Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
12.4 mi
20 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Amherst, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Grand Island, NY
Peter Olexa
The drive from Amherst, NY to Grand Island, NY covers 12.4 miles and takes about 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Youngmann Expressway, Niagara Thruway, Grand Island Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.8 miles on Youngmann Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.04 one way before food or hotel costs.
Amherst is a town in the Northtowns of Erie County, New York.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 19m. Total distance: 12.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
The drive from Amherst, NY to Grand Island, NY covers 12.4 miles and takes about 19m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
75 ft
Total Descent
85 ft
Highest Point
636 ft
~6.2 mi in
Elevation Range
60 ft
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 7.7 miles in near I 190 North / Niagara Falls.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 12.4 miles you will encounter 8 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: at 7.7 miles (I 190 North / Niagara Falls): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.7 miles (NY 324): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 10 miles (NY 324 / Grand Island Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Keep slight right at fork onto I 190 North / Niagara Falls toward I 190 North: Niagara Falls
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto NY 324 toward NY 324: Grand Is Blvd
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Enter roundabout onto NY 324 / Grand Island Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Turn right onto Homeland Drive
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Colonial Drive
Navigation decision point
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Youngmann Expressway | 6.8 mi | 9m |
| Niagara Thruway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Grand Island Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Baseline Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Millersport Highway | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| I 190 North / Niagara Falls | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| NY 324 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Colonial Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Amherst, NY and Grand Island, NY.
Start on NY 263
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 290
Keep slight right at fork onto I 190 North / Niagara Falls
Merge onto I 190
Take the exit onto NY 324
Enter roundabout onto NY 324
Continue on NY 324
Turn slight right onto Baseline Road
Turn right onto Homeland Drive
Turn right onto Colonial Drive
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$2.04 one way
$4.08 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.21 | $4.41 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.40 | $4.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.74 | $5.48 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.09
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.30 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.74 | $0.79 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Morning in Amherst on Saturday
Local time
9:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Grand Island on Saturday
Local time
9:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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