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Trip from Amherst, NY to Beacon, NY

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

7h 3m

Distance

331.4 mi

533 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$55

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min
4 AM
6h 52m ★
6 AM
7h 3m
8 AM
7h 26m
10 AM
7h 11m
12 PM
7h 9m
3 PM
7h 12m
5 PM
7h 25m
8 PM
6h 57m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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town in New York, United States

Amherst, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Beacon, NY, NY

Beacon, NY

Renan Tagliaferro

Trip Overview

The drive from Amherst, NY to Beacon, NY covers 331.4 miles and takes about 7h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 86, New York State Thruway, I 81 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 105.3 miles on I 86. At current regular gas prices, budget about $54.55 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

165.7 miles from Amherst, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 32m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 3m. Total distance: 331.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

7h 3m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from Amherst, NY to Beacon, NY covers 331.4 miles and takes about 7h 3m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 39 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 86 is the longest continuous segment at about 105.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

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 3.1 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 25 significant decision points across 331.4 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 3.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 103.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 153.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 25 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

8
3.1 mi into trip | ~4m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 East: Albany

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 1-49 Toward I 90 East: Albany
8
103.1 mi into trip | ~2h in

Take the exit toward NY 414: Waterloo, Clyde

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 41 Toward NY 414: Waterloo, Clyde
6
153.7 mi into trip | ~3h 17m in

Take the ramp

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
305.3 mi into trip | ~6h 25m in

Take the exit toward NY 17K: Bloomingburg, Montgomery

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 116 Toward NY 17K: Bloomingburg, Montgomery
6
329.8 mi into trip | ~6h 59m in

Take the exit toward NY 9D: Beacon, Wappingers Falls

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 41 Toward NY 9D: Beacon, Wappingers Falls

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Amherst, NY and Beacon, NY, road signs point toward Clyde, New York and Montgomery.

Clyde

103.1 mi in | ~2h

New York

200 mi in | ~4h 13m | via I 86; NY 17

Montgomery

305.3 mi in | ~6h 25m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 86 105.3 mi 2h 11m
New York State Thruway 99.4 mi 1h 54m
I 81 45.4 mi 54m
State Highway 17K 16.4 mi 22m
East Lake Road 9.9 mi 14m
State Highway 41 9.8 mi 13m
Clark Street Road 9.6 mi 11m
I 84 6.8 mi 8m
Longest stretch: I 86 — 105.3 mi, about 2h 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Amherst, NY and Beacon, NY.

1

Start on NY 263

0.4 mi · 50 sec · Millersport Highway
2

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward I 290 E
3

Merge onto I 290

2.4 mi · 3 min · Youngmann Expressway
4

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 57 sec
Exit 1-49 Toward I 90 East: Albany Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
5

Merge onto I 90

99 mi · 1 hr 54 min · New York State Thruway
6

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 58 sec
Exit 41 Toward NY 414: Waterloo, Clyde Use the slight right lane.
7

Keep slight right at fork

327 ft · 7 sec
8

Continue on NY 414

0.3 mi · 35 sec · State Route 414
9

Turn left onto NY 318

4.1 mi · 7 min · NY 318
Use the left lane.
10

At end of road, turn left onto US 20; NY 5

1.9 mi · 2 min · Auburn Road
11

Continue on US 20; NY 5

9.6 mi · 11 min · Clark Street Road
Use the straight lane.
12

Turn right onto State Street

226 ft · 12 sec · State Street
13

Turn left onto Dill Street

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Dill Street
14

Continue on Loop Road

458 ft · 16 sec · Loop Road
15

Turn left onto Genesee Street

5.5 mi · 9 min · Genesee Street
16

Continue on US 20

2.2 mi · 4 min · West Genesee Street Road
17

Turn right onto NY 41

0.5 mi · 45 sec · East Lake Street
18

Continue on NY 41

9.4 mi · 13 min · East Lake Road
19

Continue on NY 41

4.8 mi · 7 min · State Route 41
20

Continue on NY 41

0.5 mi · 49 sec · East Lake Road
21

Continue on NY 41

9.8 mi · 13 min · State Highway 41
22

Turn right onto NY 281

1.2 mi · 2 min · North West Street
23

Take the ramp

0.7 mi · 1 min
Use the left lane.
24

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Toward I 81 South: Binghamton
25

