Butler, PA to Scranton, PA is 275.4 miles and takes about 5h 25m via Keystone Shortway and I-81, with a fuel budget near $45 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, connecting the Northeast region from west to east. Expect a trip that mostly uses surface roads, offering a more connected experience with local scenery rather than a high-speed interstate dash. It's a solid option if you're looking for a single-day trip that doesn't feel overly rushed.
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
137.7 miles from Butler, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
197.2 mi
3h 32m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
Chicora Road
18.3 mi
29m
Bald Eagle Street
8.7 mi
12m
3rd Street
8.5 mi
12m
Carwick Road
4.5 mi
6m
East Jefferson Street
1.6 mi
2m
River Street
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 197.2 mi, about 3h 32m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 52 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,076 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,513
Quietest
2 AM
~191 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Butler, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on PA 8
496 ft·26 sec·North Main Street
2
Turn left onto PA 68
453 ft·22 sec·East Cunningham Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto PA 68
444 ft·11 sec·South McKean Street
4
Turn right onto PA 68
1.6 mi·2 min·East Jefferson Street
5
Continue on PA 68
9.6 mi·14 min·Chicora Road
6
Continue on PA 68
0.8 mi·1 min·South Main Street
7
Continue on PA 68
0.2 mi·14 sec·Chicora Road
8
Continue on PA 68
8.5 mi·15 min·Chicora Road
9
Turn right onto PA 68
0.4 mi·36 sec·Kellys Way
10
Turn left onto PA 68
8.5 mi·12 min·3rd Street
11
Continue on PA 68
4.5 mi·6 min·Carwick Road
12
Turn right onto PA 68
8.7 mi·12 min·Bald Eagle Street
13
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
14
Merge onto I 80; PA 66
197 mi·3 hr 32 min·Keystone Shortway
15
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
16
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
18
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
19
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi·31 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi·17 sec·Adams Avenue
21
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi·25 sec·Biden Street
22
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft·4 sec·Wyoming Avenue
23
Arrive at destination
Wyoming Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the roughly 5.5-hour driving time, leaving Butler, PA in the morning should get you to Scranton, PA with plenty of daylight to spare. Plan for one significant stop, perhaps around the halfway point, to break up the 275.4 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel levels; the estimated cost is $45, but it's always wise to top off before embarking on longer stretches, especially the 197.2-mile segment on the Keystone Shortway. Since this is a comfortable one-day drive, you have flexibility if you decide to linger at a particular spot along the way.
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 137.7 miles from Butler, PA, or about 2h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 197.2 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 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 137.7 miles or 2h 50m 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 25m
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 Butler, 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 Butler, PA
This is one driving day of about 275.4 miles and 5h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Butler, 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 197.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 275.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|PA 68 / East Cunningham Street
Turn left onto PA 68 / East Cunningham Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|PA 68 / South McKean Street
Turn left onto PA 68 / South McKean Street
Navigation decision point
5
240.6 mi into trip|~4h 41m in
Take the exit toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 260B
Toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
7
274.8 mi into trip|~5h 24m in|Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
275.2 mi into trip|~5h 25m in|Biden Street
Turn left onto Biden Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$48.10 one way
$96.19 round trip
$4.44/gal25.4 MPG avg96 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.86
$52.66
$105.32
premium
$5.20
$56.34
$112.68
diesel
$6.28
$68.05
$136.10
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
82.6
1
$28.92
$13.22
Efficient EV
68.9
0
$24.10
$11.02
EV Truck/SUV
110.2
1
$38.56
$17.63
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Oct 22, 2026
Origin
Butler, PA
Morning
in Butler on Thursday
Local time
6:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
32°F
Areas Of Frost
N 1 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Morning
in Scranton on Thursday
Local time
6:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Patchy Fog then Sunny
NE 1 to 13 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
32 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 25m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route covers 275.4 miles, with 12% on highways, meaning most of your time will be spent on surface roads like Chicora Road. The longest stretch on a single highway is 197.2 miles on the Keystone Shortway. After the Keystone Shortway, you'll transition to local roads, so anticipate more varied speeds and potential for more frequent stops at intersections.
Only 12% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 197.2 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 PA 68 / East Cunningham Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 25m drive. You will face about 13 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 (PA 68 / East Cunningham Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (PA 68 / South McKean Street): Navigation decision point; at 240.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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
•St. Peter's Cathedral — historic church in Pennsylvania, United States
•Steamtown National Historic Site — railroad museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania
•Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel — railway station in Scranton, the United States of America
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 197.2 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 33 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 33 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (PA 68 / East Cunningham Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (PA 68 / South McKean Street): Navigation decision point; at 240.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Scranton, PA before the return drive.
