Clymer, PA to Scranton, PA is 225.1 miles and takes about 4h 15m via Keystone Shortway and I-81, with a fuel budget near $37 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, offering a manageable single-day trip. Expect a route that involves a good amount of turning and navigating local roads, rather than solely high-speed interstate travel. It’s a straightforward journey if you're looking for a direct way to get from point A to point B within the state, with minimal fuss.
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
112.6 miles from Clymer, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
139.7 mi
2h 31m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
Franklin Street
19.1 mi
21m
Mahaffey Grampian Highway
9.8 mi
11m
Curwensville Grampian Road
4.7 mi
5m
Clearfield Shawville Highway
4.2 mi
6m
Burnside McGee Highway
4.2 mi
4m
Curwensville Grampian Highway
2.6 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 139.7 mi, about 2h 31m
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 Clymer, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on 6th Street
31 ft·5 sec·6th Street
2
Turn right onto PA 286; PA 403
19 mi·21 min·Franklin Street
3
Continue on US 219
4.2 mi·4 min·Burnside McGee Highway
4
Continue on US 219
515 ft·6 sec·Burnside - McGees Highway
5
Continue on US 219; PA 36
1.9 mi·2 min·Colonel Drake Highway
6
Continue on US 219; PA 36
0.5 mi·36 sec·West Main Street
7
Continue on US 219
9.8 mi·11 min·Mahaffey Grampian Highway
8
Continue on US 219
0.7 mi·47 sec·1st Street
9
Continue on PA 879
4.7 mi·5 min·Curwensville Grampian Road
10
Continue on PA 879
2.6 mi·2 min·Curwensville Grampian Highway
11
Continue on PA 879
0.4 mi·24 sec·Curwensville Grampain Highway
12
Continue on PA 879
2.0 mi·2 min·Clearfield Curwensville Highway
13
Turn right onto PA 879
4.2 mi·6 min·Clearfield Shawville Highway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
15
Merge onto I 80
140 mi·2 hr 31 min·Keystone Shortway
16
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
17
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
19
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
20
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi·31 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi·17 sec·Adams Avenue
22
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi·25 sec·Biden Street
23
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft·4 sec·Wyoming Avenue
24
Arrive at destination
Wyoming Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 15m estimated duration, this is a comfortable one-day trip from Clymer to Scranton. Aim to depart in the morning to allow ample daylight for navigating the turn-heavy sections. You'll encounter one recommended stop, so plan to utilize that to break up the 225.1 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the 139.7-mile stretch on the Keystone Shortway, as services might be less frequent than on major interstates. The $37 fuel cost estimate is quite reasonable for this distance.
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 112.6 miles from Clymer, PA, or about 2h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 139.7 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 50 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 112.6 miles or 2h 6m 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 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clymer, 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 Clymer, PA
This is one driving day of about 225.1 miles and 4h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 50 miles from Clymer, 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 139.7 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 225.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|PA 286; PA 403 / Franklin Street
Turn right onto PA 286; PA 403 / Franklin Street
Navigation decision point
5
190.3 mi into trip|~3h 30m in
Take the exit toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 260B
Toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
7
224.5 mi into trip|~4h 14m in|Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
224.9 mi into trip|~4h 14m in|Biden Street
Turn left onto Biden Street
Navigation decision point
5
225.1 mi into trip|~4h 15m in|Wyoming Avenue
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.31 one way
$78.63 round trip
$4.44/gal25.4 MPG avg79 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.86
$43.04
$86.09
premium
$5.20
$46.05
$92.10
diesel
$6.28
$55.62
$111.24
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
67.5
0
$23.64
$10.80
Efficient EV
56.3
0
$19.70
$9.00
EV Truck/SUV
90
1
$31.51
$14.41
Gas CO2
79 kg
EV CO2
26 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 Oct 24, 2026
Origin
Clymer, PA
Morning
in Clymer on Sunday
Local time
7:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Sunny
SE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Morning
in Scranton on Sunday
Local time
7:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Sunny
0 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
2 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
4h 15m 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.
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
National Memorial
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' with only 14% of the route on highways. You'll spend most of your time on local roads, which means a more varied driving experience with frequent turns and potentially slower speeds. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 139.7 miles on the Keystone Shortway, providing a solid period of more consistent travel before you transition back to more localized routes. Be prepared for a dynamic journey that keeps you engaged with the changing road conditions and surroundings.
Only 14% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 139.7 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 early in the drive near PA 286; PA 403 / Franklin 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 4h 15m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (PA 286; PA 403 / Franklin Street): Navigation decision point; at 190.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 224.5 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Scranton is a city in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is near Wilkes-Barre, and is the seventh most populous city in the state. Today, it is perhaps best known as the setting of the hit TV show "The Office" and the birthplace of Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States.
Top landmarks
•St. Peter's Cathedral — historic church in Pennsylvania, United States
•Steamtown National Historic Site — railroad museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania
•Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel — railway station in Scranton, the United States of America
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 139.7 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.
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: near the start (PA 286; PA 403 / Franklin Street): Navigation decision point; at 190.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 224.5 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Johnstown Flood National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Scranton, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
