West Goshen, PA to Scranton, PA is 131.2 miles and takes about 2h 34m via Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and I-81, with a fuel budget near $22 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a highway-focused journey, making it a straightforward option for a single-day trip. With a recommended single day for completion, you'll find this route is designed for efficient travel.
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
65.6 miles from West Goshen, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Given the relatively short duration of 2 hours and 34 minutes, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. Aim to depart in the morning to take full advantage of daylight and minimize traffic. The longest uninterrupted stretch is over 94 miles, so plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly, perhaps before embarking on this longer segment. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $22, this route offers flexibility for when you choose to leave and how often you pull over.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 65.6 miles from West Goshen, PA, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 94.3 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 29 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 65.6 miles or 1h 19m 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 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
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Open the route before leaving West Goshen, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
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Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
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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 West Goshen, PA
This is one driving day of about 131.2 miles and 2h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from West Goshen, 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 Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension for about 94.3 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 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 25.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in
Take the exit toward US 322 West, US 202 North: King of Prussia, Downingtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 322 West, US 202 North: King of Pruss...
7
16.9 mi into trip|~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Mall Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Mall Boulevard
7
17.1 mi into trip|~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 76 West: New Jersey, Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 76 West: New Jersey, Harrisburg
8
17.6 mi into trip|~25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 276 East: Allentown, New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 276 East: Allentown, New York City
7
25.2 mi into trip|~33m in
Take the exit toward I 476 North: Northeast Extension, Allentown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 476 North: Northeast Extension, Allent...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.75 one way
$43.50 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg46 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$23.82
$47.65
premium
$4.93
$25.44
$50.89
diesel
$5.61
$28.97
$57.93
Estimated Tolls: $13.21
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(101.6 mi)$13.21
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Tolls
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
39.4
0
$13.78
$6.30
Efficient EV
32.8
0
$11.48
$5.25
EV Truck/SUV
52.5
0
$18.37
$8.40
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
15 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 15, 2026
Origin
West Goshen, PA
Late night
in West Goshen on Sunday
Local time
4:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Late night
in Scranton on Sunday
Local time
4:02 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
13 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
2h 34m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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.
Valley Forge National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Valley Forge is the place where George Washington and the Continental Army took refuge during the winter of 1777-1778. Today the park protects 3,500 acres of meadows, woodlands, historic landscapes, a...
Famous as the First State to ratify the Constitution, Delaware was born out of a conflict among three world powers for dominance of the Delaware Valley. From this beginning, the region developed a dis...
The park represents the founding ideals of the nation, and preserves national and international symbols of freedom and democracy, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The Declaration of I...
Visit the house where wounded Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko lived and hear how this brilliant military engineer designed successful fortifications during the American Revolution. See the...
14 mi from route
~36 min detour
Free
near mile 22.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 84% of the route utilizing major highways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 94.3 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, offering a consistent, high-speed experience. The journey transitions to I-81, maintaining a similar highway character for the remainder of the trip. Expect a driving experience characterized by smooth, uninterrupted travel on well-maintained expressways.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 94.3 mi on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and West Chester Bypass. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 131.2 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 0.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.1 miles: 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.
Between West Goshen, PA and Scranton, PA, road signs point toward Harrisburg, New York City and Allentown.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 34m. Total distance: 131.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 94.3 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $13.21 in tolls one way, starting with Pennsylvania Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 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 0.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Valley Forge National Historical Park, First State National Historical Park and Independence National Historical Park (4 total within detour distance). 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 Scranton, PA before heading back.
