Trafford, PA to the City of Scranton, PA is 270.2 miles and takes about 5h 30m via Keystone Shortway, William Penn Highway, and I 99, with a fuel budget near $45 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you across Pennsylvania, keeping you within the Northeast region for both your departure and arrival. It's a drive that offers a mixed experience, so don't expect a purely interstate haul. With a recommended one-day duration, it's a solid option for a single-day journey across the state.
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
135.1 miles from Trafford, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 56m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
99.3 mi
1h 47m
William Penn Highway
58.3 mi
1h 19m
I 99
57.2 mi
1h 4m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
Admiral Peary Highway
13.7 mi
19m
Trafford Road
1.7 mi
4m
Murrysville Road
1.6 mi
3m
Harrison City Road
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 99.3 mi, about 1h 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Trafford, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on Duquesne Avenue
29 ft·1 sec·Duquesne Avenue
2
Turn slight right onto PA 130
0.2 mi·17 sec·Forest Avenue
3
Turn right onto PA 130
0.7 mi·1 min·7th Street
4
Continue on PA 130
1.4 mi·2 min·Harrison City Road
5
Turn left onto Murrysville Road
1.6 mi·3 min·Murrysville Road
6
Continue on Trafford Road
1.7 mi·4 min·Trafford Road
7
Continue on Mills Street
0.1 mi·14 sec·Mills Street
8
Turn right onto US 22
42 mi·1 hr·William Penn Highway
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on US 22
14 mi·19 min·Admiral Peary Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on US 22
17 mi·19 min·William Penn Highway
11
Continue on this road
0.5 mi·45 sec·this road
Toward I 99, US 220: Altoona, Bedford
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
13
Merge onto I 99; US 220
41 mi·44 min·I 99; US 220
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220; US 322
4.0 mi·4 min·I 99; US 220; US 322
Use the straight lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220
12 mi·14 min·I 99; US 220
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Bellefonte
16
Turn left
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward I 80 East, US 220 North: WilliamsportUse the left lane.
17
Merge onto I 80; US 220
99 mi·1 hr 47 min·Keystone Shortway
18
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
19
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
21
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
22
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi·18 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Arrive at destination
Cedar Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 30m estimated duration, leaving Trafford, PA in the morning should give you ample time to reach Scranton, PA before evening. The drive is manageable in one day, so you'll have flexibility with stops. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the 99.3-mile stretch on the Keystone Shortway, as services might be less frequent in certain sections. A good plan is to take a break about halfway through the journey to stretch your legs and refuel.
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 135.1 miles from Trafford, PA, or about 2h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.3 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 59 miles or 1h 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 135.1 miles or 2h 56m 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 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 Trafford, 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 Trafford, PA
This is one driving day of about 270.2 miles and 5h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 59 miles from Trafford, 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 99.3 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 78.1 and 270.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
78.1 mi into trip|~1h 52m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
6
120 mi into trip|~2h 38m in|I 99; US 220; US 322
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220; US 322
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
123.9 mi into trip|~2h 43m in|I 99; US 220
Keep slight left at fork onto I 99; US 220 toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Bellefonte
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Bellefonte
7
136.2 mi into trip|~2h 57m in
Turn left toward I 80 East, US 220 North: Williamsport
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 80 East, US 220 North: Williamsport
7
270.1 mi into trip|~5h 29m 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
$44.80 one way
$89.59 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg95 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$49.06
$98.12
premium
$4.93
$52.40
$104.80
diesel
$5.61
$59.66
$119.31
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 94.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
81.1
1
$28.37
$12.97
Efficient EV
67.6
0
$23.64
$10.81
EV Truck/SUV
108.1
1
$37.83
$17.29
Gas CO2
95 kg
EV CO2
32 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 Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Trafford, PA
Morning
in Trafford on Sunday
Local time
9:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Morning
in City of Scranton on Sunday
Local time
9:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°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
14 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
5h 30m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
National Memorial
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
Free
near mile 55.9
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
27 mi from route
~66 min detour
Free
near mile 46.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route presents a mixed drive, with about 33% of it on highways. You'll encounter stretches on the Keystone Shortway, William Penn Highway, and I 99, offering a variety of driving experiences. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 99.3 miles on the Keystone Shortway, so you'll have some extended periods of consistent travel. Expect the road to change character as you progress, moving between faster highway sections and potentially more varied road types.
33% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 99.3 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 78.1 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 270.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 78.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 120 miles (I 99; US 220; US 322): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 123.9 miles (I 99; US 220): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Trafford, PA to City of Scranton, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Bedford along the way.
Bedford
77.6 mi in|~1h 51m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 30m. Total distance: 270.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 99.3 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.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 78.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 120 miles (I 99; US 220; US 322): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 123.9 miles (I 99; US 220): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Johnstown Flood National Memorial and Flight 93 National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 11.0 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.
