Origin
Preston, PA
Late night in Preston on Saturday
Local time
2:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Preston, 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
30m
Distance
22 mi
35 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Preston, PA
Haneul Trac
Trip Overview
This quick 22-mile drive between Preston and Scranton, Pennsylvania, is easily completed in about 30 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major roads, with 87% of the journey on highways, so expect a straightforward commute. The estimated fuel cost is a modest $4, and with no planned stops, you can get there quickly. This route is entirely within Pennsylvania's Northeast region. Given its short distance and highway focus, it’s ideal for a spontaneous trip or a quick transfer between these two locations.
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 30m. Total distance: 22 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, designed for efficiency rather than leisurely sightseeing. You'll be on roads like PA 309 and River Street for the majority of your journey, with 87% of the route being highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 19.1 miles, primarily on PA 309, allowing for a consistent pace. Expect a straightforward driving experience with minimal distractions as you navigate between Preston and Scranton.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
PA 309 is the longest continuous segment at about 19.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on PA 309 and River Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Main Street.
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 30m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (Hazleton Street): Navigation decision point; at 21.4 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 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
|
South Main Street
At end of road, turn right onto South Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Hazleton Street
Turn right onto Hazleton Street
Navigation decision point
7
21.4 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
21.8 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Biden Street
Turn left onto Biden Street
Navigation decision point
5
22 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Wyoming Avenue
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| PA 309 | 19.1 mi | 23m |
| River Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Hazleton Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Cedar Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Biden Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Adams Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Chester Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
PA 309
— 19.1 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Preston, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on Chester Street
287 ft
·
16 sec
·
Chester Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto South Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
3
Turn right onto Hazleton Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Hazleton Street
4
Turn right onto PA 309
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
PA 309
5
Take the ramp
94 ft
·
4 sec
6
Turn left onto PA 309
19 mi
·
23 min
·
PA 309
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward PA 307
8
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
River Street
9
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Adams Avenue
11
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Biden Street
12
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft
·
4 sec
·
Wyoming Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
Wyoming Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.65 one way
$7.29 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.99 | $7.99 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.27 | $8.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.86 | $9.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.31 | $1.06 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.08 | $1.41 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Destination
Scranton, PA
Late night in Scranton on Saturday
Local time
2:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 9 mph
3% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 3:08PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 4:45AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
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
30m 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 Preston, PA to Scranton, PA covers 22 miles and takes about 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are PA 309, River Street, Hazleton 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 11 miles from Preston, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.65 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 straightforward 30m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (Hazleton Street): Navigation decision point; at 21.4 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Preston, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Scranton, PA
More from Preston, PA
More trips to Scranton, PA
Explore more options from Preston, PA or browse trips ending in Scranton, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.