Curtisville, PA to City of Scranton, PA is 279.8 miles and takes about 5h 32m via Keystone Shortway and I 81, 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 the Northeast region. Expect a mix of highway cruising and surface road driving on this route. It's a manageable drive, suitable for a single day without feeling overly rushed.
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
139.9 miles from Curtisville, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 54m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
180.6 mi
3h 15m
PA 28
36.7 mi
54m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
Allegheny Valley Expressway
13.1 mi
15m
US 422
5.1 mi
6m
Millerstown Road
4.4 mi
7m
Bakerstown Road
1.6 mi
2m
Millerstown Culmerville Road
1.1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 180.6 mi, about 3h 15m
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 Curtisville, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on Saxonburg Boulevard
1.1 mi·1 min·Saxonburg Boulevard
2
Turn right onto Red Belt
262 ft·5 sec·Bakerstown Culmerville Road
3
Continue on Red Belt
422 ft·9 sec·Little Deer Creek Valley Road
4
Turn slight left onto Red Belt
0.2 mi·16 sec·Tarentum Culmerville Road
5
Turn straight onto Red Belt
1.1 mi·2 min·Millerstown Culmerville Road
6
Continue on Red Belt
4.4 mi·7 min·Millerstown Road
7
Continue on Bakerstown Road
1.6 mi·2 min·Bakerstown Road
8
Turn left
0.3 mi·45 sec
9
Merge onto PA 28
13 mi·15 min·Allegheny Valley Expressway
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·52 sec
Toward US 422 East, PA 28 North: Kittanning, Indiana
11
Merge onto US 422; PA 28
5.1 mi·6 min·US 422; PA 28
12
Continue on PA 28; PA 66
37 mi·54 min·PA 28; PA 66
13
Take the ramp onto PA 28 Truck
0.4 mi·46 sec·PA 28 Truck
14
Merge onto I 80; PA 28 Truck
181 mi·3 hr 15 min·Keystone Shortway
15
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
16
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
18
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
19
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi·18 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Arrive at destination
Cedar Avenue
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 5.5-hour drive, consider an early morning departure from Curtisville to maximize daylight. You'll encounter one recommended stop along the way, which is a good point to stretch your legs and refuel if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 180.6-mile segment on the Keystone Shortway, as services might be less frequent. The $47 fuel estimate is a helpful benchmark for budgeting. Since this is a single-day trip, you have the flexibility to adjust your departure time based on your schedule.
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 139.9 miles from Curtisville, PA, or about 2h 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 180.6 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 62 miles or 1h 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 139.9 miles or 2h 54m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Curtisville, 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 Curtisville, PA
This is one driving day of about 279.8 miles and 5h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from Curtisville, 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 180.6 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 22 and 279.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
22 mi into trip|~31m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 422 East, PA 28 North: Kittanning, Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 422 East, PA 28 North: Kittanning, In...
4
64.4 mi into trip|~1h 33m in|PA 28 Truck
Take the ramp onto PA 28 Truck
Navigation decision point
5
245.4 mi into trip|~4h 48m 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
4
278.5 mi into trip|~5h 30m in
Take the exit toward PA 307
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward PA 307
7
279.7 mi into trip|~5h 32m 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
$48.87 one way
$97.73 round trip
$4.44/gal25.4 MPG avg98 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.86
$53.50
$107.01
premium
$5.20
$57.24
$114.48
diesel
$6.28
$69.13
$138.27
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: 97.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
83.9
1
$29.38
$13.43
Efficient EV
70
0
$24.48
$11.19
EV Truck/SUV
111.9
1
$39.17
$17.91
Gas CO2
98 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 19, 2026
Origin
Curtisville, PA
Morning
in Curtisville on Saturday
Local time
6:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Areas Of Frost then Sunny
N 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 10:42PM EDT until October 19 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS State College PA
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Morning
in City of Scranton on Saturday
Local time
6:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Sunny
N 0 to 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 10:42PM EDT until October 19 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS State College PA
66°F
Clearfield, PA
140 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
4 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
5h 32m 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 drive is 31% highway, meaning you'll spend a good portion on faster roads. The longest stretch without a significant change in road type is 180.6 miles on the Keystone Shortway. After that, you'll transition to PA 28 and I 81, which will feel more like typical interstate driving with more frequent exits. You'll notice a shift from more rural cruising to busier traffic patterns as you approach Scranton.
31% 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: 180.6 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 22 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 279.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 22 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 64.4 miles (PA 28 Truck): Navigation decision point; at 245.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,771 ft510 ft
Total Climb
2,146 ft
Total Descent
2,464 ft
Highest Point
1,771 ft
~100.1 mi in
Elevation Range
1,261 ft
Notable High Points
1,418 ft at ~180.2 miles+617 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 Curtisville, PA to City of Scranton, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Indiana along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 32m. Total distance: 279.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 180.6 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 22 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 64.4 miles (PA 28 Truck): Navigation decision point; at 245.4 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 11.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at City of Scranton, PA before the return drive.
