Scranton to Williams is 243.5 miles and takes about 4h 51m via Keystone Shortway and I-99, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, connecting the Northeast region to itself. With most of the drive on surface roads, expect a more local feel rather than a fast-paced interstate haul. It's a manageable one-day trip, perfect if you want to get there without an overnight commitment.
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
121.7 miles from City of Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 18m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
98.5 mi
1h 47m
I 99
58.8 mi
1h 3m
American Legion Memorial Highway
32.7 mi
39m
Jacksonville Road
24.2 mi
28m
Hyndman Road
14.4 mi
25m
US 220 BUS
4.1 mi
6m
PA 31
3.4 mi
5m
Gooseberry Road
2.2 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 98.5 mi, about 1h 47m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 18 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,145 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,582
Quietest
2 AM
~189 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Williams, 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
99 mi·1 hr 47 min·Keystone Shortway
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·53 sec
Exit 161Toward I 99 South, US 220 South, PA 26: Bellefonte
9
Turn left onto US 220; PA 26
24 mi·28 min·Jacksonville Road
Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220
59 mi·1 hr 3 min·I 99; US 220
Toward I 99 South, US 220 South: Port Matilda, Altoona
11
Take the exit onto US 220 BUS
0.3 mi·42 sec·US 220 BUS
Toward PA 56: Cessna, Johnstown
12
Turn left onto US 220 BUS; PA 56
0.3 mi·25 sec·Quaker Valley Road
13
Turn slight right onto US 220 BUS; PA 56
3.7 mi·5 min·US 220 BUS; PA 56
14
At end of road, turn right onto US 30
0.6 mi·47 sec·Lincoln Highway
15
Take the exit onto PA 31
3.4 mi·5 min·PA 31
16
Continue on PA 96
14 mi·25 min·Hyndman Road
17
Continue on PA 96
0.2 mi·24 sec·Pennsylvania Avenue
18
Continue on PA 96
0.1 mi·16 sec·Center Street
19
At end of road, turn right onto State Route 3004
509 ft·18 sec·State Route 3004
20
Turn left onto Church Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Church Street
21
Continue on Gooseberry Road
2.2 mi·5 min·Gooseberry Road
22
Continue on Fairhope Road
1.0 mi·2 min·Fairhope Road
23
Arrive at destination
Fairhope Road
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 4h 51m drive, consider leaving Scranton in the morning to arrive in Williams with plenty of daylight. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $43, and plan your last fill-up before heading out. Since this is a single-day trip, you can easily adjust your departure time based on your morning's activities in Scranton. Pay attention to posted speed limits, especially as you transition to the surface road sections.
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 121.7 miles from City of Scranton, PA, or about 2h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 98.5 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 54 miles or 1h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 121.7 miles or 2h 18m 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 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Williams, 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 243.5 miles and 4h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 54 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 98.5 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 34 and 239.6 — 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
6
133.2 mi into trip|~2h 30m in
Take the exit toward I 99 South, US 220 South, PA 26: Bellefonte
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 161
Toward I 99 South, US 220 South, PA 26: Bellefo...
5
133.5 mi into trip|~2h 31m in|US 220; PA 26 / Jacksonville Road
Turn left onto US 220; PA 26 / Jacksonville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
157.7 mi into trip|~2h 59m in|I 99; US 220
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220 toward I 99 South, US 220 South: Port Matilda, Altoona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 99 South, US 220 South: Port Matilda,...
6
239.6 mi into trip|~4h 41m in|State Route 3004
At end of road, turn right onto State Route 3004
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.06 one way
$86.13 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg85 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$47.17
$94.33
premium
$5.24
$50.27
$100.54
diesel
$5.35
$51.29
$102.58
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 85.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
73.1
0
$25.57
$11.69
Efficient EV
60.9
0
$21.31
$9.74
EV Truck/SUV
97.4
1
$34.09
$15.58
Gas CO2
85 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (67% 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 Jun 3, 2026
Origin
City of Scranton, PA
Afternoon
in City of Scranton on Wednesday
Local time
4:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Partly Cloudy
NE 1 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Williams, PA
Afternoon
in Williams on Wednesday
Local time
4:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Mostly Clear
N 1 mph0% chanceLive 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
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
4h 51m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Flight 93 National Memorial
National Memorial
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
16 mi from route
~39 min detour
Free
near mile 226.7
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
18 mi from route
~44 min detour
Free
near mile 201.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a 27% highway share, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a major highway is 98.5 miles along the Keystone Shortway. Expect to transition from highway cruising to more typical local road driving as you progress. The profile indicates mostly surface roads, so plan for a driving experience that involves more towns and intersections.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 98.5 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 34 miles in.
Driving Effort5/10
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 243.5 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 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 133.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 133.5 miles (US 220; PA 26 / Jacksonville Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,607 ft515 ft
Total Climb
2,212 ft
Total Descent
1,699 ft
Highest Point
1,607 ft
~104.3 mi in
Elevation Range
1,093 ft
Notable High Points
1,607 ft at ~104.3 miles+679 ft prominence
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 Williams, PA, road signs point toward Altoona and Johnstown.
Altoona
157.7 mi in|~2h 59m|via I 99; US 220
Johnstown
216.5 mi in|~4h 3m|via US 220 BUS
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 51m. Total distance: 243.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (27%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 98.5 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 23 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.
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 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 133.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 133.5 miles (US 220; PA 26 / Jacksonville Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Flight 93 National Memorial and Johnstown Flood National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Williams, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
