Saint Marys, PA to Scranton, PA is 211 miles and takes about 4h 10m via Keystone Shortway and I-81, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, traversing the Northeast region for its entirety. Expect a more engaging journey than a typical interstate cruise, with a good amount of turns that keep you connected to the landscape. Given its manageable duration and budget, this route is a solid choice for a single-day trip when you want a bit more than just highway miles.
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
105.5 miles from Saint Marys, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 9m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
148.6 mi
2h 40m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
Million Dollar Highway
10.9 mi
16m
State Park Road
8.1 mi
14m
Bennetts Valley Highway
7.9 mi
12m
River Street
1 mi
1m
Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
PA 120
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 148.6 mi, about 2h 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Marys, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on PA 120; PA 255
45 ft·1 sec·Railroad Street
2
Turn left onto PA 120; PA 255
223 ft·4 sec·South Michael Street
3
Turn slight left onto PA 120
0.2 mi·22 sec·PA 120
4
Continue on PA 255
11 mi·16 min·Million Dollar Highway
5
Continue on PA 255
7.9 mi·12 min·Bennetts Valley Highway
6
Turn left onto PA 153
8.1 mi·14 min·State Park Road
7
Turn left
0.3 mi·40 sec
8
Merge onto I 80
149 mi·2 hr 40 min·Keystone Shortway
9
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
10
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
12
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
13
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi·31 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi·17 sec·Adams Avenue
15
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi·25 sec·Biden Street
16
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft·4 sec·Wyoming Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Wyoming Avenue
Trip Plan
With a total drive time of just over 4 hours, this is easily a one-day trip, allowing you flexibility in your departure time. You can aim for a morning start to enjoy the full day or a later departure if you prefer a leisurely pace. Since there's only one recommended stop, plan your fuel and rest breaks accordingly, especially considering the longest stretch without significant highway is 148.6 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you approach the latter half of the drive, as services might be more spaced out on the local road sections.
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 105.5 miles from Saint Marys, PA, or about 2h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 148.6 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 46 miles or 1h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 105.5 miles or 2h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 22m
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 Saint Marys, 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 Saint Marys, PA
This is one driving day of about 211 miles and 4h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Saint Marys, 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 148.6 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 211 — 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|PA 120; PA 255 / South Michael Street
Turn left onto PA 120; PA 255 / South Michael Street
Navigation decision point
5
176.2 mi into trip|~3h 25m 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
210.4 mi into trip|~4h 9m in|Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
210.8 mi into trip|~4h 9m in|Biden Street
Turn left onto Biden Street
Navigation decision point
5
211 mi into trip|~4h 10m in|Wyoming Avenue
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.98 one way
$69.96 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg74 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$38.31
$76.62
premium
$4.93
$40.92
$81.84
diesel
$5.61
$46.59
$93.17
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 73.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
63.3
0
$22.15
$10.13
Efficient EV
52.8
0
$18.46
$8.44
EV Truck/SUV
84.4
1
$29.54
$13.50
Gas CO2
74 kg
EV CO2
25 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 20, 2026
Origin
Saint Marys, PA
Late night
in Saint Marys on Tuesday
Local time
5:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Late night
in Scranton on Tuesday
Local time
5:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live 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
19 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
4h 10m 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 trip presents a turn-heavy local drive, with only about 15% of the route on highways. You'll spend most of your time navigating roads that offer a more intimate connection to the terrain. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 148.6 miles, primarily on the Keystone Shortway, before transitioning to other roadways. Be prepared for a driving experience that requires more active engagement with steering and navigation, rather than simply maintaining a consistent speed on an interstate.
Only 15% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 148.6 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 early in the drive near PA 120; PA 255 / South Michael 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 4h 10m drive. You will face about 10 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 (PA 120; PA 255 / South Michael Street): Navigation decision point; at 176.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 210.4 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.
The longest stretch is about 148.6 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (PA 120; PA 255 / South Michael Street): Navigation decision point; at 176.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 210.4 miles (Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Scranton, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
