Scranton, PA to Saxonburg, PA is 278.3 miles and takes about 5h 30m via the Keystone Shortway, with a fuel budget near $47 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 profile suggests you'll spend most of your time on surface roads, so anticipate a more scenic, less hurried pace than a pure interstate trip. With only one recommended stop and a drive time under six hours, it's a manageable one-day excursion for most.
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
139.1 miles from City of Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 36m 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
Allegheny Valley Expressway
11.9 mi
13m
South Pike Road
3.2 mi
5m
Ekastown Road
1.7 mi
2m
Sarver Road
1.3 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 180.4 mi, about 3h 14m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 52 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,076 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,513
Quietest
2 AM
~191 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 Saxonburg, 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
12 mi·13 min·Allegheny Valley Expressway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·1 min
Exit 17Toward PA 356: Butler, Freeport
15
Turn left onto PA 356
3.2 mi·5 min·South Pike Road
16
Turn left onto PA 228
1.3 mi·2 min·Sarver Road
17
Turn right onto PA 228
1.7 mi·2 min·Ekastown Road
18
Turn right onto Freeport Street
1.3 mi·2 min·Freeport Street
19
Continue on South Rebecca Street
0.8 mi·1 min·South Rebecca Street
20
At end of road, turn left onto Water Street
27 ft·0 sec·Water Street
21
Arrive at destination
Water Street
Trip Plan
For this trip, leaving Scranton in the morning, perhaps around 9 AM, will give you ample time to reach Saxonburg without feeling rushed. With a total duration of about 5.5 hours and only one suggested stop, you can easily complete this in a single day. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer highway portion on the Keystone Shortway, as fuel stops can be more spaced out there. The estimated fuel cost is around $47, so budget accordingly. Since the drive is under six hours, you have the flexibility to make an unscheduled stop if something catches your eye along the way.
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 139.1 miles from City of Scranton, PA, or about 2h 36m 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 61 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 139.1 miles or 2h 36m 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 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saxonburg, 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 278.3 miles and 5h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 269.7 — 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
269.7 mi into trip|~5h 14m in
Take the exit toward PA 356: Butler, Freeport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 17
Toward PA 356: Butler, Freeport
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$49.01 one way
$98.02 round trip
$4.47/gal25.4 MPG avg97 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.93
$54.03
$108.05
premium
$5.32
$58.28
$116.56
diesel
$6.60
$72.29
$144.58
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$49
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$74–$99
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 97.4 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
83.5
1
$29.22
$13.36
Efficient EV
69.6
0
$24.35
$11.13
EV Truck/SUV
111.3
1
$38.96
$17.81
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
33 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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
City of Scranton, PA
Evening
in City of Scranton on Sunday
Local time
6:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Widespread Frost then Sunny
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 2:47AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 2:47AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
Saxonburg, PA
Evening
in Saxonburg on Sunday
Local time
6:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Widespread Frost then Sunny
SE 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 2:47AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 2:47AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
32°F
Clearfield, PA
139 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
5h 30m 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 primarily surface roads, with only about 40% of the drive on highways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 180.4 miles on the Keystone Shortway, which is a good portion of the trip. After that highway segment, expect a transition to surface roads for the remainder of your drive. The profile indicates mostly surface roads, meaning you'll encounter more local traffic and varying speed limits, rather than continuous high-speed cruising.
Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 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 30m drive. You will face about 13 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.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,737 ft515 ft
Total Climb
2,517 ft
Total Descent
1,969 ft
Highest Point
1,737 ft
~178.9 mi in
Elevation Range
1,222 ft
Notable High Points
1,445 ft at ~99.4 miles+697 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 Saxonburg, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Brookville 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.
Yes — we found about 32 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.
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 32 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 5.5 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 Saxonburg, PA before the return drive.
