Origin
Brighton, NY
Night in Brighton on Friday
Local time
11:34 PM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brighton, NY to Amherst, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 27m
Distance
70.7 mi
114 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 21m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brighton, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Amherst, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Brighton, NY to Amherst, NY covers 70.7 miles and takes about 1h 27m 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, Genesee Expressway, North Winton Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 57.4 miles on New York State Thruway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.64 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Arriving in Amherst, NY
Full guide →Amherst is a town in the Northtowns of Erie County, New York.
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 1h 27m. Total distance: 70.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 27m drive with frequent turns across 70.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 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 57.4 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 early in the drive near Halstead Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.7 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: near the start (Halstead Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 3.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Halstead Street
Turn sharp right onto Halstead Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
7
3.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward I 390 South, I 90: Corning
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 390 South, I 90: Corning
8
9.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 90 West: Buffalo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo
7
67.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
Take the exit toward I 290: Niagara Falls
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50
Toward I 290: Niagara Falls
8
69.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
Take the exit toward NY 324, NY 240: Sheridan Drive, Harlem Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6
Toward NY 324, NY 240: Sheridan Drive, Harlem R...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Thruway | 57.4 mi | 1h 6m |
| Genesee Expressway | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| North Winton Road | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Youngmann Expressway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Sheridan Drive | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Outer Loop | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Halstead Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Millersport Highway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 57.4 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brighton, NY and Amherst, NY.
1
Start on this road
177 ft
·
18 sec
·
this road
2
Turn sharp right onto Halstead Street
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
·
Halstead Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto North Winton Road
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
North Winton Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 590 South, I 390
5
Merge onto I 590
0.6 mi
·
46 sec
·
Outer Loop
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 390 South, I 90: Corning
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 390
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Genesee Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 12B
Toward I 90: New York State Thruway
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 12B
Toward I 90: New York Thruway
10
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
6 sec
·
this road
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 90
57 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
·
New York State Thruway
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 50
Toward I 290: Niagara Falls
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 290
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Youngmann Expressway
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 6
Toward NY 324, NY 240: Sheridan Drive, Harlem Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn left onto NY 324
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Sheridan Drive
Use the left / right lanes.
17
Turn left onto NY 263
469 ft
·
13 sec
·
Millersport Highway
Use the left lane.
18
Arrive at destination
NY 263
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 35.4 mi from Brighton, NY · 45m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.4 miles from Brighton, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Amherst, NY
The final approach into Amherst, 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
$11.64 one way
$23.28 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $12.58 | $25.17 |
| premium | $4.92 | $13.70 | $27.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.61 | $31.22 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.87
New York State Thruway
(57.4 mi)
$2.87
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Tolls
$3
Total
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.2 | 0 | $7.42 | $3.39 |
| Efficient EV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.19 | $2.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.3 | 0 | $9.90 | $4.52 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Amherst, NY
Night in Amherst on Friday
Local time
11:34 PM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
58°F
Byron, NY
35 mi in
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 27m 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 Brighton, NY to Amherst, NY covers 70.7 miles and takes about 1h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are New York State Thruway, Genesee Expressway, North Winton Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.4 miles from Brighton, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.64 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 70.7 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: near the start (Halstead Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 3.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Brighton, NY to Amherst, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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