Origin
City of Scranton, PA
Late night in City of Scranton on Wednesday
Local time
3:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from City of Scranton, PA to Allentown, PA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 29, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
73.6 mi
118 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 43m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
City of Scranton, PA
Michael Taccetta
Allentown, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Scranton to Allentown is 73.6 miles and takes about 1h 28m via Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward trip stays within Pennsylvania's Northeast region, offering a direct connection between two key cities. You'll mostly be on well-maintained highways, making it a convenient option for a quick drive. With minimal travel time and a low fuel cost, this route is ideal for a day trip or as a segment of a larger journey through Pennsylvania.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension | 57 mi | 1h 4m |
| American Legion Memorial Highway | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| Tilghman Street | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| River Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| PA 309 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Lehigh Valley Thruway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Cedar Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| PA 315 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
— 57 mi, about 1h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Scranton, PA and Allentown, PA.
1
Start on Cedar Avenue
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Cedar Avenue
2
Continue on Cedar Avenue
400 ft
·
12 sec
·
Cedar Avenue
3
Turn left onto River Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
River Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
5
Merge onto I 81
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
American Legion Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward PA 315 South: Pittston
7
Continue on PA 315
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
PA 315
8
Take the exit
343 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 476, I 81 North, PATP
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 476: Clarks Summit, Allentown
10
Continue on this road
499 ft
·
17 sec
·
this road
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 476 South: Allentown
12
Merge onto I 476; PATP
57 mi
·
1 hr 4 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 56
Toward I 78, US 22, PA 309: Allentown, Harrisburg
14
Turn slight right
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 22 East: Allentown
15
Merge onto US 22
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Lehigh Valley Thruway
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward PA 309 South: Quakertown
Use the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto PA 309
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
·
PA 309
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Tilghman Street East
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn straight onto Tilghman Street
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Tilghman Street
20
Arrive at destination
Tilghman Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
37 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.8 miles from City of Scranton, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 135 decision points cluster between mile 10.1 and 69.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
10.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 476, I 81 North, PATP
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 476, I 81 North, PATP
6
10.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 476: Clarks Summit, Allentown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 476: Clarks Summit, Allentown
6
67.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
Take the exit toward I 78, US 22, PA 309: Allentown, Harrisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 56
Toward I 78, US 22, PA 309: Allentown, Harrisbu...
6
68.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
Take the exit toward PA 309 South: Quakertown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward PA 309 South: Quakertown
6
69.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
Take the exit toward Tilghman Street East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Tilghman Street East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.31 one way
$24.62 round trip
$4.25/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.64 | $13.43 | $26.86 |
| premium | $4.97 | $14.39 | $28.78 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $15.51 | $31.01 |
Estimated Tolls: $7.41
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(57 mi)
$7.41
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Tolls
$7
Total
$20
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-27.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.1 | 0 | $7.73 | $3.53 |
| Efficient EV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.44 | $2.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.4 | 0 | $10.30 | $4.71 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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
Allentown, PA
Late night in Allentown on Wednesday
Local time
3:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
39°F
Sun Valley, PA
37 mi in
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
3 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
1h 28m 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 is predominantly highway, with 78% of the drive on major roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 57 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. Expect to transition from highway cruising to surface roads as you approach Allentown, with Tilghman Street marking the final approach. The dense network of exits on the turnpike is a notable feature of this drive.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 57 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and American Legion Memorial Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 73.6 miles you will encounter 13 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 10.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between City of Scranton, PA and Allentown, PA, road signs point toward Patp, Harrisburg and Tilghman Street East.
Patp
10.1 mi in
|
~12m
Harrisburg
67.9 mi in
|
~1h 18m
Tilghman Street East
69.8 mi in
|
~1h 22m
About the Cities
Arriving in Allentown, PA
Full guide →Founded 1762
Allentown is the largest city in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, the county seat and largest city in Lehigh County, and the third-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with a population of 125,845 as of 2020.
Top landmarks
- • Albertus L. Meyers Bridge — bridge in United States of America
- • Allentown Masonic Temple — masonic temple in Allentown, Pennsylvania
- • Allentown National Bank — bank building in Allentown, 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 1h 28m. Total distance: 73.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 57 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $7.41 in tolls one way, starting with Pennsylvania Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Allentown, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 10.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Allentown, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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