Origin
Babylon, NY
Afternoon in Babylon on Saturday
Local time
3:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Babylon, NY to Nelson, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 54m
Distance
272.2 mi
438 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$45
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 41m
★
6 AM
5h 54m
8 AM
6h 20m
10 AM
6h 3m
12 PM
6h 1m
3 PM
6h 4m
5 PM
6h 19m
8 PM
5h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Babylon, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Nelson, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Babylon, NY to Nelson, NY covers 272.2 miles and takes about 5h 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Main Street, Little East Neck Road North, Farmingdale Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $44.81 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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
136.1 miles from Babylon, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 57m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Main Street | — | — |
| Little East Neck Road North | — | — |
| Farmingdale Road | — | — |
| SO West | — | — |
| Southern State Parkway | — | — |
| Cross Island Parkway North | — | — |
| Cross Island Parkway | — | — |
| NY 24 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Main Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Babylon, NY and Nelson, NY.
1
Start on South Carll Avenue
69 ft
·
11 sec
·
South Carll Avenue
2
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Main Street
3
Turn right onto Little East Neck Road North
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Little East Neck Road North
4
Continue on Farmingdale Road
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Farmingdale Road
5
Take the ramp slight right toward SO West: New York
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
SO West: New York
6
Merge slight left onto Southern State Parkway
18 mi
·
22 min
·
Southern State Parkway
7
Take the exit slight right toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
8
Merge slight left onto Cross Island Parkway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Cross Island Parkway
9
Take the exit slight right toward NY 24: UBS Arena-Belmont Park
318 ft
·
9 sec
·
NY 24: UBS Arena-Belmont Park
10
Keep slight left to continue on NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
436 ft
·
12 sec
·
NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
11
Keep slight right to continue on Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West
12
Keep slight right to continue on Hempstead Avenue West
266 ft
·
8 sec
·
Hempstead Avenue West
13
Continue on Grandstand, Hempstead Avenue West
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Grandstand, Hempstead Avenue West
14
Keep slight left to continue on Hempstead Avenue
102 ft
·
5 sec
·
Hempstead Avenue
15
Turn right onto Hempstead Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Hempstead Avenue
16
Turn left onto Jamaica Avenue
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Jamaica Avenue
17
Turn right onto 212th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
212th Street
18
Continue on Clearview Expressway
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Clearview Expressway
19
Continue on Throgs Neck Bridge
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Throgs Neck Bridge
20
Continue on Throgs Neck Expressway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Throgs Neck Expressway
21
Keep slight left to continue on Cross Bronx Expressway
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
22
Keep slight left to continue on Trans-Manhattan Expressway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Trans-Manhattan Expressway
23
Continue on George Washington Bridge (upper level)
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
24
Continue straight
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
25
Keep slight left
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
26
Keep slight left
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
27
Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
28
Keep slight right to continue on NJ 4 West: Paramus
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
NJ 4 West: Paramus
29
Merge slight right
6.7 mi
·
9 min
30
Take the exit straight toward GSP South, NJ 17 South, GSP North, NJ 17 North: Grand State Plaza, Newark, Mahwah
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
GSP South, NJ 17 South, GSP North, NJ 17 North: Grand State Plaza, Newark, Mahwah
31
Keep slight right to continue on NJ 17 North: Mahwah
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
NJ 17 North: Mahwah
32
Merge slight left
3.3 mi
·
4 min
33
Continue straight
7.3 mi
·
9 min
34
Continue straight
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
35
Continue straight
3.3 mi
·
4 min
36
Continue straight
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
37
Keep slight left to continue on I 87 North, NY 17 North, New York State Thruway North: Albany
14 mi
·
16 min
·
I 87 North, NY 17 North, New York State Thruway North: Albany
38
Take the exit slight right toward US 6, NY 17: Harriman
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
US 6, NY 17: Harriman
39
Continue straight
151 ft
·
4 sec
40
Keep slight left to continue on NY 17 West: Binghamton
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
·
NY 17 West: Binghamton
41
Continue straight
105 mi
·
2 hr 11 min
42
Take the exit slight right toward NY 8, NY 10: Deposit, Walton
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
NY 8, NY 10: Deposit, Walton
43
Turn right onto State Highway 10
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
State Highway 10
44
Continue on Oak Street
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
Oak Street
45
Turn straight onto State Highway 8
19 mi
·
21 min
·
State Highway 8
46
Continue on Airport Road
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
Airport Road
47
Continue on State Highway 8
18 mi
·
20 min
·
State Highway 8
48
Turn left onto West Street
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
West Street
49
Turn right onto North Broad Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Broad Street
50
Continue on State Highway 12
10 mi
·
15 min
·
State Highway 12
51
Continue on South Main Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
52
Continue on State Highway 12B
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
State Highway 12B
53
Continue on South Main Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
54
Continue on State Route 12B
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
State Route 12B
55
Continue on Broad Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Broad Street
56
Continue on Utica Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Utica Street
57
Continue on State Route 12B
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
State Route 12B
58
Continue on State Route 46
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
State Route 46
59
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
60
Turn straight
11 mi
·
15 min
61
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 136.1 miles from Babylon, NY, or about 2h 57m into the drive.
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 60 miles or 1h 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 136.1 miles or 2h 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Nelson, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Babylon, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Babylon, NY
This is one driving day of about 272.2 miles and 5h 54m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Babylon, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
136 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 60 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 136.1 miles from Babylon, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.81 one way
$89.61 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
95 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $48.45 | $96.90 |
| premium | $4.92 | $52.76 | $105.52 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $60.10 | $120.20 |
Estimated Tolls: $29.10
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Whitestone Bridge
$6.55
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
New York State Thruway
$0.00
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
$45
Tolls
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$99–$124
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 95.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 81.7 | 1 | $28.58 | $13.07 |
| Efficient EV | 68.1 | 0 | $23.82 | $10.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 108.9 | 1 | $38.11 | $17.42 |
Gas CO2
95 kg
EV CO2
32 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.
Destination
Nelson, NY
Afternoon in Nelson on Saturday
Local time
3:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Ramapo, NY
136 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
8 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 54m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
272.2 mi in 5h 54m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
61 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: West Main Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 54m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Babylon, NY to Nelson, NY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Starting in Babylon, NY
Full guide →City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 54m. Total distance: 272.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Expect about $29.10 in tolls one way, starting with George Washington Bridge. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Babylon, NY to Nelson, NY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.9 hours each way, a round trip means 11.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Nelson, NY before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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