Traveling from Ellwood City to Scranton covers 306.3 miles across Pennsylvania. Expect to spend approximately 4 hours and 57 minutes behind the wheel for this journey. Because this is a turn-heavy local drive rather than a straight interstate shot, it is best suited as a one-day trip for those comfortable with navigating winding roads. You should budget about $49 for fuel to complete the trek. Since both cities are located within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, the drive maintains a consistent geographical feel throughout. While you can certainly complete the trip in a single day, be prepared for a focused drive that demands your full attention.
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
153.1 miles from Ellwood City, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
239.8 mi
4h 18m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
I 79
19.9 mi
21m
Portersville Road
9.5 mi
16m
River Street
1 mi
1m
East Portersville Road
0.6 mi
1m
Fountain Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 239.8 mi, about 4h 18m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,099 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,466
Quietest
2 AM
~186 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.9×
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 Ellwood City, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on Keystone Way
36 ft·7 sec·Keystone Way
2
Turn left onto PA 65; PA 288; PA 351 Truck
0.4 mi·58 sec·Fountain Avenue
3
Continue on PA 488
9.5 mi·16 min·Portersville Road
4
At end of road, turn right onto US 19; PA 488
0.2 mi·21 sec·Perry Highway
5
Turn slight left onto PA 488
0.6 mi·1 min·East Portersville Road
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·25 sec
7
Merge onto I 79
20 mi·21 min·I 79
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 80 East: Clarion
9
Merge onto I 80
240 mi·4 hr 18 min·Keystone Shortway
Toward I 80 East: Clarion
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
11
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
13
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
14
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi·31 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi·17 sec·Adams Avenue
16
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi·25 sec·Biden Street
17
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft·4 sec·Wyoming Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Wyoming Avenue
Trip Plan
Since you are relying on local roads for the entire 306.3-mile distance, plan your departure for early morning to avoid peak local traffic and ensure you reach Scranton comfortably before nightfall. You should factor in at least one significant stop to stretch your legs, as the constant turns can be more fatiguing than highway driving. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge throughout the day, as local roads may not offer the same frequency of large service plazas found on major turnpikes. Given the technical nature of the route, stay alert at intersections and follow signage closely. Budgeting for that $49 fuel cost in advance will keep your trip logistics stress-free.
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 153.1 miles from Ellwood City, PA, or about 2h 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 239.8 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 67 miles or 1h 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 153.1 miles or 2h 53m 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 38m
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 Ellwood City, 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 Ellwood City, PA
This is one driving day of about 306.2 miles and 5h 45m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 67 miles from Ellwood City, 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 239.8 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 10.9 and 306.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
10.9 mi into trip|~19m in|I 79
Merge onto I 79
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
271.3 mi into trip|~5h 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
305.6 mi into trip|~5h 44m in|Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
306 mi into trip|~5h 45m in|Biden Street
Turn left onto Biden Street
Navigation decision point
5
306.2 mi into trip|~5h 45m in|Wyoming Avenue
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$48.82 one way
$97.65 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg107 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$54.03
$108.06
premium
$4.81
$57.96
$115.92
diesel
$4.80
$57.82
$115.63
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: 107.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
91.9
1
$32.15
$14.70
Efficient EV
76.6
0
$26.79
$12.25
EV Truck/SUV
122.5
1
$42.87
$19.60
Gas CO2
107 kg
EV CO2
36 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Ellwood City, PA
Late night
in Ellwood City on Sunday
Local time
1:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Smoke
NW 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 17 at 1:40PM EDT until July 19 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
Scranton, PA
Late night
in Scranton on Sunday
Local time
1:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Sunny
NW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 17 at 1:40PM EDT until July 19 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
5h 45m 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?
Forget the monotony of the interstate; this route is defined by a turn-heavy, local character that keeps you engaged. You will navigate through Fountain Avenue, Portersville Road, and Perry Highway, meaning the highway share for this trip is 0%. Because the road relies entirely on local thoroughfares, there is no long-distance, high-speed cruising; in fact, the longest stretch on Fountain Avenue is 0 miles. Expect a technical driving experience that requires constant adjustments and careful navigation. The road's personality is winding and intimate, lacking the repetitive nature of major highway systems.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 239.8 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 10.9 miles in near I 79.
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 306.2 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 10.9 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 271.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 305.6 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
•Albright Memorial Building — library in Scranton, Pennsylvania
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 45m. Total distance: 306.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (17%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 239.8 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 40 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 40 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 10.9 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 271.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 305.6 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.8 hours each way, a round trip means 11.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Scranton, PA before the return drive.
