The drive from Rankin, PA to Scranton, PA covers 277.9 miles and takes about 5h 40m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Keystone Shortway, William Penn Highway, I 99 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 99.3 miles on Keystone Shortway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $46.07 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
138.9 miles from Rankin, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 2m into the drive
.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 40m. Total distance: 277.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Rankin, PA to Scranton, PA covers 277.9 miles and takes about 5h 40m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 30 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 99.3 miles.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,060 ft523 ft
Total Climb
2,580 ft
Total Descent
2,708 ft
Highest Point
2,060 ft
~59.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,537 ft
Notable High Points
1,481 ft at ~178.6 miles+745 ft prominence
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near South Braddock Avenue.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 277.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (South Braddock Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 85.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 127.1 miles (I 99; US 220; US 322): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 22 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.2 mi into trip|~3m in|South Braddock Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto South Braddock Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
85.3 mi into trip|~2h 1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
6
127.1 mi into trip|~2h 47m in|I 99; US 220; US 322
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220; US 322
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
143.4 mi into trip|~3h 7m in
Turn left toward I 80 East, US 220 North: Williamsport
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 80 East, US 220 North: Williamsport
7
277.2 mi into trip|~5h 39m 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.
On the drive from Rankin, PA to Scranton, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Bedford along the way.
Bedford
84.8 mi in|~2h 1m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
99.3 mi
1h 47m
William Penn Highway
61.6 mi
1h 25m
I 99
57.2 mi
1h 4m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
Admiral Peary Highway
13.7 mi
19m
Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
7.9 mi
10m
River Street
1 mi
1m
Monongahela Avenue
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 99.3 mi, about 1h 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rankin, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on 4th Avenue
265 ft·11 sec·4th Avenue
2
Keep slight right at fork
185 ft·9 sec
3
Turn right onto Hawkins Avenue
227 ft·15 sec·Hawkins Avenue
4
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
0.2 mi·41 sec·5th Avenue
5
Turn right onto Harriet Street
282 ft·13 sec·Harriet Street
6
Turn left onto Miller Street
0.2 mi·34 sec·Miller Street
7
Continue on Monongahela Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·Monongahela Avenue
8
Turn right onto Church Street
0.2 mi·39 sec·Church Street
9
At end of road, turn left onto South Braddock Avenue
0.3 mi·42 sec·South Braddock Avenue
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward I 376 East: Monroeville
11
Merge onto I 376; US 22; US 30
7.9 mi·10 min·Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto US 22
45 mi·1 hr 5 min·William Penn Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on US 22
14 mi·19 min·Admiral Peary Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Continue on US 22
17 mi·19 min·William Penn Highway
15
Continue on this road
0.5 mi·45 sec·this road
Toward I 99, US 220: Altoona, Bedford
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
17
Merge onto I 99; US 220
41 mi·44 min·I 99; US 220
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220; US 322
4.0 mi·4 min·I 99; US 220; US 322
Use the straight lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220
12 mi·14 min·I 99; US 220
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Bellefonte
20
Turn left
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward I 80 East, US 220 North: WilliamsportUse the left lane.
21
Merge onto I 80; US 220
99 mi·1 hr 47 min·Keystone Shortway
22
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
23
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
24
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
25
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
26
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi·31 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
27
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi·17 sec·Adams Avenue
28
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi·25 sec·Biden Street
29
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft·4 sec·Wyoming Avenue
30
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 138.9 miles from Rankin, PA, or about 3h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.3 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 61 miles or 1h 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 138.9 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 Rankin, 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 Rankin, PA
This is one driving day of about 277.9 miles and 5h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Rankin, 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 99.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 138.9 mi from Rankin, PA
· 3h 2m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
National Memorial
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
9 mi from route
~23 min detour
Free
near mile 57.5
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
26 mi from route
~66 min detour
Free
near mile 57.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$46.07 one way
$92.14 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg97 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$50.46
$100.92
premium
$4.93
$53.90
$107.79
diesel
$5.61
$61.36
$122.71
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: 97.2 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
83.4
1
$29.18
$13.34
Efficient EV
69.5
0
$24.32
$11.12
EV Truck/SUV
111.2
1
$38.91
$17.79
Gas CO2
97 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.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Rankin, PA
Late night
in Rankin on Saturday
Local time
12:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Late night
in Scranton on Saturday
Local time
12:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
W 2 to 6 mph51% chanceLive 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
9 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 40m 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 Rankin, PA to Scranton, PA covers 277.9 miles and takes about 5h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Keystone Shortway, William Penn Highway, I 99. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 138.9 miles from Rankin, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $46.07 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 is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 277.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (South Braddock Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 85.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 127.1 miles (I 99; US 220; US 322): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Rankin, PA to Scranton, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Bedford along the way.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 523 ft to 2,060 ft elevation with about 2,580 ft of total climbing. There is 1 notable high point along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Johnstown Flood National Memorial and Flight 93 National Memorial.
