Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
59.6 mi
96 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethel, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Albany to Bethel is 59.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 24 minutes via State Highway 82, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, traveling from the Northeast region to the Northeast. You'll experience a mixed drive, offering a good balance of highway speeds and more local road exploration. It's a straightforward journey, perfect for a single-day excursion without feeling rushed. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to travel between these two points within the state.
Founded 1686
Albany is the capital of New York. Albany is an interesting showcase of several centuries' worth of architectural styles, including the modernistic Empire State Plaza.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 59.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
This drive offers a mixed profile, with about 41% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 19.6 miles on State Highway 82, providing a consistent pace for a good portion of the trip. The road's character shifts, beginning with elements of highway travel before transitioning to more varied local road conditions. Expect a dynamic driving experience that keeps things interesting without demanding constant attention. It's not a monotonous interstate cruise, nor is it a winding, technical backroad adventure.
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 early in the drive near NY 5 / Washington Avenue.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.6 miles you will encounter 17 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 (NY 5 / Washington Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (NY 32 / North Pearl Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto NY 5 / Washington Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto NY 32 / North Pearl Street
Navigation decision point
Keep slight left at fork toward I 787 North: Troy
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward I 90: Buffalo, Boston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 90 East: Boston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 82 | 19.6 mi | 27m |
| NY 9H | 18.8 mi | 26m |
| Patroon Island Bridge | 12.8 mi | 14m |
| US 9 | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Hammertown Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Sn Fri Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| I 787 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Pearl Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Albany, NY and Bethel, NY.
Start on this road
Turn right onto NY 5
Turn left onto Eagle Street
Turn slight right onto Pine Street
Turn left onto NY 32
Turn right onto US 9
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 787
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 90
Take the exit
Turn right onto US 9
Enter roundabout onto NY 9H
Continue on NY 9H
Turn left onto NY 82
Continue on NY 82
At end of road, turn right onto NY 82; NY 199
Turn left onto CR 70
At end of road, turn left onto CR 83
Turn sharp right
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 29.8 mi from Albany, NY · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 29.8 miles from Albany, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Bethel, NY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$9.81 one way
$19.62 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $10.61 | $21.22 |
| premium | $4.92 | $11.55 | $23.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.16 | $26.32 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.8 | 0 | $8.34 | $3.81 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Albany on Saturday
Local time
12:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Afternoon in Bethel on Saturday
Local time
12:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Partly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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