The drive from Tower City, PA to Scranton, PA covers 85.4 miles and takes about 1h 45m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 81, East Grand Avenue, River Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 76.6 miles on I 81.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.16 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
42.7 miles from Tower City, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m 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.
This is a 1h 45m highway drive covering 85.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 81 and East Grand Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 76.6 miles on I 81.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 81 is the longest continuous segment at about 76.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and East Grand Avenue. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 6.6 miles in.
Driving Effort1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Tower City, PA to Scranton, PA is easy. At 1h 45m with 90% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 83.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 84.8 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
6.6 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
4
83.6 mi into trip|~1h 41m in
Take the exit toward PA 307
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward PA 307
7
84.8 mi into trip|~1h 44m in|Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
85.2 mi into trip|~1h 45m in|Biden Street
Turn left onto Biden Street
Navigation decision point
5
85.4 mi into trip|~1h 45m in|Wyoming Avenue
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 81
76.6 mi
1h 30m
East Grand Avenue
6.6 mi
10m
River Street
1 mi
1m
Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Biden Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Adams Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Wyoming Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 76.6 mi, about 1h 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tower City, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on US 209
6.6 mi·10 min·East Grand Avenue
2
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·57 sec
3
Merge onto I 81
77 mi·1 hr 30 min·I 81
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
5
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
6
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi·31 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi·17 sec·Adams Avenue
8
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi·25 sec·Biden Street
9
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft·4 sec·Wyoming Avenue
10
Arrive at destination
Wyoming Avenue
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 42.7 miles from Tower City, PA, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 76.6 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 19 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 42.7 miles or 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 28m
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 Tower City, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Tower City, PA
This is one driving day of about 85.4 miles and 1h 45m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Tower City, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 76.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 42.7 mi from Tower City, PA
· 53m 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.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
14 mi from route
~34 min detour
Free
near mile 2.9
Park Closure: List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene
Caution: Black Bears Frequenting the McAfee Knob Area in Virginia
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
25.6
0
$8.97
$4.10
Efficient EV
21.4
0
$7.47
$3.42
EV Truck/SUV
34.2
0
$11.96
$5.47
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Tower City, PA
Late night
in Tower City on Saturday
Local time
5:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Late night
in Scranton on Saturday
Local time
5:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Partly Cloudy
E 2 mph0% 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
6 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
1h 45m 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 Tower City, PA to Scranton, PA covers 85.4 miles and takes about 1h 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 81, East Grand Avenue, River 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 42.7 miles from Tower City, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.16 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.
The drive from Tower City, PA to Scranton, PA is easy. At 1h 45m with 90% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 83.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 84.8 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Tower City, PA to Scranton, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
