The drive from Verona, PA to Scranton, PA covers 286.5 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, PA 28, I 81 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 180.6 miles on Keystone Shortway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $47.50 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
143.2 miles from Verona, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 58m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 40m. Total distance: 286.5 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 Verona, PA to Scranton, PA covers 286.5 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 22 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 180.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near Yellow Belt / Hulton Road.
Driving Effort6/10
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 286.5 miles you will encounter 16 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 1.3 miles (Yellow Belt / Hulton Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (Yellow Belt / Freeport Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.3 mi into trip|~3m in|Yellow Belt / Hulton Road
Turn left onto Yellow Belt / Hulton Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
1.9 mi into trip|~4m in|Yellow Belt / Freeport Road
Turn right onto Yellow Belt / Freeport Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
3.2 mi into trip|~7m in|PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway
Merge onto PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
28.2 mi into trip|~37m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 422 East, PA 28 North: Kittanning, Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 422 East, PA 28 North: Kittanning, In...
7
285.8 mi into trip|~5h 38m 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 Verona, PA to Scranton, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Indiana along the way.
Indiana
28.2 mi in|~37m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
180.6 mi
3h 15m
PA 28
36.7 mi
54m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
Allegheny Valley Expressway
24.9 mi
30m
US 422
5.1 mi
6m
Allegheny River Boulevard
1.3 mi
3m
River Street
1 mi
1m
Freeport Road
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 180.6 mi, about 3h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Verona, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on Center Avenue
66 ft·10 sec·Center Avenue
2
Turn left onto Allegheny River Boulevard
1.3 mi·3 min·Allegheny River Boulevard
3
Turn left onto Yellow Belt
0.2 mi·30 sec·Hulton Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on Yellow Belt
0.3 mi·45 sec·Hulton Bridge
5
Turn right onto Yellow Belt
0.8 mi·1 min·Freeport Road
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto PA 910
0.2 mi·21 sec·Indianola Road
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward PA 28 North: New Kensington, Tarentum
8
Merge onto PA 28
25 mi·30 min·Allegheny Valley Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·52 sec
Toward US 422 East, PA 28 North: Kittanning, Indiana
10
Merge onto US 422; PA 28
5.1 mi·6 min·US 422; PA 28
11
Continue on PA 28; PA 66
37 mi·54 min·PA 28; PA 66
12
Take the ramp onto PA 28 Truck
0.4 mi·46 sec·PA 28 Truck
13
Merge onto I 80; PA 28 Truck
181 mi·3 hr 15 min·Keystone Shortway
14
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
15
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
17
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
18
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi·31 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi·17 sec·Adams Avenue
20
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi·25 sec·Biden Street
21
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft·4 sec·Wyoming Avenue
22
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 143.2 miles from Verona, PA, or about 2h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 180.6 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 63 miles or 1h 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 143.2 miles or 2h 58m 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 37m
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 Verona, 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 Verona, PA
This is one driving day of about 286.5 miles and 5h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 miles from Verona, 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 180.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 143.2 mi from Verona, PA
· 2h 58m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
86
1
$30.08
$13.75
Efficient EV
71.6
0
$25.07
$11.46
EV Truck/SUV
114.6
1
$40.11
$18.34
Gas CO2
100 kg
EV CO2
34 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
Verona, PA
Afternoon
in Verona on Friday
Local time
3:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Afternoon
in Scranton on Friday
Local time
3:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
NW 5 to 8 mph20% chanceLive forecast
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
5 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
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 Verona, PA to Scranton, PA covers 286.5 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, PA 28, I 81. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 143.2 miles from Verona, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $47.50 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 286.5 miles you will encounter 16 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 1.3 miles (Yellow Belt / Hulton Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (Yellow Belt / Freeport Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Verona, PA to Scranton, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Indiana 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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
