Tarentum, PA to the City of Scranton, PA is 277 miles and takes about 5h 25m via Keystone Shortway and I 81, with a fuel budget near $46 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. With a recommended one-day drive, you'll experience a mix of highway and surface roads. It's a straightforward option if you need to get between these two points efficiently.
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
138.5 miles from Tarentum, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
180.6 mi
3h 15m
PA 28
36.7 mi
54m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
Allegheny Valley Expressway
17.9 mi
20m
US 422
5.1 mi
6m
River Street
1 mi
1m
Bull Creek Road
0.5 mi
<1m
PA 28 Truck
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 180.6 mi, about 3h 15m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 52 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,076 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,513
Quietest
2 AM
~191 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Tarentum, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on East Street
194 ft·10 sec·East Street
2
Turn left onto West 7th Avenue
0.1 mi·22 sec·West 7th Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto PA 366; Red Belt
0.2 mi·30 sec·Ross Street
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on PA 366; Red Belt
0.5 mi·54 sec·Bull Creek Road
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·49 sec
Toward PA 28 North: KittanningUse the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto PA 28
18 mi·20 min·Allegheny Valley Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·52 sec
Toward US 422 East, PA 28 North: Kittanning, Indiana
8
Merge onto US 422; PA 28
5.1 mi·6 min·US 422; PA 28
9
Continue on PA 28; PA 66
37 mi·54 min·PA 28; PA 66
10
Take the ramp onto PA 28 Truck
0.4 mi·46 sec·PA 28 Truck
11
Merge onto I 80; PA 28 Truck
181 mi·3 hr 15 min·Keystone Shortway
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
13
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
15
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
16
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi·18 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Arrive at destination
Cedar Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 25m estimated drive time, leaving Tarentum in the morning should allow you to reach Scranton with plenty of daylight remaining. Plan for one stop along the way to break up the 277 miles; the longest stretch without a significant road change is 180.6 miles on the Keystone Shortway. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you approach the end of the Keystone Shortway, as services can be more spread out in those sections. The total fuel cost is estimated at $46, so budgeting for this is straightforward.
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 138.5 miles from Tarentum, PA, or about 2h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 180.6 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 61 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 138.5 miles or 2h 48m 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 24m
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 Tarentum, 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 Tarentum, PA
This is one driving day of about 277 miles and 5h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Tarentum, 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 180.6 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 276.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West 7th Avenue
Turn left onto West 7th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|PA 366; Red Belt / Ross Street
Turn left onto PA 366; Red Belt / Ross Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward PA 28 North: Kittanning
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward PA 28 North: Kittanning
6
19.2 mi into trip|~23m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 422 East, PA 28 North: Kittanning, Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 422 East, PA 28 North: Kittanning, In...
7
276.8 mi into trip|~5h 24m 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
$48.38 one way
$96.75 round trip
$4.44/gal25.4 MPG avg97 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.86
$52.97
$105.94
premium
$5.20
$56.67
$113.33
diesel
$6.28
$68.44
$136.89
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
83.1
1
$29.09
$13.30
Efficient EV
69.3
0
$24.24
$11.08
EV Truck/SUV
110.8
1
$38.78
$17.73
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Tarentum, PA
Morning
in Tarentum on Sunday
Local time
6:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Areas Of Frost then Sunny
N 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 10:42PM EDT until October 19 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS State College PA
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Morning
in City of Scranton on Sunday
Local time
6:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Sunny
N 0 to 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 10:42PM EDT until October 19 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS State College PA
39°F
Clearfield, PA
139 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
3 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
5h 25m 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?
About a third of this 277-mile drive is on highways, with the remaining portion on surface roads. You'll encounter a long stretch of 180.6 miles on the Keystone Shortway, which offers a more open cruising experience. Expect a mix of environments as you transition between the higher-speed sections and the more varied terrain of the surface roads.
33% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 180.6 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 7th Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
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 277 miles you will encounter 12 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: near the start (West 7th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (PA 366; Red Belt / Ross Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,597 ft535 ft
Total Climb
2,202 ft
Total Descent
2,258 ft
Highest Point
1,597 ft
~98.9 mi in
Elevation Range
1,062 ft
Notable High Points
1,480 ft at ~178.1 miles+753 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Tarentum, PA to City of Scranton, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Indiana along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 25m. Total distance: 277 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 180.6 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 32 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 route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at City of Scranton, 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 32 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 7th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (PA 366; Red Belt / Ross Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at City of Scranton, PA before the return drive.
