Scranton, PA to Freeport, PA is 270.4 miles and takes about 5h 20m via Keystone Shortway, with a fuel budget near $45 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive takes you across Pennsylvania, staying within the Northeast region and the state of PA. Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the most part, so plan for a steady pace rather than high speeds. With just one recommended stop and a fuel cost under $50, this is a straightforward option for a single-day trip.
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
135.2 miles from City of Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 32m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
180.4 mi
3h 14m
American Legion Memorial Highway
32.7 mi
39m
North Street
21.3 mi
29m
Allegheny Boulevard
19.2 mi
29m
Freeport Road
6.2 mi
10m
Allegheny Valley Expressway
5.6 mi
6m
Broad Street
1.2 mi
1m
River Street
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 180.4 mi, about 3h 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Scranton, PA and Freeport, 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
33 mi·39 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 151BToward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
7
Merge onto I 80
180 mi·3 hr 14 min·Keystone Shortway
8
Take the exit onto PA 28 Truck
0.2 mi·33 sec·PA 28 Truck
Toward PA 36: Sigel, Brookville
9
Turn left onto PA 36; PA 28 Truck
19 mi·29 min·Allegheny Boulevard
10
Continue on PA 28
1.2 mi·1 min·Broad Street
11
Continue on PA 28; PA 66
21 mi·29 min·North Street
12
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward PA 28 South: Pittsburgh
13
Continue on PA 28
5.6 mi·6 min·Allegheny Valley Expressway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 18Toward PA 128: Northpointe, Slate Lick
15
Turn straight onto PA 128
6.2 mi·10 min·Freeport Road
16
Continue on PA 128
0.5 mi·51 sec·High Street
17
Arrive at destination
PA 128
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 20m duration and 270.4-mile distance, starting your drive in the morning is ideal to make the most of daylight. While the route has only one recommended stop, it's wise to take breaks as needed, especially during the turn-heavy local drive sections. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge; the estimated cost is $45, but it's always good to top up before heading into longer stretches, particularly the 180.4-mile segment on the Keystone Shortway. This is a manageable one-day trip, so you have flexibility in your departure time.
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 135.2 miles from City of Scranton, PA, or about 2h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 180.4 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 59 miles or 1h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 135.2 miles or 2h 32m 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 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Freeport, 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 270.4 miles and 5h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 59 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 Keystone Shortway for about 180.4 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 263.4 — 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
4
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
34 mi into trip|~42m in
Take the exit toward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 151B
Toward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
5
215.1 mi into trip|~3h 58m in|PA 28 Truck
Take the exit onto PA 28 Truck toward PA 36: Sigel, Brookville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward PA 36: Sigel, Brookville
6
263.4 mi into trip|~5h 7m in
Take the exit toward PA 128: Northpointe, Slate Lick
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 18
Toward PA 128: Northpointe, Slate Lick
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.83 one way
$89.66 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg95 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$49.10
$98.20
premium
$4.93
$52.44
$104.88
diesel
$5.61
$59.70
$119.40
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 94.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
81.1
1
$28.39
$12.98
Efficient EV
67.6
0
$23.66
$10.82
EV Truck/SUV
108.2
1
$37.86
$17.31
Gas CO2
95 kg
EV CO2
32 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
City of Scranton, PA
Morning
in City of Scranton on Tuesday
Local time
6:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Freeport, PA
Morning
in Freeport on Tuesday
Local time
6:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°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
6 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 20m 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 trip features a significant portion of highway driving, with 270.4 miles spread across roads like the Keystone Shortway and American Legion Memorial Highway. About half of your journey, or 50%, will be on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 180.4 miles along the Keystone Shortway, offering a good opportunity to make steady progress. The profile is described as 'Turn-heavy local drive,' suggesting that while there are highway segments, you'll also navigate more winding local roads, requiring your attention.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 180.4 mi on Keystone Shortway.
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 5h 20m 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 0.2 miles (River Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from City of Scranton, PA to Freeport, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Brookville along the way.
Brookville
215.1 mi in|~3h 58m|via PA 28 Truck
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 20m. Total distance: 270.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 180.4 miles on Keystone Shortway. 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.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (River Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.3 hours each way, a round trip means 10.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Freeport, PA before the return drive.
