Origin
Lake Success, NY
Afternoon in Lake Success on Saturday
Local time
4:09 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lake Success, NY to Buffalo, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 9m
Distance
391.1 mi
629 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$64
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 2m
★
6 AM
8h 10m
8 AM
8h 26m
10 AM
8h 15m
12 PM
8h 14m
3 PM
8h 16m
5 PM
8h 25m
8 PM
8h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Success, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Lake Success, NY to Buffalo, NY covers 391.1 miles and takes about 8h 9m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on I 86, Christopher Columbus Highway, I 81 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 100 miles on I 86. At current regular gas prices, budget about $64.38 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
195.5 miles from Lake Success, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 86 | 100 mi | 1h 56m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 68.2 mi | 1h 20m |
| I 81 | 58.1 mi | 1h 9m |
| Genesee Expressway | 32.9 mi | 37m |
| I 380 | 27.7 mi | 30m |
| Keystone Shortway | 17.3 mi | 24m |
| Aurora Expressway | 12.5 mi | 14m |
| Varysburg Road | 10.9 mi | 15m |
Longest stretch:
I 86
— 100 mi, about 1h 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Success, NY and Buffalo, NY.
1
Start on Meadow Woods Road
183 ft
·
8 sec
·
Meadow Woods Road
2
Turn right onto Fox Hunt Lane
428 ft
·
19 sec
·
Fox Hunt Lane
3
At end of road, turn right onto Horace Harding Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Horace Harding Boulevard
4
Continue on Horace Harding Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Horace Harding Boulevard
5
Continue on Nassau Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Nassau Boulevard
6
Turn straight onto Horace Harding Expressway
271 ft
·
5 sec
·
Horace Harding Expressway
7
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway, Queens–Midtown Tunnel
8
Merge onto I 495
0.7 mi
·
59 sec
·
Long Island Expressway
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 31N-S
Toward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge, Kennedy Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 31N
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto CI
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Cross Island Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 33
Toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx, New England
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 295
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Throgs Neck Bridge
14
Continue on I 295
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Throgs Neck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 1
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Trans-Manhattan Expressway
Toward Upper Level
17
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
18
Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; NJTP
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
23
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 69
Toward I 80 West: Paterson, Hackensack
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Continue on I 80
68 mi
·
1 hr 20 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Keystone Shortway
28
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 293
Toward I 380 North: Scranton
29
Continue on I 380
28 mi
·
30 min
·
I 380
Use the straight lane.
30
Merge onto I 81
58 mi
·
1 hr 9 min
·
I 81
Use the straight lane.
31
Keep slight left at fork onto I 86; NY 17
100 mi
·
1 hr 56 min
·
I 86; NY 17
Toward I 86: Corning
32
Keep slight left at fork onto I 390
33 mi
·
37 min
·
Genesee Expressway
Toward I 390: Rochester
33
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 6
Toward NY 36: Mount Morris, Letchworth Park
34
Turn left onto NY 36
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Sonyea Road
35
Continue on NY 36
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Main Street
36
Continue on NY 36
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Mount Morris Road
37
Turn left onto CR 64
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Perry Road
38
Continue on US 20A
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Leicester Road
39
Continue on US 20A
4.6 mi
·
8 min
·
East Buffalo Street
40
Continue on US 20A
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West Buffalo Road
41
Continue on US 20A
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Varysburg Road
42
Continue on US 20A
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Big Tree Road
43
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
44
Merge onto NY 400
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Aurora Expressway
45
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 90 East: Buffalo
46
Merge onto I 90
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
New York State Thruway
47
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 53
Toward I 190 North: Downtown Buffalo, Niagara Falls
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
48
Continue on I 190
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Niagara Thruway
49
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 7
Toward Buffalo, Outer Harbor, Church Street
Use the slight right lane.
50
Continue on NY 5
521 ft
·
21 sec
·
Church Street
51
Turn left onto NY 384
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Delaware Avenue
Use the left lane.
