Origin
Central City, PA
Afternoon in Central City on Saturday
Local time
1:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Central City, PA to Scranton, PA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 39m
Distance
138.6 mi
223 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$23
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 29m
★
6 AM
2h 39m
8 AM
3h 0m
10 AM
2h 47m
12 PM
2h 45m
3 PM
2h 48m
5 PM
2h 59m
8 PM
2h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Central City, PA
Kelly
Scranton, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Central City, PA to Scranton, PA is 138.6 miles and takes about 2h 39m via Keystone Shortway and I-81, with a fuel budget near $23 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. With a highway share of about 24%, you'll spend a good portion of your time on surface roads, making for a more relaxed pace. This route is best suited for a single day of travel. It's a straightforward drive between two points in the same state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
69.3 miles from Central City, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 17m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Keystone Shortway | 102.1 mi | 1h 50m |
| I 81 | 32.4 mi | 39m |
| River Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| PA 150 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Moose Run Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| US 220 Alternate | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Cedar Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Biden Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 102.1 mi, about 1h 50m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 44 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,088 veh/hr typical · worst 1,542
Quietest
2 AM
~193 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
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 Central City, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on Moose Run Road
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Moose Run Road
2
Turn left
165 ft
·
6 sec
3
Turn straight onto PA 150
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
PA 150
4
Turn left onto US 220 Alternate
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
US 220 Alternate
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 80; US 220 Alternate
102 mi
·
1 hr 50 min
·
Keystone Shortway
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 260B
Toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
7
Merge onto I 81
32 mi
·
39 min
·
I 81
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward PA 307
9
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
River Street
10
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Adams Avenue
12
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Biden Street
13
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft
·
4 sec
·
Wyoming Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
Wyoming Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of 2 hours and 39 minutes, this is a manageable same-day trip. You could leave Central City in the morning and arrive in Scranton by lunchtime. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost estimated around $23, you have flexibility in your departure time. Consider starting earlier in the day to take advantage of the daylight and avoid potential afternoon traffic. The longest stretch on the Keystone Shortway is over 100 miles, so ensure you have enough fuel before beginning that segment.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 69.3 miles from Central City, PA, or about 1h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102.1 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 30 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 69.3 miles or 1h 17m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 7m
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 Central City, 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 Central City, PA
This is one driving day of about 138.6 miles and 2h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Central City, 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 102.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
69 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 69.3 miles from Central City, 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 102.1 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 138.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 220 Alternate
Turn left onto US 220 Alternate
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
103.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 54m 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
138 mi into trip
|
~2h 38m in
|
Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
138.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 38m in
|
Biden Street
Turn left onto Biden Street
Navigation decision point
5
138.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 39m in
|
Wyoming Avenue
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.16 one way
$46.32 round trip
$4.24/gal
25.4 MPG avg
49 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $25.49 | $50.98 |
| premium | $5.01 | $27.35 | $54.70 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $30.55 | $61.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 48.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 41.6 | 0 | $14.55 | $6.65 |
| Efficient EV | 34.7 | 0 | $12.13 | $5.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 55.4 | 0 | $19.40 | $8.87 |
Gas CO2
48 kg
EV CO2
16 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.
Destination
Scranton, PA
Afternoon in Scranton on Saturday
Local time
1:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
61°F
Danville, PA
69 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
1 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
2h 39m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a highway share of 24%, indicating that most of your driving will be on surface roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 102.1 miles on the Keystone Shortway before transitioning to other roads. Expect to navigate through areas with dense exits and potential for merging traffic as you approach your destination in Scranton. The profile is mostly surface roads, so plan for varied speed limits and local traffic.
Only 24% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 102.1 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 1.3 miles in near US 220 Alternate.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 39m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (US 220 Alternate): Lane positioning matters here; at 103.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 138 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Central City, PA
Full guide →Founded 1848
Arriving in Scranton, PA
Full guide →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
- • Albright Memorial Building — library in Scranton, Pennsylvania
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 39m. Total distance: 138.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (24%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 102.1 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (US 220 Alternate): Lane positioning matters here; at 103.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 138 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Scranton, PA before heading back.
How this page is built
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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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