Cresson, PA to Scranton, PA is 202.9 miles and takes about 3h 52m via Keystone Shortway and I-81, with a fuel budget near $34 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive, suitable for a single day if you get an early start. You'll spend a good portion of the time on the highway, making it a relatively efficient way to cover the distance.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
101.5 miles from Cresson, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
99.3 mi
1h 47m
I 99
57.2 mi
1h 4m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
William Penn Highway
8.2 mi
9m
Admiral Peary Highway
1.4 mi
2m
River Street
1 mi
1m
Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Biden Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 99.3 mi, about 1h 47m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 36 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,120 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,611
Quietest
2 AM
~194 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.8×
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 Cresson, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on PA 53
196 ft·12 sec·2nd Street
2
Turn left onto Admiral Peary Highway
1.4 mi·2 min·Admiral Peary Highway
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward US 22 East: AltoonaUse the left lane.
4
Merge onto US 22
8.2 mi·9 min·William Penn Highway
5
Continue on this road
0.5 mi·45 sec·this road
Toward I 99, US 220: Altoona, Bedford
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
7
Merge onto I 99; US 220
41 mi·44 min·I 99; US 220
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220; US 322
4.0 mi·4 min·I 99; US 220; US 322
Use the straight lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220
12 mi·14 min·I 99; US 220
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Bellefonte
10
Turn left
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward I 80 East, US 220 North: WilliamsportUse the left lane.
11
Merge onto I 80; US 220
99 mi·1 hr 47 min·Keystone Shortway
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
13
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
15
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
16
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi·31 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi·17 sec·Adams Avenue
18
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi·25 sec·Biden Street
19
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft·4 sec·Wyoming Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Wyoming Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 52m estimated drive time, leaving Cresson, PA in the morning is your best bet to complete this trip comfortably within one day. The route has only one recommended stop, so you can decide on the fly if you need a break or want to push through. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 99.3-mile stretch on the Keystone Shortway where services might be less frequent. The $34 fuel cost is a good estimate, but always check current prices. This trip is manageable in a single day, offering flexibility for spontaneous detours.
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 101.5 miles from Cresson, PA, or about 1h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.3 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 45 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 101.5 miles or 1h 55m 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 6m
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 Cresson, 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 Cresson, PA
This is one driving day of about 202.9 miles and 3h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Cresson, 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 99.3 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 202.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.4 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward US 22 East: Altoona
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 22 East: Altoona
6
10.4 mi into trip|~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
6
52.2 mi into trip|~59m in|I 99; US 220; US 322
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220; US 322
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
68.5 mi into trip|~1h 19m in
Turn left toward I 80 East, US 220 North: Williamsport
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 80 East, US 220 North: Williamsport
7
202.3 mi into trip|~3h 51m in|Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.44 one way
$70.87 round trip
$4.44/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.86
$38.80
$77.60
premium
$5.20
$41.51
$83.01
diesel
$6.28
$50.13
$100.27
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.9
0
$21.30
$9.74
Efficient EV
50.7
0
$17.75
$8.12
EV Truck/SUV
81.2
1
$28.41
$12.99
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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 19, 2026
Origin
Cresson, PA
Morning
in Cresson on Thursday
Local time
8:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Morning
in Scranton on Thursday
Local time
8:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Sunny
N 0 to 3 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
7 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
3h 52m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 route is a mixed bag, with 44% highway driving. You'll encounter your longest stretch without a major highway change at 99.3 miles on the Keystone Shortway. Expect to transition from highway cruising to surface roads as you get closer to your destination. With a substantial highway component, you'll likely experience periods of steady travel interspersed with more local traffic.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 99.3 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 202.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 52.2 miles (I 99; US 220; US 322): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 52m. Total distance: 202.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 99.3 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.
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 Scranton, 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 23 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 52.2 miles (I 99; US 220; US 322): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Scranton, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
