Scranton to Spring is 323.2 miles and takes about 6h 2m via Keystone Shortway and I-79, with a fuel budget near $59 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a drive primarily on surface roads, offering a more local feel than a pure interstate cruise. With only one recommended stop and a single day's drive, this route is a straightforward way to cover ground between these two points.
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
161.6 miles from Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
239.4 mi
4h 18m
I 79
36.7 mi
39m
American Legion Memorial Highway
32.7 mi
39m
PA-98
4.9 mi
8m
Springboro Road
4.3 mi
7m
PA-198
1.8 mi
3m
River Street
0.9 mi
1m
Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 239.4 mi, about 4h 18m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,099 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,466
Quietest
2 AM
~186 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.9×
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 Spring, 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
33 mi·39 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 151BToward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
9
Merge onto I 80
239 mi·4 hr 18 min·Keystone Shortway
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 79 North: Erie
11
Merge onto I 79
37 mi·39 min·I 79
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward PA 198: Saegertown, Conneautville
13
Turn left onto PA 198
1.8 mi·3 min·PA-198
14
Turn right onto PA 98
4.9 mi·8 min·PA-98
15
Turn left onto Springboro Road
4.3 mi·7 min·Springboro Road
16
Turn right
46 ft·3 sec
17
Keep slight right at fork
50 ft·3 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 6-hour duration, leaving Scranton in the morning, perhaps around 9 AM, should allow you to reach Spring with plenty of daylight. Since the drive is manageable in one day, you have flexibility with your timing. The longest continuous stretch is 239.4 miles on the Keystone Shortway, so plan to refuel before embarking on that segment. With only one recommended stop, consider breaking up the drive a bit earlier if you prefer more frequent breaks than the route suggests.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 161.6 miles from Scranton, PA, or about 3h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 239.4 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 71 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 161.6 miles or 3h 1m 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 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Spring, 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 323.2 miles and 6h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 71 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 Keystone Shortway for about 239.4 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 323.2 — 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
5
34.4 mi into trip|~43m in
Take the exit toward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 151B
Toward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
5
311.9 mi into trip|~5h 43m in
Take the exit toward PA 198: Saegertown, Conneautville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward PA 198: Saegertown, Conneautville
5
323.2 mi into trip|~6h 2m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.53 one way
$103.07 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg113 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$57.03
$114.06
premium
$4.81
$61.18
$122.36
diesel
$4.80
$61.03
$122.05
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$52
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 113.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
97
1
$33.94
$15.51
Efficient EV
80.8
0
$28.28
$12.93
EV Truck/SUV
129.3
1
$45.25
$20.68
Gas CO2
113 kg
EV CO2
38 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Scranton, PA
Night
in Scranton on Saturday
Local time
9:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Smoke
NW 0 to 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Spring, PA
Night
in Spring on Saturday
Local time
9:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Smoke
NW 3 mph1% chanceLive forecast
57°F
Clearfield, PA
162 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
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
6h 2m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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 drive is mostly surface roads, with only 13% on highways. You'll encounter a long stretch of 239.4 miles on the Keystone Shortway before transitioning to other main roads like I-79 and American Legion Memorial Highway. Be prepared for a more rural cruising experience for the majority of the trip, with fewer high-speed sections.
Only 13% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 239.4 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Lackawanna Avenue.
Driving Effort5/10
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 323.2 miles you will encounter 15 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 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 34.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 2m. Total distance: 323.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 2m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 239.4 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 39 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.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Spring, 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. There are 39 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 34.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 12.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Spring, PA before the return drive.
