Origin
Marcellus, NY
Evening in Marcellus on Wednesday
Local time
6:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Marcellus, NY to Manhattan, NY
Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026
Drive Time
5h 15m
Distance
257.6 mi
415 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 2m
★
6 AM
5h 16m
8 AM
5h 43m
10 AM
5h 25m
12 PM
5h 23m
3 PM
5h 27m
5 PM
5h 41m
8 PM
5h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Marcellus, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Manhattan, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from the Finger Lakes region in Marcellus to the heart of Manhattan covers roughly 259.8 miles. You should plan for a driving time of approximately 4 hours and 24 minutes, making this a very manageable one-day trip. With fuel costs estimated at $41, it is an affordable journey for those heading from Upstate New York toward the city. Since the entire route stays within the Northeast region, you will notice a transition from rural landscapes to dense urban environments. Because the trip is under five hours, most drivers find it comfortable to complete in a single stretch without needing an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
128.8 miles from Marcellus, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 36m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this route avoids a high highway share, meaning your speed and scenery will fluctuate frequently. You will navigate winding local roads rather than high-speed motorways for the duration of the 259.8-mile trek. Be prepared for constant steering adjustments as you transition away from the quieter roads of Marcellus toward the complex road networks surrounding Manhattan. This is not a route for cruise control, so stay alert as the road character shifts from rural stretches to the high-traffic density of the city.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 40 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 81 is the longest continuous segment at about 111.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 132.4 miles in near US 6.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 31 significant decision points across 257.6 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 132.4 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 247 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 247.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 31 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
132.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 40m in
|
US 6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6 toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 187
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbo...
8
247 mi into trip
|
~4h 56m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, Ne...
9
247.3 mi into trip
|
~4h 56m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Leonia, Teaneck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 70A-B
Toward Leonia, Teaneck
8
251.1 mi into trip
|
~5h 3m in
|
US 9
Take the exit onto US 9 toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th Street
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 1A
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th...
8
251.6 mi into trip
|
~5h 4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NY 9A South: Henry Hudson Parkway, Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward NY 9A South: Henry Hudson Parkway, Downt...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Marcellus, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward Mt Pocono and Milford.
Mt Pocono
132.4 mi in
|
~2h 40m
|
via US 6
Milford
133.2 mi in
|
~2h 41m
|
via I 84; I 380
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 111.2 mi | 2h 11m |
| Keystone Shortway | 80 mi | 1h 37m |
| I 380 | 23.6 mi | 25m |
| Cherry Valley Turnpike | 9.8 mi | 11m |
| Syracuse Tully Valley Road | 6.8 mi | 9m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 5.5 mi | 5m |
| Henry Hudson Parkway | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| I 84 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 111.2 mi, about 2h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Marcellus, NY and Manhattan, NY.
1
Start on NY 174
147 ft
·
11 sec
·
North Street
2
Turn left onto NY 174
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
East Main Street
3
Continue on NY 174
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Seneca Turnpike
4
Turn right onto NY 175; NY 174
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Lee-Mulroy Road
5
Turn left onto NY 174
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
South Street Road
6
Turn left onto US 20
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Cherry Valley Turnpike
7
Turn left onto Field Lane
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Field Lane
8
Turn right onto NY 11A
6.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Syracuse Tully Valley Road
9
Continue on Lake Road
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Lake Road
10
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 81 South
11
Merge onto I 81
58 mi
·
1 hr 8 min
·
I 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
53 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
I 81
Toward I 81 South: Scranton
Use the straight lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
US 6
Exit 187
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 84; I 380
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
I 84; I 380
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South: Mount Pocono, Milford
Use the straight lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
24 mi
·
25 min
·
I 380
Exit 4
Toward I 380 South: Mount Pocono
16
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1B
Toward I 80 East: Stroudsburg
17
Merge onto I 80
80 mi
·
1 hr 37 min
·
Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Toward I 95: George Washington Bridge Lower Level
Use the slight right lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 70A-B
Toward Leonia, Teaneck
Use the slight right lane.
21
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 70A
Toward Leonia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Turn straight onto CR 56
454 ft
·
9 sec
·
Degraw Avenue
23
Continue on CR 56
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Fort Lee Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
24
Continue on CR 56
469 ft
·
13 sec
·
Main Street
25
Take the ramp
472 ft
·
12 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge
26
Merge onto US 1; US 9; US 46
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Bergen Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Take the exit
312 ft
·
4 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge Upper Level
28
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95 EXPR
30
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
31
Take the exit onto US 9
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
US 9
Exit 1A
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward NY 9A South: Henry Hudson Parkway, Downtown
Use the straight lane.
34
Merge onto HH; NY 9A
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Henry Hudson Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
35
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward Boat Basin, Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History, Children's Museum Of Manhattan, JCC in Manhattan, Lincoln Center, New York Historical Society, New York Institute of Technology
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
36
Continue on West 79th Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
West 79th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
37
Turn left onto Broadway
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Broadway
38
Turn right onto West 86th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West 86th Street
39
Continue on 86th Street Transverse
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
86th Street Transverse
Toward East Side
Use the straight / left lanes.
40
Arrive at destination
86th Street Transverse
Trip Plan
Since this is a 4 hour and 24 minute trip, your best strategy is to leave early in the morning to avoid the peak congestion often found near Manhattan. Budget roughly $41 for fuel and ensure your vehicle is ready for a drive that lacks long, uninterrupted highway stretches. Because there are no designated stops required, you have the flexibility to pull over whenever you need a break, though planning your own pit stops in advance will help maintain your pace. Keep in mind that the local, turn-heavy nature of this route means your actual travel time may fluctuate based on local traffic patterns, so build in a little extra time for your arrival.
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 128.8 miles from Marcellus, NY, or about 2h 36m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 111.2 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 57 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 128.8 miles or 2h 36m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Manhattan, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Marcellus, 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 Marcellus, NY
This is one driving day of about 257.6 miles and 5h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 57 miles from Marcellus, 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.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 111.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 128.8 mi from Marcellus, NY · 2h 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
129 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 57 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 128.8 miles from Marcellus, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 81 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 111.2 miles.
Arriving in Manhattan, NY
The final approach into Manhattan, 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 Manhattan, NY.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.40 one way
$84.81 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
90 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $45.85 | $91.70 |
| premium | $4.92 | $49.93 | $99.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $56.87 | $113.75 |
Estimated Tolls: $16.68
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Cherry Valley Turnpike
(9.8 mi)
$0.68
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
$42
Tolls
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$84–$109
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 90.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 77.3 | 0 | $27.05 | $12.36 |
| Efficient EV | 64.4 | 0 | $22.54 | $10.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 103 | 1 | $36.06 | $16.49 |
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Manhattan, NY
Evening in Manhattan on Wednesday
Local time
6:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Ramapo, NY
129 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
7 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
5h 15m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Marcellus, NY to Manhattan, NY covers 257.6 miles and takes about 5h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 81, Keystone Shortway, I 380. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 128.8 miles from Marcellus, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $42.40 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 31 significant decision points across 257.6 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 132.4 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 247 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 247.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Marcellus, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward Mt Pocono and Milford.
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