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Trip from Buffalo, NY to Ontario County, NY

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

1h 56m

Distance

94.4 mi

152 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$16

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 48m ★
6 AM
1h 56m
8 AM
2h 13m
10 AM
2h 2m
12 PM
2h 0m
3 PM
2h 3m
5 PM
2h 12m
8 PM
1h 51m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Ontario County, NY, NY

Ontario County, NY

Abhishek Navlakha

Trip Overview

The drive from Buffalo, NY to Ontario County, NY covers 94.4 miles and takes about 1h 56m 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, Rochester Road, Kensington Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 74.2 miles on New York State Thruway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.54 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.

Midpoint

47.2 miles from Buffalo, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 58m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 56m. Total distance: 94.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (7%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 56m drive with frequent turns across 94.4 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 74.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Washington Street.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 94.4 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.3 miles (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (Elm Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | Washington Street

Turn left onto Washington Street

Navigation decision point

6
0.8 mi into trip | ~2m in | Elm Street

Turn left onto Elm Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
0.9 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the exit toward NY 33 East

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward NY 33 East
7
7.9 mi into trip | ~12m in

Take the exit toward I 90 East: Niagara Falls, Albany

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Toward I 90 East: Niagara Falls, Albany
5
8.2 mi into trip | ~13m in | I 90 / New York State Thruway

Merge onto I 90 / New York State Thruway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Buffalo, NY to Ontario County, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Albany along the way.

Albany

7.9 mi in | ~12m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
New York State Thruway 74.2 mi 1h 26m
Rochester Road 6.9 mi 8m
Kensington Expressway 6.8 mi 9m
Middle Cheshire Road 1.7 mi 2m
North Main Street 1.6 mi 1m
Bristol Street 0.9 mi 1m
West Street 0.3 mi <1m
Genesee Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: New York State Thruway — 74.2 mi, about 1h 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Buffalo, NY and Ontario County, NY.

1

Start on NY 384

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Niagara Square
2

Continue on Court Street

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Court Street
3

Continue on Lafayette Square

372 ft · 18 sec · Lafayette Square
4

Turn left onto Washington Street

0.2 mi · 45 sec · Washington Street
5

Turn right onto Genesee Street

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Genesee Street
6

Turn left onto Elm Street

263 ft · 7 sec · Elm Street
Use the left lane.
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 15 sec
Toward NY 33 East
8

Continue on NY 33

6.8 mi · 9 min · Kensington Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 46 sec
Toward I 90 East: Niagara Falls, Albany Use the right lane.
10

Merge onto I 90

74 mi · 1 hr 26 min · New York State Thruway
Use the straight / right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 44 Toward NY 332: Canandaigua
12

Continue on NY 332

6.9 mi · 8 min · Rochester Road
13

Continue on NY 332

1.6 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
14

Turn right onto Bristol Street

0.9 mi · 1 min · Bristol Street
15

Turn left onto West Street

0.3 mi · 32 sec · West Street
16

Continue on Middle Cheshire Road

1.7 mi · 2 min · Middle Cheshire Road
17

Turn right

138 ft · 10 sec
18

Arrive at destination

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 47.2 miles from Buffalo, NY, or about 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 74.2 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 27m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 47.2 miles or 58m 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 33m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ontario County, NY than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Buffalo, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Buffalo, NY

This is one driving day of about 94.4 miles and 1h 56m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Buffalo, 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 74.2 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 47.2 mi from Buffalo, NY · 58m into the drive

county town of Staffordshire in the West Midlands, England

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Stafford, NY

47 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

Alden, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Stafford, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 47.2 miles from Buffalo, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before New York State Thruway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 74.2 miles.

Arriving in Ontario County, NY

The final approach into Ontario County, 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Women's Rights National Historical Park

Women's Rights National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19-20, 1848. It is a story of struggles for civil rights, human r...

24 mi from route ~59 min detour Free near mile 91.1
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.54 one way

$31.08 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 33 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $16.80 $33.60
premium $4.92 $18.30 $36.59
diesel $5.61 $20.84 $41.68

Estimated Tolls: $3.71

New York State Thruway (74.2 mi) $3.71

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

$44–$69

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 33 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 28.3 0 $9.91 $4.53
Efficient EV 23.6 0 $8.26 $3.78
EV Truck/SUV 37.8 0 $13.22 $6.04

Gas CO2

33 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (67% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Buffalo, NY

Night in Buffalo on Thursday

Local time

9:48 PM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 12 mph 82% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 15 at 11:57PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

Destination

Ontario County, NY

Night in Ontario County on Thursday

Local time

9:48 PM

EDT

Current temp

37°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

40°F

Stafford, NY

47 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

30 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 56m 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 Buffalo, NY to Ontario County, NY covers 94.4 miles and takes about 1h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are New York State Thruway, Rochester Road, Kensington Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 47.2 miles from Buffalo, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.54 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 94.4 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.3 miles (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (Elm Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
On the drive from Buffalo, NY to Ontario County, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Albany along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Women's Rights National Historical Park.

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