Mercer, PA to the City of Scranton, PA is 281.4 miles and takes about 5h 12m via Perry Highway and I 80 East, with a fuel budget near $47 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a drive that predominantly utilizes surface roads, offering a more grounded perspective of the towns and landscapes you'll pass through. It's a straightforward trip, ideal if you prefer to avoid extensive highway time and want to experience more of the local scenery on your way.
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
140.7 miles from Mercer, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 33m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
244.4 mi
4h 23m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
Erie Street
2.2 mi
3m
River Street
1 mi
1m
Perry Highway
0.2 mi
<1m
Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 244.4 mi, about 4h 23m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 68 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,070 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,484
Quietest
2 AM
~188 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.7×
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 Mercer, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on US 19; US 62; PA 58; PA 258
2.2 mi·3 min·Erie Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Continue on US 19
0.2 mi·24 sec·Perry Highway
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward I 80 East: Clarion
4
Merge onto I 80
244 mi·4 hr 23 min·Keystone Shortway
5
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
6
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
8
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
9
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi·18 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Arrive at destination
Cedar Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 12m estimated drive time, you can comfortably complete this trip in a single day. Consider departing in the morning to allow ample time for any unexpected delays or spontaneous stops. With the majority of the route on surface roads, pay close attention to local speed limits, which can vary frequently. The fuel cost is estimated at $47, so ensure your tank is full before you leave Mercer, as fuel stops might be less frequent or more spread out than on 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 140.7 miles from Mercer, PA, or about 2h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 244.4 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 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 140.7 miles or 2h 33m 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 10m
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 Mercer, 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 Mercer, PA
This is one driving day of about 281.4 miles and 5h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from Mercer, 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 244.4 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 281.2 — 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|US 19; US 62; PA 58; PA 258 / Erie Street
Depart onto US 19; US 62; PA 58; PA 258 / Erie Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
2.4 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 East: Clarion
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward I 80 East: Clarion
5
247 mi into trip|~4h 28m 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
280.1 mi into trip|~5h 9m in
Take the exit toward PA 307
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward PA 307
7
281.2 mi into trip|~5h 11m 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
$49.52 one way
$99.04 round trip
$4.47/gal25.4 MPG avg99 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.89
$54.15
$108.31
premium
$5.23
$57.90
$115.79
diesel
$6.18
$68.46
$136.91
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$50
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$75–$100
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 98.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
84.4
1
$29.55
$13.51
Efficient EV
70.4
0
$24.62
$11.26
EV Truck/SUV
112.6
1
$39.40
$18.01
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 16, 2026
Origin
Mercer, PA
Morning
in Mercer on Saturday
Local time
7:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
W 12 to 17 mph96% chanceLive forecast
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Morning
in City of Scranton on Saturday
Local time
7:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 9 to 15 mph100% chanceLive forecast
66°F
Clearfield, PA
141 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
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 12m 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 route is primarily surface roads, with 0% highway share, meaning you'll be on local routes for the entire 281.4 miles. The longest stretch without a significant change in road type is not specified, but you can anticipate a consistent pace on non-highway roads. You'll notice a steady stream of smaller towns and varying speed limits as you navigate through Pennsylvania.
Only 12% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 244.4 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 early in the drive near US 19; US 62; PA 58; PA 258 / Erie 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 12m drive. You will face about 7 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 (US 19; US 62; PA 58; PA 258 / Erie Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 247 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The longest stretch is about 244.4 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 36 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 36 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 19; US 62; PA 58; PA 258 / Erie Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 247 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.2 hours each way, a round trip means 10.4 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.
