Origin
Ilion, NY
Morning in Ilion on Saturday
Local time
9:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Ilion, NY to Syracuse, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
68.6 mi
110 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ilion, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Syracuse, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Ilion, NY to Syracuse, NY is 68.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 24 minutes via New York State Thruway, I 690, and I 481, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, taking you from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. Expect a local drive with a fair number of turns, so keep your eyes on the road. With a drive time under two hours, this is a straightforward journey perfect for a single day trip, requiring minimal planning.
About the Cities
Starting in Ilion, NY
Full guide →Herkimer is a city in Central New York. This article also covers the nearby villages of Mohawk, Ilion, Frankfort, and Middleville.
Arriving in Syracuse, NY
Full guide →Founded 1848
Syracuse is a city in Central New York. With a population of 149,000 in city proper and 662,000 in its metro area (2020), Syracuse is the fifth largest city in the state of New York, and the third largest in Upstate New York.
Top landmarks
- • Oncenter War Memorial Arena — arena in Syracuse, New York
- • Everson Museum of Art — art museum in Syracuse, New York
- • Niagara Mohawk Building — historic commercial building in New York, United States
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 24m. Total distance: 68.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route features a substantial highway share at 9%, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 56.6 miles on the New York State Thruway. While much of the drive will be on these major arteries, the overall profile is described as turn-heavy, suggesting you'll transition between faster highway speeds and more complex local road navigation. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that requires attention as you switch between the Thruway and connecting interstates like I 690 and I 481.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 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 56.6 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 59.7 miles in.
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 68.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 59.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 63.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 68 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
59.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward I 481: Syracuse, Oswego
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 34A
Toward I 481: Syracuse, Oswego
7
63.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward I 690 West: Syracuse, Fairgrounds
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 690 West: Syracuse, Fairgrounds
8
68 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward Townsend Street, Downtown
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 13
Toward Townsend Street, Downtown
7
68.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
|
North Townsend Street
Turn left onto North Townsend Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
68.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
|
US 11 / South State Street
Turn left onto US 11 / South State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Ilion, NY and Syracuse, NY, road signs point toward Oswego, Fairgrounds and Binghamton.
Oswego
59.7 mi in
|
~1h 11m
Fairgrounds
60.5 mi in
|
~1h 13m
Binghamton
60.5 mi in
|
~1h 13m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Thruway | 56.6 mi | 1h 5m |
| I 690 | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| I 481 | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| NY 5S | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Central Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South State Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Townsend Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 56.6 mi, about 1h 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ilion, NY and Syracuse, NY.
1
Start on NY 51
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Central Avenue
2
Turn right
0.4 mi
·
1 min
3
Turn straight onto NY 5S
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
NY 5S
4
Turn left onto NY 28
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
East Main Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 90 West
7
Merge onto I 90
57 mi
·
1 hr 5 min
·
New York State Thruway
8
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 34A
Toward I 481: Syracuse, Oswego
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 481 South: Syracuse, Fairgrounds, Binghamton
10
Merge onto I 481
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
I 481
11
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 690 West: Syracuse, Fairgrounds
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on I 690
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
I 690
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 13
Toward Townsend Street, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn left onto North Townsend Street
501 ft
·
16 sec
·
North Townsend Street
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto East Water Street
479 ft
·
16 sec
·
East Water Street
16
Turn left onto US 11
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
South State Street
Use the straight lane.
17
Arrive at destination
US 11
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 34.3 mi from Ilion, NY · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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
Arriving in Syracuse, NY
The final approach into Syracuse, 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
$11.29 one way
$22.58 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $12.21 | $24.42 |
| premium | $4.92 | $13.30 | $26.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.15 | $30.29 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.83
New York State Thruway
(56.6 mi)
$2.83
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Tolls
$3
Total
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 24 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.20 | $3.29 |
| Efficient EV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.00 | $2.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.4 | 0 | $9.60 | $4.39 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Syracuse, NY
Morning in Syracuse on Saturday
Local time
9:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
40°F
Verona, NY
34 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.
Road read
1h 24m 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 Ilion, NY to Syracuse, NY covers 68.6 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are New York State Thruway, I 690, I 481. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 34.3 miles from Ilion, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.29 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 68.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 59.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 63.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 68 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Ilion, NY and Syracuse, NY, road signs point toward Oswego, Fairgrounds and Binghamton.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Fort Stanwix National Monument and Harriet Tubman National Historical Park.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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