Scranton to Saint Thomas is 178.8 miles and takes about 3h 39m via American Legion Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, connecting two points in the Northeast region. You'll primarily be on surface roads, so expect a more scenic and potentially slower pace than a pure highway trip. With a single recommended stop and a total duration under four hours, this route is easily manageable for a single day of driving, offering a straightforward way to get from point A to point B within the state.
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
89.4 miles from Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
American Legion Memorial Highway
167.1 mi
3h 18m
Lincoln Way East
8.9 mi
16m
George N. Wade Memorial Bridge
0.9 mi
1m
River Street
0.9 mi
1m
Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Lackawanna Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Wyoming Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Schoolhouse Road
<0.1 mi
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
American Legion Memorial Highway
— 167.1 mi, about 3h 18m
Traffic on I-81
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,410 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,787
Quietest
1 AM
~321 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Scranton, PA and Saint Thomas, PA.
1
Start on Wyoming Avenue
0.1 mi·38 sec·Wyoming Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto Lackawanna Avenue
0.2 mi·24 sec·Lackawanna Avenue
3
Turn right onto CR 3023
0.2 mi·22 sec·Cedar Avenue
4
Continue on Cedar Avenue
400 ft·12 sec·Cedar Avenue
5
Turn left onto River Street
0.9 mi·1 min·River Street
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
7
Merge onto I 81
118 mi·2 hr 19 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 81
0.9 mi·1 min·George N. Wade Memorial Bridge
9
Continue on I 81
49 mi·58 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward Lincoln WayUse the right lane.
11
Turn right onto US 30
1.5 mi·3 min·Lincoln Way East
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 30
7.4 mi·12 min·Lincoln Way East
13
Turn right onto Schoolhouse Road
20 ft·0 sec·Schoolhouse Road
14
Arrive at destination
Schoolhouse Road
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 39m estimated drive time, leaving Scranton in the morning is ideal to allow for any unexpected delays. Plan for one stop, perhaps around the halfway point, to stretch your legs and refuel. The estimated fuel cost is $33, so ensure you have enough gas before you set off, as you'll be on surface roads for most of the trip. Pay attention to posted speed limits, as they can vary significantly when you're not on the highway. This route's flexibility means you can adjust your departure time based on your schedule, but starting earlier ensures a relaxed arrival in Saint Thomas.
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 89.4 miles from Scranton, PA, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 167.1 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 39 miles or 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 89.4 miles or 1h 47m 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 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint Thomas, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Scranton, 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 Scranton, PA
This is one driving day of about 178.8 miles and 3h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Scranton, 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 American Legion Memorial Highway for about 167.1 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 169.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Lackawanna Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Lackawanna Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue
Turn right onto CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|River Street
Turn left onto River Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.7 mi into trip|~3m in|I 81 / American Legion Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 81 / American Legion Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
169.8 mi into trip|~3h 23m in
Take the exit toward Lincoln Way
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward Lincoln Way
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.62 one way
$63.24 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg63 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$34.63
$69.27
premium
$5.24
$36.91
$73.83
diesel
$5.35
$37.66
$75.32
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 62.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
53.6
0
$18.77
$8.58
Efficient EV
44.7
0
$15.65
$7.15
EV Truck/SUV
71.5
0
$25.03
$11.44
Gas CO2
63 kg
EV CO2
21 kg (67% 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 Jun 3, 2026
Origin
Scranton, PA
Afternoon
in Scranton on Wednesday
Local time
4:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Sunny
N 0 to 7 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Saint Thomas, PA
Afternoon
in Saint Thomas on Wednesday
Local time
4:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Sunny
N 2 to 6 mph0% 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
2 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
3h 39m 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.
Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
2 mi from route
~4 min detour
Free
near mile 135.7
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
6 mi from route
~16 min detour
Free
near mile 98.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is almost entirely on surface roads, with a 0% highway share. You'll spend the vast majority of your time cruising on local routes, with the longest continuous stretch on American Legion Memorial Highway measuring 178.8 miles. Expect a driving experience that involves navigating through towns and varied speed limits rather than high-speed interstate travel. The lack of highway driving suggests you'll encounter more intersections and potentially denser local traffic patterns.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 167.1 mi on American Legion Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 0.1 miles in near Lackawanna Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 39m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Lackawanna Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (River Street): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,729 ft444 ft
Total Climb
1,379 ft
Total Descent
1,477 ft
Highest Point
1,729 ft
~51.1 mi in
Elevation Range
1,285 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
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
•St. Peter's Cathedral — historic church in Pennsylvania, United States
•Steamtown National Historic Site — railroad museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania
•Albright Memorial Building — library in Scranton, Pennsylvania
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 167.1 miles on American Legion Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 19 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.
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: at 0.1 miles (Lackawanna Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (River Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument and Appalachian National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Saint Thomas, PA, but most travelers stay overnight.
