Traveling from Scranton to Charlestown covers 189.6 miles across the Northeast region of Pennsylvania. You should plan for a total drive time of approximately 3 hours and 56 minutes, making this an ideal candidate for a single-day journey. With a fuel budget of about $31, the trip is quite economical for a solo driver or a small group. You will primarily navigate via the American Legion Memorial Highway, Lincoln Way East, and Mountain Road. Since the entire route remains within the state of Pennsylvania, it offers a consistent regional experience without the need for complex interstate transitions. It is a straightforward trip that fits comfortably into a weekend itinerary.
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
94.8 miles from City of Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 52m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
American Legion Memorial Highway
167.1 mi
3h 18m
Lincoln Way East
15.2 mi
25m
Mountain Road
3.6 mi
6m
George N. Wade Memorial Bridge
0.9 mi
1m
River Street
0.9 mi
1m
Fort Loudon Road
0.7 mi
1m
Buchanan Trail West
0.6 mi
1m
Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
American Legion Memorial Highway
— 167.1 mi, about 3h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Scranton, PA and Charlestown, 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
118 mi·2 hr 19 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 81
0.9 mi·1 min·George N. Wade Memorial Bridge
7
Continue on I 81
49 mi·58 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward Lincoln WayUse the right lane.
9
Turn right onto US 30
1.5 mi·3 min·Lincoln Way East
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 30
14 mi·21 min·Lincoln Way East
11
Turn sharp left onto PA 75
0.7 mi·1 min·Fort Loudon Road
12
Turn right onto Mountain Road
3.6 mi·6 min·Mountain Road
13
Turn sharp left onto PA 16
0.6 mi·1 min·Buchanan Trail West
14
Arrive at destination
PA 16
Trip Plan
Given the nearly four-hour duration, try to time your departure to avoid peak local traffic, especially since you are navigating local roads rather than major interstates. You only have one planned stop on this 189.6-mile trek, so choose your location wisely to maximize your rest periods. Keep in mind that the lack of highway segments means your travel speed will be dictated by the flow of local traffic, so remain flexible with your arrival time. Since you are spending roughly $31 on fuel, it is a good idea to check your levels before hitting the longer 167.1-mile stretch. Pace yourself, stay hydrated, and enjoy the technical nature of the drive by taking advantage of that single break to stretch your legs.
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 94.8 miles from City of Scranton, PA, or about 1h 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 167.1 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 42 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 94.8 miles or 1h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Charlestown, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving City of Scranton, 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 City of Scranton, PA
This is one driving day of about 189.6 miles and 3h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from City of Scranton, 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 American Legion Memorial Highway for about 167.1 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 189.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|River Street
Turn left onto River Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.3 mi into trip|~2m in|I 81 / American Legion Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 81 / American Legion Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
169.4 mi into trip|~3h 21m in
Take the exit toward Lincoln Way
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward Lincoln Way
5
184.7 mi into trip|~3h 47m in|PA 75 / Fort Loudon Road
Turn sharp left onto PA 75 / Fort Loudon Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
189.1 mi into trip|~3h 55m in|PA 16 / Buchanan Trail West
Turn sharp left onto PA 16 / Buchanan Trail West
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.43 one way
$62.87 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg66 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$34.43
$68.85
premium
$4.93
$36.77
$73.54
diesel
$5.61
$41.86
$83.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 66.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
56.9
0
$19.91
$9.10
Efficient EV
47.4
0
$16.59
$7.58
EV Truck/SUV
75.8
0
$26.54
$12.13
Gas CO2
66 kg
EV CO2
22 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
City of Scranton, PA
Late night
in City of Scranton on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Charlestown, PA
Late night
in Charlestown on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live 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
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
3h 56m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Free
near mile 137.3
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 98.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will spend the vast majority of your time—167.1 miles to be exact—on the American Legion Memorial Highway, which serves as the backbone of your journey. Because the path relies on local roads, you will experience a more hands-on driving environment that requires constant attention to the road's curves and transitions. The character of the drive shifts as you move from the American Legion Memorial Highway onto Lincoln Way East and Mountain Road. Prepare for a rhythmic, winding experience that demands more engagement than a standard highway commute.
Only 0% 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: 167.1 mi on American Legion Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 0.2 miles in near River Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 56m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (River Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (I 81 / American Legion Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 169.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 56m. Total distance: 189.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 167.1 miles on American Legion Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 0.2 miles (River Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (I 81 / American Legion Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 169.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument and Appalachian National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Charlestown, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
