Prospect Park to Scranton is 126.6 miles and takes about 2 hours 31 minutes via the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and I-81, with a fuel budget near $21 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This highway-focused drive connects two points within Pennsylvania's Northeast region. Given its relatively short duration and high highway share, it's a straightforward trip best suited for a single day. Expect mostly interstate driving with minimal detours, making it a practical option for getting between these locations efficiently.
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
63.3 miles from Prospect Park, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 18m into the drive
.
For this 1-day trip, leaving in the morning is your best bet to maximize daylight. With a duration of just over 2.5 hours, you won't need many stops, but it's wise to plan for at least one rest break. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the 94.9-mile stretch on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, as services might be less frequent than on other interstates. Since this is a short drive, you have the flexibility to depart at your convenience. A good tip is to ensure your vehicle is topped off with fuel before entering the Turnpike section to avoid any last-minute searches for a gas station.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 63.3 miles from Prospect Park, PA, or about 1h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 94.9 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 28 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 63.3 miles or 1h 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
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Open the route before leaving Prospect Park, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
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Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
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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 Prospect Park, PA
This is one driving day of about 126.6 miles and 2h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Prospect Park, 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 Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension for about 94.9 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 2.5 and 126 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.5 mi into trip|~5m in|East Baltimore Pike
Turn left onto East Baltimore Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
4 mi into trip|~8m in
Take the ramp toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 476 North: Plymouth Meeting
5
115.4 mi into trip|~2h 16m in
Take the exit toward PA 315, I 81: Pittston, Scranton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward PA 315, I 81: Pittston, Scranton
5
116.1 mi into trip|~2h 17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward PA 315 North: Scranton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward PA 315 North: Scranton
7
126 mi into trip|~2h 30m 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
$20.99 one way
$41.98 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg44 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$22.99
$45.97
premium
$4.93
$24.55
$49.10
diesel
$5.61
$27.95
$55.90
Estimated Tolls: $12.34
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(94.9 mi)$12.34
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Tolls
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 44.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
38
0
$13.29
$6.08
Efficient EV
31.7
0
$11.08
$5.06
EV Truck/SUV
50.6
0
$17.72
$8.10
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 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 Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Prospect Park, PA
Morning
in Prospect Park on Tuesday
Local time
9:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Morning
in Scranton on Tuesday
Local time
9:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Partly Cloudy
E 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
62°F
Northampton, PA
63 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
10 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 31m 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.
Valley Forge National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Valley Forge is the place where George Washington and the Continental Army took refuge during the winter of 1777-1778. Today the park protects 3,500 acres of meadows, woodlands, historic landscapes, a...
7 mi from route
~17 min detour
Free
near mile 13.1
Park Closure: Sun, Apr 19 - Park Entrance and Tour Roads Temporarily Closed for Rev Run
Park Closure: Admin Parking Lot Closed Fri 4/17 Until Sun 4/19 at Noon for Rev Run Setup
The park represents the founding ideals of the nation, and preserves national and international symbols of freedom and democracy, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The Declaration of I...
Visit the house where wounded Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko lived and hear how this brilliant military engineer designed successful fortifications during the American Revolution. See the...
Famous as the First State to ratify the Constitution, Delaware was born out of a conflict among three world powers for dominance of the Delaware Valley. From this beginning, the region developed a dis...
12 mi from route
~31 min detour
Free
near mile 4.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with a 94% highway share. You'll spend most of your time on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and I-81. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 94.9 miles on the Turnpike. This means you can expect a consistent pace for the majority of your journey, ideal for covering ground quickly without much interruption. The road character remains largely consistent, dominated by high-speed, limited-access highways.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 94.9 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and Mid-County Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near East Baltimore Pike.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 126.6 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 2.5 miles (East Baltimore Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 115.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 31m. Total distance: 126.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 94.9 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $12.34 in tolls one way, starting with Pennsylvania Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (East Baltimore Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 115.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Valley Forge National Historical Park, Independence National Historical Park and Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Scranton, PA before heading back.
