penn Hills, 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 139.7 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
$46.49 one way
$92.97 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
98 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $50.91 | $101.83 |
| premium | $4.93 | $54.38 | $108.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $61.91 | $123.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 98.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 84.1 | 1 | $29.44 | $13.46 |
| Efficient EV | 70.1 | 0 | $24.53 | $11.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 112.2 | 1 | $39.26 | $17.95 |
Gas CO2
98 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Late night in Scranton on Saturday
Local time
5:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Cloudy
SW 2 mph
2% chance
Live forecast
44°F
Clearfield, PA
140 mi in
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
1 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
5h 41m 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 Penn Hills, PA to Scranton, PA covers 280.4 miles and takes about 5h 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Keystone Shortway, I 81, PA 286. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 140.2 miles from Penn Hills, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $46.49 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 280.4 miles you will encounter 24 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: at 0.1 miles (Verona Road): Navigation decision point; at 41.7 miles (US 422 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 245.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
On the drive from Penn Hills, PA to Scranton, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Greensburg along the way.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 515 ft to 1,608 ft elevation with about 2,270 ft of total climbing. There is 1 notable high point along the way.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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