Origin
Grand Island, NY
Morning in Grand Island on Saturday
Local time
7:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Grand Island, 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
20m
Distance
12.1 mi
19 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grand Island, NY
Peter Olexa
Amherst, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Grand Island, NY to Amherst, NY covers 12.1 miles and takes about 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Youngmann Expressway, Niagara Thruway, Grand Island Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.5 miles on Youngmann Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.99 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 20m. Total distance: 12.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Grand Island, NY to Amherst, NY covers 12.1 miles and takes about 20m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Youngmann Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.5 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
620 ft
566 ft
Total Climb
103 ft
Total Descent
93 ft
Highest Point
620 ft
~6.1 mi in
Elevation Range
54 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Homeland Drive.
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 12.1 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (Homeland Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Baseline Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (NY 324 / Grand Island Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Homeland Drive
Turn left onto Homeland Drive
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Baseline Road
Turn left onto Baseline Road
Navigation decision point
4
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
NY 324 / Grand Island Boulevard
Enter roundabout onto NY 324 / Grand Island Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
8
4.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 290 East: Tonawanda, Rochester
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 16
Toward I 290 East: Tonawanda, Rochester
7
11.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward NY 263 South: Millersport Highway South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5A
Toward NY 263 South: Millersport Highway South
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 Grand Island, NY to Amherst, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Rochester along the way.
Rochester
4.5 mi in
|
~8m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Youngmann Expressway | 6.5 mi | 8m |
| Niagara Thruway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Grand Island Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Baseline Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Millersport Highway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| NY 324 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Parkway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Colonial Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Youngmann Expressway
— 6.5 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grand Island, NY and Amherst, NY.
1
Start on Colonial Drive
0.1 mi
·
38 sec
·
Colonial Drive
2
Turn left onto Homeland Drive
464 ft
·
25 sec
·
Homeland Drive
3
Turn left onto Baseline Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Baseline Road
4
Turn slight left onto NY 324
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Grand Island Boulevard
5
Enter roundabout onto NY 324
85 ft
·
1 sec
·
Grand Island Boulevard
6
Continue on NY 324
192 ft
·
3 sec
·
Grand Island Boulevard
7
Continue on NY 324
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Parkway
8
Take the ramp onto NY 324
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
NY 324
Toward I 190 S
9
Merge onto I 190; NY 324
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Niagara Thruway
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 16
Toward I 290 East: Tonawanda, Rochester
Use the slight right lane.
11
Continue on I 290
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Youngmann Expressway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 5A
Toward NY 263 South: Millersport Highway South
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn straight onto NY 263
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Millersport Highway
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
NY 263
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.99 one way
$3.98 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.15 | $4.31 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.35 | $4.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.67 | $5.34 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.08
Niagara Thruway
(1.6 mi)
$0.08
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.27 | $0.58 |
| Efficient EV | 3 | 0 | $1.06 | $0.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.69 | $0.77 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Morning in Amherst on Saturday
Local time
7:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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
20m 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 Grand Island, NY to Amherst, NY covers 12.1 miles and takes about 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Youngmann Expressway, Niagara Thruway, Grand Island Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.1 miles from Grand Island, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.99 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 12.1 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (Homeland Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Baseline Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (NY 324 / Grand Island Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
On the drive from Grand Island, NY to Amherst, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Rochester along the way.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 566 ft to 620 ft elevation with about 103 ft of total climbing.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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