Origin
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Morning in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday
Local time
6:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wilkes-Barre, PA to City of Scranton, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
19.1 mi
31 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Wikimedia Commons
City of Scranton, PA
Michael Taccetta
Trip Overview
This short, 19.1-mile drive from Wilkes-Barre to Scranton, Pennsylvania, can easily be completed in about 27 minutes, making it a perfect option for a quick transit or a day trip. The route primarily utilizes major highways, with 78% of the journey on the interstate. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $3, this is a very budget-friendly trip. Since it's a straightforward and brief drive within the Northeast region of PA, you won't need an overnight stay. This route is ideal for those looking for efficiency and ease of travel between these two cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 13.3 mi | 15m |
| North Cross Valley Expressway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Wilkes-Barre Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| River Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East North Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| PA 115 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Scott Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 13.3 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wilkes-Barre, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on Public Square
139 ft
·
6 sec
·
Public Square
2
Continue on North Main Street
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
North Main Street
3
Turn right onto East North Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
East North Street
4
Continue on Scott Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Scott Street
5
Turn left onto Wilkes-Barre Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Wilkes-Barre Boulevard
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
7
Merge onto PA 309
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Cross Valley Expressway
8
Continue on PA 115
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
PA 115
9
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
10
Merge onto I 81
13 mi
·
15 min
·
I 81
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward PA 307
12
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
River Street
13
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
Cedar Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 18.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East North Street
Turn right onto East North Street
Navigation decision point
3
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Wilkes-Barre Boulevard
Turn left onto Wilkes-Barre Boulevard
Navigation decision point
3
2.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
PA 309 / North Cross Valley Expressway
Merge onto PA 309 / North Cross Valley Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
17.8 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward PA 307
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward PA 307
7
18.9 mi into trip
|
~27m 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
$3.17 one way
$6.33 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.47 | $6.94 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.70 | $7.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.22 | $8.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.7 | 0 | $2.01 | $0.92 |
| Efficient EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.67 | $0.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.67 | $1.22 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Morning in City of Scranton on Sunday
Local time
6:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Patchy Fog
W 3 mph
13% chance
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
27m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of this 19.1-mile trip, as 78% of the drive is on major interstates. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 13.3 miles on I-81, offering a consistent pace. You'll navigate via I-81, the North Cross Valley Expressway, and Wilkes-Barre Boulevard. The character of the drive is largely dictated by these main arteries, providing a straightforward, albeit not particularly scenic, journey between Wilkes-Barre and Scranton.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on I 81.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and North Cross Valley Expressway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near East North Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 27m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (East North Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (Wilkes-Barre Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (PA 309 / North Cross Valley Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
About the Cities
Starting in Wilkes-Barre, PA
Full guide →Wilkes-Barre (the last part is variously pronounced "Berry", "Bury", "Bare", or "Berrah" by locals, and "Barry" or "Barr" by others) is a city of 41,000 people (2018) in Northeastern Pennsylvania, approximately 20 miles southwest of Scranton. The city is named for John Wilkes and Isaac Barre, both of whom were members of the British Parliament who opposed royal rule of the colonies. Although the city is named after them, neither one ever set foot in North America.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 19.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.3 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: at 0.4 miles (East North Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (Wilkes-Barre Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (PA 309 / North Cross Valley Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at City of Scranton, PA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From City of Scranton, PA
More from Wilkes-Barre, PA
More trips to City of Scranton, PA
Explore more options from Wilkes-Barre, PA or browse trips ending in City of Scranton, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.