Merge onto I 81

45 mi · 54 min · I 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26

Keep slight left at fork onto I 86; NY 17

105 mi · 2 hr 11 min · I 86; NY 17
Toward New York
27

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Exit 116 Toward NY 17K: Bloomingburg, Montgomery
28

Turn left onto NY 17K

10 mi · 14 min · State Highway 17K
29

Turn slight right onto NY 17K

243 ft · 4 sec · Ward's Bridge
30

Continue on NY 17K

0.7 mi · 1 min · Ward Street
31

Continue on NY 17K

6.2 mi · 8 min · State Highway 17K
32

Turn left

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Toward I 84 East: Newburgh Beacon Bridge
33

Merge onto I 84

6.8 mi · 8 min · I 84
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 41 Toward NY 9D: Beacon, Wappingers Falls
35

Continue on this road

0.1 mi · 18 sec · this road
Exit 41 Toward NY 9D: Beacon, Wappingers Falls
36

Turn right onto NY 9D; NY 52 Bus

0.1 mi · 16 sec · North Road
Use the right lane.
37

Continue on NY 9D; NY 52 Bus

0.6 mi · 1 min · North Avenue
38

Turn left onto NY 52 Bus

0.5 mi · 1 min · Main Street
Use the left lane.
39

Arrive at destination

NY 52 Bus

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 165.7 miles from Amherst, NY, or about 3h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 105.3 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 73 miles or 1h 25m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 165.7 miles or 3h 32m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 43m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Beacon, NY than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Amherst, NY 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.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Amherst, NY

This is one driving day of about 331.4 miles and 7h 3m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 73 miles from Amherst, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 86 for about 105.3 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 165.7 mi from Amherst, NY · 3h 32m into the drive

Downtown Union, NY, NY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Union, NY

166 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Auburn, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 73 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Union, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 165.7 miles from Amherst, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Beacon, NY

The final approach into Beacon, NY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Beacon, NY.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Harriet Tubman National Historical Park

Harriet Tubman National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Harriet Tubman was guided by a deep faith and devotion to family, freedom, and community. After emancipating herself and members of her family, she moved them from Ontario, Canada to Fleming and Aubur...

5 mi from route ~13 min detour Free near mile 114.3
View on nps.gov
Women's Rights National Historical Park

Women's Rights National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19-20, 1848. It is a story of struggles for civil rights, human r...

5 mi from route ~11 min detour Free near mile 102.8
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$54.55 one way

$109.10 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 116 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $58.99 $117.97
premium $4.92 $64.23 $128.46
diesel $5.61 $73.17 $146.34

Estimated Tolls: $4.97

New York State Thruway (99.4 mi) $4.97

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

$55

Tolls

$5

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$85–$110

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 116 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $35 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 99.4 1 $34.80 $15.91
Efficient EV 82.9 0 $29.00 $13.26
EV Truck/SUV 132.6 1 $46.40 $21.21

Gas CO2

116 kg

EV CO2

39 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 15, 2026

Origin

Amherst, NY

Evening in Amherst on Thursday

Local time

5:22 PM

EDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Beacon, NY

Evening in Beacon on Thursday

Local time

5:22 PM

EDT

Current temp

--

Unavailable

53°F

Union, NY

166 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.

Road read

7h 3m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Amherst, NY to Beacon, NY covers 331.4 miles and takes about 7h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 86, New York State Thruway, I 81. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 165.7 miles from Amherst, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $54.55 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 25 significant decision points across 331.4 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 103.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 153.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Between Amherst, NY and Beacon, NY, road signs point toward Clyde, New York and Montgomery.

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