Spanning 255.1 miles across Pennsylvania, this trip from Kittanning to Scranton typically takes about 5 hours of driving time. Because the duration is manageable, you can easily complete this journey in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You will navigate a transition through the Northeast region, utilizing a combination of PA 28, the Keystone Shortway, and I-81. With an estimated fuel cost of $42, it is a relatively affordable trek for a solo traveler or a small group. Whether you are heading out for business or a weekend visit, this route offers a straightforward path between these two Pennsylvania cities.
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
127.5 miles from Kittanning, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 35m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
180.6 mi
3h 15m
PA 28
37 mi
54m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
Millenium Drive
1 mi
2m
River Street
1 mi
1m
South Water Street
0.7 mi
1m
Indiana Road
0.6 mi
<1m
PA 28 Truck
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 180.6 mi, about 3h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kittanning, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on North Jefferson Street
0.2 mi·49 sec·North Jefferson Street
2
Turn right onto Market Street
411 ft·18 sec·Market Street
3
Turn left onto US 422 Business
0.7 mi·1 min·South Water Street
4
Turn left onto US 422 Business
0.6 mi·53 sec·Indiana Road
5
Continue on Millenium Drive
1.0 mi·2 min·Millenium Drive
6
Turn sharp right onto Clearfield Pike
467 ft·21 sec·Clearfield Pike
7
Turn left onto PA 28; PA 66
37 mi·54 min·PA 28; PA 66
8
Take the ramp onto PA 28 Truck
0.4 mi·46 sec·PA 28 Truck
9
Merge onto I 80; PA 28 Truck
181 mi·3 hr 15 min·Keystone Shortway
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
0.2 mi·18 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
Cedar Avenue
Trip Plan
Since the total drive time is roughly 5 hours, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and refresh. Aim to depart early in the morning to avoid potential congestion on the more heavily traveled interstate portions of your route. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 180.6-mile stretch on the Keystone Shortway, to ensure you don't run low between service areas. Because this is a single-day trip, your schedule remains flexible, allowing you to pace the drive according to your own energy levels. Prioritize checking the current conditions of the local roads before you head out, as these segments can be more sensitive to traffic variations than the major interstates.
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 127.5 miles from Kittanning, PA, or about 2h 35m 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 56 miles or 1h 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.5 miles or 2h 35m 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 4m
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 Kittanning, 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 Kittanning, PA
This is one driving day of about 255.1 miles and 5h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Kittanning, 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 0.2 and 254.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Market Street
Turn right onto Market Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|US 422 Business / South Water Street
Turn left onto US 422 Business / South Water Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.6 mi into trip|~5m in|Clearfield Pike
Turn sharp right onto Clearfield Pike
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
220.7 mi into trip|~4h 16m 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
254.9 mi into trip|~5h 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
$42.29 one way
$84.58 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg89 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$46.32
$92.64
premium
$4.93
$49.47
$98.95
diesel
$5.61
$56.32
$112.65
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
76.5
0
$26.79
$12.24
Efficient EV
63.8
0
$22.32
$10.20
EV Truck/SUV
102
1
$35.71
$16.33
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% 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 Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Kittanning, PA
Morning
in Kittanning on Sunday
Local time
9:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Morning
in City of Scranton on Sunday
Local time
9:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Patchy Fog
W 3 mph13% 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
6 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 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?
Expect a varied experience behind the wheel, as this route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive. While 27% of your travel occurs on major highways, the remainder of the journey requires your full attention on local roads. You will settle into your longest uninterrupted stretch of 180.6 miles while cruising on the Keystone Shortway, which provides a welcome break from the more technical sections. The road’s personality shifts significantly as you move between smaller local paths and the wider lanes of I-81. Be prepared for a mix of fast-paced highway segments and slower, winding stretches that demand a more cautious approach.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 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?
3/10
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 around 0.2 miles in near Market Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 422 Business / South Water Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (Clearfield Pike): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
1,853 ft544 ft
Total Climb
3,840 ft
Total Descent
3,891 ft
Highest Point
1,853 ft
~74.4 mi in
Elevation Range
1,309 ft
Notable High Points
1,790 ft at ~148.8 miles+683 ft prominence
1,510 ft at ~223.2 miles+639 ft prominence
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h. Total distance: 255.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 180.6 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 422 Business / South Water Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (Clearfield Pike): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.0 hours each way, a round trip means 10.0 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.
