Scranton to Russell is 261.3 miles and takes about 5h 28m via Keystone Shortway, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. The route primarily uses surface roads, so expect a more leisurely pace compared to a full interstate drive. It's a good option if you're looking for a straightforward drive that doesn't require an overnight stay.
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
130.6 miles from City of Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 27m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
148.3 mi
2h 40m
American Legion Memorial Highway
32.7 mi
39m
US 219
12.3 mi
18m
Montmorenci Road
8.8 mi
13m
PA 948
8.6 mi
12m
State Park Road
7.5 mi
13m
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
7.4 mi
11m
Market Street
6.8 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 148.3 mi, about 2h 40m
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
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 City of Scranton, PA and Russell, 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
148 mi·2 hr 40 min·Keystone Shortway
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward PA 153: Clearfield, Penfield
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·32 sec
10
Turn straight onto PA 153
7.5 mi·13 min·State Park Road
11
Continue on PA 153
5.0 mi·8 min·Hoovertown Road
12
Continue on PA 153
3.7 mi·6 min·Penfield Road
13
At end of road, turn right onto US 219
12 mi·18 min·US 219
14
Turn right onto PA 948
1.0 mi·2 min·Montmorenci Avenue
15
Continue on PA 948
8.8 mi·13 min·Montmorenci Road
16
Continue on PA 948
5.4 mi·7 min·Highland Road
17
At end of road, turn left onto PA 66
2.7 mi·3 min·Kane-Russell City Road
18
Take the exit onto PA 948
8.6 mi·12 min·PA 948
19
Continue on PA 666
2.3 mi·4 min·PA 666
20
At end of road, turn left onto US 6
1.2 mi·2 min·West Main Street
21
Continue on US 6
4.5 mi·6 min·Grand Army of the Republic Highway
22
Continue on US 6
1.4 mi·2 min·South Main Street
23
Continue on US 6
2.9 mi·4 min·Grand Army of the Republic Highway
24
Continue on US 6
0.2 mi·35 sec·Main Street
25
Continue on US 6
1.8 mi·3 min·Crescent Park
Use the straight lane.
26
Continue on Crescent Park
0.4 mi·1 min·Crescent Park
Use the right lane.
27
Turn right onto Hickory Bridge
0.1 mi·17 sec·Hickory Bridge
Use the right lane.
28
Continue on Hickory Street
0.2 mi·25 sec·Hickory Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
29
Turn right onto US 62
0.2 mi·23 sec·West 4th Avenue
30
Turn left onto US 62
6.8 mi·7 min·Market Street
31
Turn right onto Liberty Street
175 ft·7 sec·Liberty Street
32
Turn slight left onto East Street
0.3 mi·1 min·East Street
33
Turn left onto Main Street
54 ft·2 sec·Main Street
34
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
With a drive time under six hours, you can easily complete this trip in one day. Leaving Scranton in the morning, perhaps around 9 AM, should get you to Russell by mid-afternoon. The longest stretch without a major change in road type is 148.3 miles on the Keystone Shortway, so plan your fuel stops before entering that segment if you're concerned about availability. Since this is a single-day trip, you have the flexibility to make spontaneous stops along the way if you see something that interests you.
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 130.6 miles from City of Scranton, PA, or about 2h 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 148.3 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 57 miles or 1h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 130.6 miles or 2h 27m 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 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Russell, 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 261.3 miles and 5h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 57 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 148.3 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 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 34 and 254 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
183 mi into trip|~3h 23m in
Take the exit toward PA 153: Clearfield, Penfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward PA 153: Clearfield, Penfield
5
200 mi into trip|~3h 54m in|US 219
At end of road, turn right onto US 219
Navigation decision point
6
253.7 mi into trip|~5h 18m in|Hickory Bridge
Turn right onto Hickory Bridge
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
254 mi into trip|~5h 19m in|US 62 / West 4th Avenue
Turn right onto US 62 / West 4th Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.98 one way
$91.97 round trip
$4.47/gal25.4 MPG avg91 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.89
$50.28
$100.57
premium
$5.23
$53.76
$107.52
diesel
$6.18
$63.57
$127.13
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 91.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
78.4
0
$27.44
$12.54
Efficient EV
65.3
0
$22.86
$10.45
EV Truck/SUV
104.5
1
$36.58
$16.72
Gas CO2
91 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 16, 2026
Origin
City of Scranton, PA
Morning
in City of Scranton on Saturday
Local time
7:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 9 to 15 mph100% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Russell, PA
Morning
in Russell on Saturday
Local time
7:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
W 13 mph97% chanceLive forecast
66°F
Clearfield, PA
131 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
5 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
5h 28m 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 is mostly surface roads, with only about 9% on highways. You'll experience around 148.3 miles on the Keystone Shortway before transitioning to other roads. Expect a significant amount of driving on local routes, so be prepared for varying speed limits and more frequent intersections as you get closer to your destination.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
34 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 148.3 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 19 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 34 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 261.3 miles you will encounter 19 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 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 183 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 200 miles (US 219): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,954 ft600 ft
Total Climb
1,429 ft
Total Descent
918 ft
Highest Point
1,954 ft
~205.3 mi in
Elevation Range
1,353 ft
Notable High Points
1,954 ft at ~205.3 miles+606 ft prominence
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 Russell, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Penfield along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 28m. Total distance: 261.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 148.3 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 25 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.
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 Russell, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 25 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 183 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 200 miles (US 219): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 11.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Russell, PA before the return drive.
