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Trip from Amherst, NY to Ontario County, NY

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 46m

Distance

88.4 mi

142 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 39m ★
6 AM
1h 47m
8 AM
2h 2m
10 AM
1h 52m
12 PM
1h 51m
3 PM
1h 53m
5 PM
2h 2m
8 PM
1h 42m

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

town in New York, United States

Amherst, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Ontario County, NY, NY

Ontario County, NY

Abhishek Navlakha

Trip Overview

The drive from Amherst, NY to Ontario County, NY covers 88.4 miles and takes about 1h 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on New York State Thruway, Rochester Road, Youngmann Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 72.7 miles on New York State Thruway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.55 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

44.2 miles from Amherst, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 46m. Total distance: 88.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (3%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 46m drive with frequent turns across 88.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
New York State Thruway is the longest continuous segment at about 72.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in.

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 1h 46m drive. You will face about 8 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: Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 76.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

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

3
0.4 mi into trip | ~0m in

Take the ramp toward I 290 E

Navigation decision point

Toward I 290 E
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
5
76.4 mi into trip | ~1h 29m in

Take the exit toward NY 332: Canandaigua

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 44 Toward NY 332: Canandaigua
4
85.5 mi into trip | ~1h 41m in | Bristol Street

Turn right onto Bristol Street

Navigation decision point

4
88.4 mi into trip | ~1h 46m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
New York State Thruway 72.7 mi 1h 24m
Rochester Road 6.9 mi 8m
Youngmann Expressway 2.4 mi 3m
Middle Cheshire Road 1.7 mi 2m
North Main Street 1.6 mi 1m
Bristol Street 0.9 mi 1m
Millersport Highway 0.4 mi <1m
West Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: New York State Thruway — 72.7 mi, about 1h 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Amherst, NY and Ontario County, 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

73 mi · 1 hr 24 min · New York State Thruway
6

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 44 Toward NY 332: Canandaigua
7

Continue on NY 332

6.9 mi · 8 min · Rochester Road
8

Continue on NY 332

1.6 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
9

Turn right onto Bristol Street

0.9 mi · 1 min · Bristol Street
10

Turn left onto West Street

0.3 mi · 32 sec · West Street
11

Continue on Middle Cheshire Road

1.7 mi · 2 min · Middle Cheshire Road
12

Turn right

138 ft · 10 sec
13

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 44.2 miles from Amherst, NY, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.7 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 19 miles or 23m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 44.2 miles or 52m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 28m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ontario County, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Amherst, NY

This is one driving day of about 88.4 miles and 1h 46m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Amherst, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on New York State Thruway for about 72.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 44.2 mi from Amherst, NY · 52m into the drive

capital and largest city of Latvia

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Riga, NY

44 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

Alabama, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Le Roy, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 44.2 miles from Amherst, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before New York State Thruway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 72.7 miles.

Arriving in Ontario County, NY

The final approach into Ontario County, 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

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...

24 mi from route ~59 min detour Free near mile 85.3
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.55 one way

$29.10 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 31 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $15.73 $31.47
premium $4.92 $17.13 $34.27
diesel $5.61 $19.52 $39.04

Estimated Tolls: $3.63

New York State Thruway (72.7 mi) $3.63

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

$15

Tolls

$4

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$43–$68

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 30.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 26.5 0 $9.28 $4.24
Efficient EV 22.1 0 $7.74 $3.54
EV Truck/SUV 35.4 0 $12.38 $5.66

Gas CO2

31 kg

EV CO2

10 kg (68% 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

Amherst, NY

Evening in Amherst on Thursday

Local time

7:03 PM

EDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Ontario County, NY

Evening in Ontario County on Thursday

Local time

7:03 PM

EDT

Current temp

37°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

43°F

Riga, NY

44 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.

Temperature spread

7 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

1h 46m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Amherst, NY to Ontario County, NY covers 88.4 miles and takes about 1h 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are New York State Thruway, Rochester Road, Youngmann Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 44.2 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 $14.55 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 1h 46m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 76.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Amherst, NY to Ontario County, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Women's Rights National Historical Park.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Ontario County, NY to Amherst, NY

Plan the drive back the other way.

88.1 mi 1h 46m

Explore more options from Amherst, NY or browse trips ending in Ontario County, NY.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.

Explore maps for Amherst, NY or Ontario County, NY on MapSof.net.