This 85.7-mile journey from Shamokin, PA, to Scranton, PA, is a straightforward, highway-focused drive that can easily be completed in a single day, taking approximately 1 hour and 46 minutes. You'll primarily be on I-81, with a small portion on PA-901 and Sunbury Road contributing to the overall route. With a projected fuel cost of around $14, this trip is quite budget-friendly for a short excursion. Both your origin and destination are located within Pennsylvania's Northeast region, meaning you won't be crossing into different geographical areas. This route is ideal if you're looking for an efficient way to travel between these two points with minimal fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
42.9 miles from Shamokin, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 54m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 81
67.4 mi
1h 19m
PA 901
4.6 mi
8m
Sunbury Road
4.4 mi
5m
Locust Gap Highway
3.2 mi
3m
Fairgrounds Road
2.2 mi
2m
Mount Carmel Street
1.4 mi
1m
River Street
1 mi
1m
West Sunbury Street
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 67.4 mi, about 1h 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shamokin, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on PA 125
57 ft·9 sec·North Market Street
2
Turn left onto West Arch Street
17 ft·1 sec·West Arch Street
3
Turn slight left onto West Lincoln Street
74 ft·4 sec·West Lincoln Street
4
Turn left onto PA 125
0.2 mi·25 sec·North Market Street
5
At end of road, turn right onto PA 61
0.5 mi·43 sec·West Sunbury Street
6
Turn slight right onto PA 61
1.4 mi·1 min·Mount Carmel Street
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
8
Turn right onto PA 901
4.6 mi·8 min·PA 901
9
At end of road, turn right onto PA 54; PA 901
2.9 mi·3 min·Locust Gap Highway
10
Continue on PA 901
0.4 mi·41 sec·Locust Gap Highway
11
Continue on PA 901
2.2 mi·2 min·Fairgrounds Road
12
Continue on PA 901
4.4 mi·5 min·Sunbury Road
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
14
Merge onto I 81
67 mi·1 hr 19 min·I 81
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
16
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
17
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi·18 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
Cedar Avenue
Trip Plan
Given its short duration of under two hours, this 85.7-mile trip from Shamokin to Scranton offers a lot of flexibility. You can depart at your leisure, perhaps in the morning to maximize your time in Scranton or in the afternoon to avoid early traffic. With no mandated stops and a fuel cost estimated at $14, planning for fuel and rest breaks is simple; the longest stretch is on I-81, so keep an eye on your gauge before you embark on that significant portion. A practical tip: familiarize yourself with the transition from I-81 to PA-901 as you approach Scranton, as this is where the highway-focused profile begins to shift.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 42.9 miles from Shamokin, PA, or about 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 67.4 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 19 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 42.9 miles or 54m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Shamokin, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Shamokin, PA
This is one driving day of about 85.7 miles and 1h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Shamokin, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 67.4 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 85.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West Arch Street
Turn left onto West Arch Street
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|PA 125 / North Market Street
Turn left onto PA 125 / North Market Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|PA 61 / West Sunbury Street
At end of road, turn right onto PA 61 / West Sunbury Street
Navigation decision point
5
7 mi into trip|~11m in|PA 54; PA 901 / Locust Gap Highway
At end of road, turn right onto PA 54; PA 901 / Locust Gap Highway
Navigation decision point
7
85.5 mi into trip|~1h 46m 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
$14.21 one way
$28.42 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg30 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$15.56
$31.12
premium
$4.93
$16.62
$33.24
diesel
$5.61
$18.92
$37.84
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
25.7
0
$9.00
$4.11
Efficient EV
21.4
0
$7.50
$3.43
EV Truck/SUV
34.3
0
$12.00
$5.48
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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 Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Shamokin, PA
Afternoon
in Shamokin on Sunday
Local time
2:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Afternoon
in City of Scranton on Sunday
Local time
2:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Partly Cloudy
E 2 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
11 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
1h 46m 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.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
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...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
Free
near mile 14.8
Park Closure: List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene
Caution: Black Bears Frequenting the McAfee Knob Area in Virginia
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this 85.7-mile drive, with 84% of the route utilizing major roadways like I-81. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is a significant 67.4 miles on I-81, offering a consistent pace. While much of the drive maintains highway speeds, you'll also navigate sections of PA-901 and Sunbury Road, which may introduce slightly more varied driving conditions. This blend means you'll experience both the efficiency of interstate travel and the nuances of state roads as you progress toward Scranton.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 67.4 mi on I 81.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and PA 901. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Arch Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 46m 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 (West Arch Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (PA 125 / North Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (PA 61 / West Sunbury Street): Navigation decision point.
The longest stretch is about 67.4 miles on I 81. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Arch Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (PA 125 / North Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (PA 61 / West Sunbury Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Appalachian National Scenic Trail. 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 City of Scranton, PA before heading back.
