Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 30m
Distance
261.9 mi
422 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$44
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Russell, PA
FurtherMore Studio
Scranton, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Russell, PA to Scranton, PA is 261.9 miles and takes about 5h 30m via Keystone Shortway and I-81, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, traveling from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Most of the drive is on surface roads, making it a more scenic and potentially slower-paced option. With only one recommended stop and a reasonable driving time, this route is well-suited for a single day of travel.
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
131 miles from Russell, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 2m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Keystone Shortway | 148.6 mi | 2h 40m |
| I 81 | 32.4 mi | 39m |
| PA 948 | 23.8 mi | 35m |
| Boot Jack Road | 11.2 mi | 16m |
| State Park Road | 8.1 mi | 14m |
| Grand Army of the Republic Highway | 7.4 mi | 11m |
| Market Street | 6.8 mi | 7m |
| Hoovertown Road | 5 mi | 8m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 44 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,088 veh/hr typical · worst 1,542
Quietest
2 AM
~193 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Russell, PA and Scranton, PA.
Start on Main Street
Turn right onto East Street
Turn slight right onto Liberty Street
Turn left onto US 62
Turn right onto US 62
Turn left onto Hickory Street
Continue on Hickory Bridge
Turn left onto Crescent Park
Turn left onto US 6
Continue on US 6
Continue on US 6
Continue on US 6
Continue on US 6
Continue on US 6
Take the exit
Merge onto PA 666
Continue on PA 948
At end of road, turn left onto PA 66
Turn right onto PA 948
Turn left onto PA 948
Continue on US 219; PA 948
Turn left onto PA 153
Continue on PA 153
Continue on PA 153
Turn left
Merge onto I 80
Take the exit
Merge onto I 81
Take the exit
Turn left onto River Street
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Continue on Adams Avenue
Turn left onto Biden Street
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
Arrive at destination
For this 5h 30m drive, leaving in the morning will give you ample time to reach Scranton with daylight to spare. You'll encounter one recommended stop along the way, which is a good opportunity to stretch your legs and refuel. Keep in mind that with a majority of the route on surface roads, your average speed might be lower than expected, so factor that into your timing. The estimated fuel cost is around $43, so ensure your tank is full before departing Russell, PA, as services might be more spaced out on the non-highway portions.
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.
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 58 miles or 1h 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 131 miles or 3h 2m 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 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Russell, 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 Russell, PA
This is one driving day of about 261.9 miles and 5h 30m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
131 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 58 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 131 miles from Russell, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Keystone Shortway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 148.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 7.3 and 261.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Hickory Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Crescent Park
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Biden Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$43.76 one way
$87.52 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $48.16 | $96.33 |
| premium | $5.01 | $51.68 | $103.36 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $57.73 | $115.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 91.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 78.6 | 0 | $27.50 | $12.57 |
| Efficient EV | 65.5 | 0 | $22.92 | $10.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 104.8 | 1 | $36.67 | $16.76 |
Gas CO2
92 kg
EV CO2
31 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Russell on Wednesday
Local time
12:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Areas Of Fog
Destination
Late night in Scranton on Wednesday
Local time
12:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Areas Of Fog
76°F
Clearfield, PA
131 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This route features a 23% highway share, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 148.6 miles on the Keystone Shortway. Expect to transition to surface roads after this point. The profile indicates mostly surface roads, so anticipate more local traffic and potentially frequent intersections as you approach your destination.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 20 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 7.3 miles in near Hickory Street.
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 261.9 miles you will encounter 20 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 7.3 miles (Hickory Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.6 miles (Crescent Park): Lane positioning matters here; at 227.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,563 ft
Total Descent
2,067 ft
Highest Point
1,924 ft
~40.6 mi in
Elevation Range
1,311 ft
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 30m. Total distance: 261.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (23%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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