52
Enter roundabout onto NY 384
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Niagara Square
53
Arrive at destination
NY 384
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 195.5 miles from Lake Success, NY, or about 4h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 100 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 86 miles or 1h 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 195.5 miles or 4h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 195.5 miles or 4h
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buffalo, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lake Success, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lake Success, NY
Aim for roughly 196 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Buffalo, NY
Aim for roughly 196 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 86 miles from Lake Success, NY.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 86 for about 100 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
196 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Union, NYOvernight Options
Night 1
196 mi · about 4.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Union, NY after about 196 miles or 4.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 86 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 195.5 miles from Lake Success, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 86 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 100 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 196 miles or 4.1 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 335 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 17.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge, Kennedy Airport
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 31N-S
Toward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge,...
10
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 31N
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone B...
8
5.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx, New England
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 33
Toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx,...
8
17.4 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
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 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
8
17.6 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$64.38 one way
$128.76 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
137 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $69.61 | $139.23 |
| premium | $4.92 | $75.80 | $151.61 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $86.35 | $172.70 |
Estimated Tolls: $23.14
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
New Jersey Turnpike
(2 mi)
$0.28
Niagara Thruway
(4.9 mi)
$0.24
New York State Thruway
(1.3 mi)
$0.07
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
$64
Tolls
$23
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$218–$328
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 136.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 117.3 | 1 | $41.07 | $18.77 |
| Efficient EV | 97.8 | 1 | $34.22 | $15.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 156.4 | 1 | $54.75 | $25.03 |
Gas CO2
137 kg
EV CO2
46 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Buffalo, NY
Afternoon in Buffalo on Saturday
Local time
4:09 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Mostly Clear
SE 2 to 9 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
53°F
Union, NY
196 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
8h 9m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Hamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
Merchant’s clerk, Revolutionary War soldier, first Secretary Treasury of the United States: Alexander Hamilton’s life is memorialized at The Grange, the home he built on a country estate in uptown Man...
3 mi from route
~7 min detour
Free
near mile 13.5
View on nps.gov
General Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
The final resting place of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia, is the largest mausoleum in North America. It testifies to a people’s gratitude for the man who ended the bloodiest conflict...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 13.5
View on nps.gov
Stonewall National Monument
National Monument
Before the 1960s, almost everything about living authentically as a lesbian, a bisexual person or a gay man was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for civil r...
9 mi from route
~23 min detour
Free
near mile 13.5
View on nps.gov
African Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
The African Burial Ground stands as the oldest and largest known excavated burial site in North America for both free and enslaved Africans. It offers a profound testament to the enduring legacy of Af...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 13.5
View on nps.gov
Castle Clinton National Monument
National Monument
Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, Castle Clinton marks the place where New York City began and reflects the growth of both the city and the nation. Built to defend the harbor during the War of...
11 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 13.5
View on nps.gov
Federal Hall National Memorial
National Memorial
Here at Federal Hall, George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States, marking the beginning of the American constitutional republic. This historic site served as...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 13.5
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
391.1 mi in 8h 9m, mostly highway — 100 mi of that is on I 86.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
53 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 100 mi on I 86.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 86 and Christopher Columbus Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 33 significant decision points across 391.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Lake Success, NY and Buffalo, NY, road signs point toward Hackensack and Letchworth Park.
Hackensack
20 mi in
|
~30m
Letchworth Park
325.7 mi in
|
~6h 32m
About the Cities
Arriving in Buffalo, NY
Full guide →The largest city in New York State's Niagara Frontier, Buffalo is a city full of surprises. Though Buffalo is sometimes the butt of jokes about chicken wings, its long-suffering sports teams, and the mountains of snow under which it is supposedly buried each winter, those in the know tell a different story: one of vibrant nightlife, world-class museums and cultural attractions, tight-knit neighborhoods with strong community spirit – and the sunniest summers in Northeastern United States.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 100 miles on I 86. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 196 miles on day one.
Expect about $23.14 in tolls one way, starting with George Washington Bridge. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Buffalo, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.2 hours each way, a round trip means 16.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Buffalo, NY before the return drive.
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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