Origin
Scranton, PA
Late night in Scranton on Friday
Local time
3:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 36m
Distance
286.2 mi
461 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$47
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nixon, PA
Florian Lisi
This 286.2-mile journey from Scranton to Nixon, Pennsylvania, will take approximately 5 hours and 36 minutes of driving time. With a fuel cost estimated at $47, it's an economical trip entirely within the Northeast region. The route primarily utilizes the Keystone Shortway and the American Legion Memorial Highway, with a smaller portion on PA 38. Given its duration, this drive is well-suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your departure and stop schedule. Expect a local driving feel for most of this Pennsylvania traverse.
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
143.1 miles from Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 41m into the drive .
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 36m. Total distance: 286.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (9%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
This route offers a turn-heavy local drive experience, with only 9% of the total mileage on highways. You'll spend the majority of your time navigating local roads, which means more frequent turns and a less predictable pace. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 216.8 miles on the Keystone Shortway, offering a significant period of more consistent travel before transitioning to more varied road conditions. This drive is less about monotonous highway miles and more about engaging with the Pennsylvania landscape at a more intimate level.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Lackawanna Avenue.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 36m drive. You will face about 12 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 (Lackawanna Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (River Street): Navigation decision point.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
At end of road, turn left onto Lackawanna Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Turn right onto CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto River Street
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Turn left onto PA 8; PA 356 / South Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Keystone Shortway | 216.8 mi | 3h 53m |
| American Legion Memorial Highway | 32.7 mi | 39m |
| PA 38 | 26.1 mi | 42m |
| Pittsburgh Road | 5.7 mi | 9m |
| East Jefferson Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| River Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Cedar Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Scranton, PA and Nixon, PA.
Start on Wyoming Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Lackawanna Avenue
Turn right onto CR 3023
Continue on Cedar Avenue
Turn left onto River Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 81
Take the exit
Merge onto I 80
Take the exit
Turn left onto PA 38
Turn right onto PA 68
Turn left onto PA 8; PA 356
Continue on PA 8
Continue on PA 8
Continue on PA 8
Turn left
Arrive at destination
For this 5-hour and 36-minute drive, consider an early morning departure from Scranton to maximize your daylight hours and allow for a relaxed pace. With only one recommended stop, you have plenty of flexibility to break up the 286.2 miles as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially before embarking on the 216.8-mile stretch on the Keystone Shortway, as services might be less frequent. The turn-heavy nature of this route means paying close attention to navigation, so ensure your GPS is set up before you leave.
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.
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 63 miles or 1h 14m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 143.1 miles or 2h 41m 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 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Nixon, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Scranton, 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 Scranton, PA
This is one driving day of about 286.2 miles and 5h 36m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 143.1 mi from Scranton, PA · 2h 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
143 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.
A short stop after about 63 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 143.1 miles from Scranton, 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 216.8 miles.
The final approach into Nixon, 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 Nixon, 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.
Regular Gas
$47.45 one way
$94.90 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $51.97 | $103.93 |
| premium | $4.93 | $55.50 | $111.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $63.19 | $126.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 100.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 85.9 | 1 | $30.05 | $13.74 |
| Efficient EV | 71.6 | 0 | $25.04 | $11.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 114.5 | 1 | $40.07 | $18.32 |
Gas CO2
100 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Scranton on Friday
Local time
3:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Nixon on Friday
Local time
3:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
44°F
Clearfield, PA
143 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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