Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 48m
Distance
420.8 mi
677 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$69
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
Smithtown, NY
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Amherst, NY to Smithtown, NY covers 420.8 miles and takes about 8h 48m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on New York State Thruway, I 81, Keystone Shortway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 99.4 miles on New York State Thruway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $69.27 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
210.4 miles from Amherst, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 26m into the drive .
Expect a 8h 48m drive with frequent turns across 420.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
2,527 ft
Total Descent
3,070 ft
Highest Point
1,909 ft
~270.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,855 ft
Notable High Points
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.1 miles in.
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 41 significant decision points across 420.8 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 253.4 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 East: Albany
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6 toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Leonia, Teaneck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Amherst, NY and Smithtown, NY, road signs point toward Clyde, Mt Pocono, Milford, New York City, Leonia and Teaneck - among others.
Clyde
Mt Pocono
Milford
New York City
Leonia
Teaneck
George Washington Bridge Upper Level
Eastern Long Island
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Thruway | 99.4 mi | 1h 54m |
| I 81 | 98.8 mi | 1h 57m |
| Keystone Shortway | 80 mi | 1h 37m |
| I 380 | 23.6 mi | 25m |
| Long Island Expressway | 14.2 mi | 19m |
| Northern State Parkway | 13.7 mi | 18m |
| East Lake Road | 9.9 mi | 14m |
| State Highway 41 | 9.8 mi | 13m |
Step-by-step road directions between Amherst, NY and Smithtown, NY.
Start on NY 263
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 290
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 90
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on NY 414
Turn left onto NY 318
At end of road, turn left onto US 20; NY 5
Continue on US 20; NY 5
Turn right onto State Street
Turn left onto Dill Street
Continue on Loop Road
Turn left onto Genesee Street
Continue on US 20
Turn right onto NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Turn right onto NY 281
Take the ramp
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 81
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6
Continue on I 84; I 380
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Turn right
Turn straight onto CR 56
Continue on CR 56
Continue on CR 56
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 1; US 9; US 46
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
Continue on I 95; US 1
Continue on I 95; US 1
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295
Merge onto I 295
Continue on I 295
Continue on I 295
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Merge onto N
Take the exit
Merge onto SA
Continue on SM
Take the exit
Turn slight right onto NY 25
Continue on NY 25; NY 25A
Arrive at destination
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.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 93 miles or 1h 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 210.4 miles or 4h 26m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 210.4 miles or 4h 26m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Smithtown, NY than in the middle of the route.
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.
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Amherst, NY
Aim for roughly 210 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Smithtown, NY
Aim for roughly 210 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 210.4 mi from Amherst, NY · 4h 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
210 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Ramapo, NYNight 1
210 mi · about 4.4h in
A practical overnight split lands near Ramapo, NY after about 210 miles or 4.4 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 93 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 210.4 miles from Amherst, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before New York State Thruway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.4 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 210 miles or 4.4 hours on the road.
The final approach into Smithtown, 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 Smithtown, NY.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Smithtown, NY with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$69.27 one way
$138.53 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $74.90 | $149.80 |
| premium | $4.92 | $81.56 | $163.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $92.91 | $185.81 |
Estimated Tolls: $27.79
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
$69
Tolls
$28
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$227–$337
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 147.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $44 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 126.2 | 1 | $44.18 | $20.20 |
| Efficient EV | 105.2 | 1 | $36.82 | $16.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 168.3 | 2 | $58.91 | $26.93 |
Gas CO2
147 kg
EV CO2
49 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Amherst on Friday
Local time
7:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Morning in Smithtown on Friday
Local time
7:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
57°F
Ramapo, NY
210 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Elevation is sampled from USGS 3DEP. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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