Skip to main content

Trip from Colonie, NY to Babylon, NY

Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026

Drive Time

3h 48m

Distance

198.4 mi

319 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$33

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
3h 36m ★
6 AM
3h 49m
8 AM
4h 14m
10 AM
3h 58m
12 PM
3h 55m
3 PM
3h 59m
5 PM
4h 13m
8 PM
3h 41m

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

town in Albany County, New York, United States

Colonie, NY

Wikimedia Commons

town in Long Island, New York, United States

Babylon, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Colonie, NY to Babylon, NY covers 198.4 miles and takes about 3h 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 87 South, Adirondack Northway, I 287 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $32.66 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

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

99.2 miles from Colonie, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 54m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 3h 48m drive with frequent turns across 198.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 37 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 87 South is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Colonie, NY to Babylon, NY is easy. At 3h 48m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Colonie, NY to Babylon, NY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 87 South
Adirondack Northway
I 287 South
NJ 17 South
NJ 4
NJ 4 East
I 95 North
George Washington Bridge (upper level)

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: I 87 South — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Colonie, NY and Babylon, NY.

1

Start on Central Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Central Avenue
2

Take the ramp slight right toward I 87 South

0.3 mi · 1 min · I 87 South
3

Merge slight left onto Adirondack Northway

0.5 mi · 39 sec · Adirondack Northway
4

Keep slight right to continue on I 87 South, I 90: Boston, Albany, New York, Buffalo

0.3 mi · 32 sec · I 87 South, I 90: Boston, Albany, New York, Buffalo
5

Continue on I 87 South, I 90 West: New York, Buffalo

0.5 mi · 51 sec · I 87 South, I 90 West: New York, Buffalo
6

Keep slight right to continue on I 87 South: New York

118 mi · 2 hr 16 min · I 87 South: New York
7

Keep slight right to continue on I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey

0.9 mi · 1 min · I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
8

Continue straight

0.5 mi · 39 sec
9

Keep slight left to continue on NJ 17 South: Mahwah

14 mi · 18 min · NJ 17 South: Mahwah
10

Take the exit slight right toward NJ 4, GSP South: Paterson, Fort Lee, New York

0.1 mi · 19 sec · NJ 4, GSP South: Paterson, Fort Lee, New York
11

Keep slight left to continue on NJ 4 East: Fort Lee, New York

0.5 mi · 1 min · NJ 4 East: Fort Lee, New York
12

Merge slight left

0.3 mi · 24 sec
13

Continue straight

6.4 mi · 8 min
14

Take the exit slight left toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge

0.2 mi · 18 sec · I 95 North: George Washington Bridge
15

Merge slight left

0.7 mi · 55 sec
16

Keep slight left

0.8 mi · 1 min
17

Continue on George Washington Bridge (upper level)

0.6 mi · 1 min · George Washington Bridge (upper level)
18

Continue on Trans-Manhattan Expressway

0.7 mi · 1 min · Trans-Manhattan Expressway
19

Continue on Cross Bronx Expressway

4.7 mi · 6 min · Cross Bronx Expressway
20

Keep slight right to continue on Cross Bronx Expressway

2.0 mi · 2 min · Cross Bronx Expressway
21

Merge slight left onto Throgs Neck Expressway

0.6 mi · 58 sec · Throgs Neck Expressway
22

Continue on Throgs Neck Bridge

2.0 mi · 3 min · Throgs Neck Bridge
23

Continue on Clearview Expressway

5.0 mi · 5 min · Clearview Expressway
24

Continue on Hollis Court Boulevard

0.7 mi · 1 min · Hollis Court Boulevard
25

At the end of the road, turn left onto Jamaica Avenue

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Jamaica Avenue
26

Turn right onto Hempstead Avenue

0.9 mi · 2 min · Hempstead Avenue
27

Turn right onto 225th Street

226 ft · 10 sec · 225th Street
28

Take the ramp straight toward Cross Island Parkway South, Verrazano Bridge

0.2 mi · 29 sec · Cross Island Parkway South, Verrazano Bridge
29

Merge slight left onto Cross Island Parkway

1.3 mi · 1 min · Cross Island Parkway
30

Take the exit slight left toward Southern State Parkway East, Eastern Long Island

0.5 mi · 1 min · Southern State Parkway East, Eastern Long Island
31

Merge slight left onto Southern State Parkway

18 mi · 22 min · Southern State Parkway
32

Take the exit slight right toward NY 109 East: Babylon

0.2 mi · 35 sec · NY 109 East: Babylon
33

Turn slight right onto Farmingdale Road

3.5 mi · 5 min · Farmingdale Road
34

Continue on Little East Neck Road North

0.9 mi · 1 min · Little East Neck Road North
35

Turn left onto West Main Street

0.5 mi · 50 sec · West Main Street
36

Turn right onto South Carll Avenue

69 ft · 3 sec · South Carll Avenue
37

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 99.2 miles from Colonie, NY, or about 1h 54m 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 44 miles or 50m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 99.2 miles or 1h 54m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 7m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Colonie, 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 Colonie, NY

This is one driving day of about 198.4 miles and 3h 48m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Colonie, 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.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 99.2 mi from Colonie, NY · 1h 54m into the drive

town in Rockland County, New York, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ramapo, NY

99 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

Esopus, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 44 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ramapo, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 99.2 miles from Colonie, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Babylon, NY

The final approach into Babylon, 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 Babylon, NY.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$32.66 one way

$65.32 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 69 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $35.31 $70.63
premium $4.92 $38.45 $76.91
diesel $5.61 $43.80 $87.61

Estimated Tolls: $22.55

George Washington Bridge $16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge $6.55

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

$33

Tolls

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$80–$105

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 69.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 59.5 0 $20.83 $9.52
Efficient EV 49.6 0 $17.36 $7.94
EV Truck/SUV 79.4 0 $27.78 $12.70

Gas CO2

69 kg

EV CO2

23 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 15, 2026

Origin

Colonie, NY

Evening in Colonie on Wednesday

Local time

5:56 PM

EDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Babylon, NY

Evening in Babylon on Wednesday

Local time

5:56 PM

EDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

57°F

Ramapo, NY

99 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

4 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

3h 48m 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 Colonie, NY to Babylon, NY covers 198.4 miles and takes about 3h 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 87 South, Adirondack Northway, I 287 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 99.2 miles from Colonie, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $32.66 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Colonie, NY to Babylon, NY is easy. At 3h 48m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Colonie, NY to Babylon, NY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Colonie, NY to Babylon, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Colonie, NY or browse trips ending in Babylon, NY.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.

Explore maps for Colonie, NY or Babylon, NY on MapSof.net.