Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 21m
Distance
339.5 mi
546 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$57
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Avonia, PA
Haneul Trac
Scranton, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Avonia, PA to Scranton, PA is 339.5 miles and takes about 6h 21m via Keystone Shortway and I-81, with a fuel budget near $56 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, connecting the Northeast region to itself. Expect a drive that largely utilizes major highways but transitions to surface roads for a significant portion. It's a straightforward, single-day trip if you get an early start, making it ideal for those who prefer to cover distance efficiently.
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
169.8 miles from Avonia, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 11m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Keystone Shortway | 240.3 mi | 4h 19m |
| I 79 | 48.7 mi | 52m |
| I 81 | 32.4 mi | 39m |
| PA-98 | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Avonia Road | 5.4 mi | 9m |
| Route 6N | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| River Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Falls Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 60 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,073 veh/hr typical · worst 1,496
Quietest
2 AM
~190 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Avonia, PA and Scranton, PA.
Start on this road
Turn right
Turn right onto PA 5
Turn left onto PA 98
Continue on PA 98
Continue on PA 98
Keep slight left at fork onto PA 98
Turn left onto US 6N
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 79
Take the exit
Merge onto I 80
Take the exit
Merge onto I 81
Take the exit
Turn left onto River Street
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Continue on Adams Avenue
Turn left onto Biden Street
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
Arrive at destination
For this 6-hour drive, leaving Avonia in the morning is your best bet to arrive in Scranton with plenty of daylight. Since it's a single-day trip, you can be flexible with stops, but consider breaking up the 240.3-mile Keystone Shortway segment if you prefer more frequent pauses. Keep an eye on your fuel; the estimated cost is $56, and while there's one suggested stop, it's wise to plan your own refueling points, especially as you move onto surface roads. Pay attention to the transition from highway to surface roads around mile 240 to adjust your driving pace.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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 75 miles or 1h 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 169.8 miles or 3h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Avonia, 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 Avonia, PA
This is one driving day of about 339.5 miles and 6h 21m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
170 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 75 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 169.8 miles from Avonia, 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 240.3 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 339.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto PA 98 / Avonia Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Biden Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$56.73 one way
$113.45 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $62.43 | $124.87 |
| premium | $5.01 | $66.99 | $133.98 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $74.84 | $149.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$57
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$82–$107
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 118.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 101.9 | 1 | $35.65 | $16.30 |
| Efficient EV | 84.9 | 0 | $29.71 | $13.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 135.8 | 1 | $47.53 | $21.73 |
Gas CO2
119 kg
EV CO2
40 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Avonia on Wednesday
Local time
1:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Scranton on Wednesday
Local time
1:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Clear then Patchy Fog
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
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route features 26% highway driving, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 240.3 miles on the Keystone Shortway. After this main highway segment, you'll transition to surface roads, so be prepared for more frequent intersections and potentially slower speeds. Expect to notice the shift from open highway cruising to a more local road feel as you approach your destination.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
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 339.5 miles you will encounter 14 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (PA 98 / Avonia Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 304.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
2,351 ft
Total Descent
2,275 ft
Highest Point
1,715 ft
~167.4 mi in
Elevation Range
1,134 ft
Notable High Points
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.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 21m. Total distance: 339.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 21m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. 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 options from Avonia, PA or browse trips ending in Scranton, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.
