Origin
Beacon, NY
Evening in Beacon on Wednesday
Local time
8:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Beacon, NY to West Albany, NY
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 57m
Distance
95.9 mi
154 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 49m
★
6 AM
1h 58m
8 AM
2h 15m
10 AM
2h 4m
12 PM
2h 2m
3 PM
2h 5m
5 PM
2h 14m
8 PM
1h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Beacon, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
West Albany, NY
Connor Scott McManus
Trip Overview
The drive from Beacon, NY to West Albany, NY covers 95.9 miles and takes about 1h 57m 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, I 84, I 787 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 81.4 miles on New York State Thruway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.79 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.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
48 miles from Beacon, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 59m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 57m drive with frequent turns across 95.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 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 81.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 1.3 miles in.
Route Complexity
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 95.9 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 88.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 84 West, NY 52 West: Newburgh Beacon Bridge, Newburgh
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 84 West, NY 52 West: Newburgh Beacon B...
8
6.2 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 87: New York City, Albany, New York State Thruway
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 36A
Toward I 87: New York City, Albany, New York St...
8
88.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 46m in
Take the exit toward I 787, US 9W: Albany, Troy
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 23
Toward I 787, US 9W: Albany, Troy
8
91.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 51m in
Take the exit toward I 90: Buffalo, Boston
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 5
Toward I 90: Buffalo, Boston
7
92.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 51m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 West: Buffalo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Beacon, NY and West Albany, NY, road signs point toward Albany, New York State Thruway and Troy.
Albany
6.2 mi in
|
~10m
New York State Thruway
6.2 mi in
|
~10m
Troy
88.6 mi in
|
~1h 46m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Thruway | 81.4 mi | 1h 33m |
| I 84 | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| I 787 | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| I 90 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| North Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Exchange Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Everett Road Extension | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 81.4 mi, about 1h 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Beacon, NY and West Albany, NY.
1
Start on NY 52 Bus
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto NY 9D; NY 52 Bus
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Avenue
3
Continue on NY 9D; NY 52 Bus
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 84 West, NY 52 West: Newburgh Beacon Bridge, Newburgh
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 84; NY 52
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
I 84; NY 52
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 36A
Toward I 87: New York City, Albany, New York State Thruway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Continue on this road
427 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 87 North: Albany
9
Merge onto I 87
81 mi
·
1 hr 33 min
·
New York State Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 23
Toward I 787, US 9W: Albany, Troy
Use the slight right lane.
11
Continue on I 787
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
I 787
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 5
Toward I 90: Buffalo, Boston
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo
Use the slight left lane.
14
Merge onto I 90
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 5
Toward Everett Road
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn right onto Everett Road Extension
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Everett Road Extension
17
Turn right onto Exchange Street
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Exchange Street
18
Turn left onto Sand Creek Road
71 ft
·
2 sec
·
Sand Creek Road
19
Arrive at destination
Sand Creek Road
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 48 miles from Beacon, NY, or about 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 81.4 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 21 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 48 miles or 59m 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near West Albany, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Beacon, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Beacon, NY
This is one driving day of about 95.9 miles and 1h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Beacon, 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 81.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 48 mi from Beacon, NY · 59m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
48 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 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 48 miles from Beacon, 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 81.4 miles.
Arriving in West Albany, NY
The final approach into West Albany, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.79 one way
$31.57 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
34 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $17.07 | $34.14 |
| premium | $4.92 | $18.59 | $37.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $21.17 | $42.35 |
Estimated Tolls: $4.07
New York State Thruway
(81.4 mi)
$4.07
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
$16
Tolls
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 28.8 | 0 | $10.07 | $4.60 |
| Efficient EV | 24 | 0 | $8.39 | $3.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 38.4 | 0 | $13.43 | $6.14 |
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Destination
West Albany, NY
Evening in West Albany on Wednesday
Local time
8:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Chance Rain Showers
SW 14 to 20 mph
54% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 13 at 12:55AM EDT until April 13 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Burlington VT
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 12:22AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
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
1h 57m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Beacon, NY to West Albany, NY covers 95.9 miles and takes about 1h 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are New York State Thruway, I 84, I 787. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 48 miles from Beacon, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.79 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 95.9 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 88.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Beacon, NY and West Albany, NY, road signs point toward Albany, New York State Thruway and Troy.
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