Origin
Palermo, NY
Night in Palermo on Friday
Local time
10:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palermo, 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
38m
Distance
29.2 mi
47 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palermo, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Syracuse, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Palermo, NY to Syracuse, NY is 29.2 miles and takes about 38m via NY 481, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, making it a convenient option for those looking to connect two points in the Northeast region. The drive is primarily highway-focused, meaning you'll experience a relatively quick and direct journey. With no planned stops, this route is ideal for a straightforward commute or a quick transfer between locations, allowing you to reach your destination efficiently. Consider this a simple, no-fuss drive that gets you where you need to go.
About the Cities
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 38m. Total distance: 29.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 95% of the journey taking place on major roads like NY 481 and I 81. You'll experience a fast-paced trip, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 12.5 miles on NY 481. Expect smooth sailing for most of the 38 minutes, as you'll be on well-maintained routes designed for efficient travel. The transition between these main roads is seamless, keeping your momentum high. This isn't a route for leisurely cruising, but rather for getting from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NY 481 is the longest continuous segment at about 12.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NY 481 and State Route 264. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.5 miles in near NY 481.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 29.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.5 miles (NY 481): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 28.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
8.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
NY 481
Merge onto NY 481
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
21 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 81 South: Syracuse
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 9S
Toward I 81 South: Syracuse
8
28.4 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward Clinton Street, Salina Street
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 19
Toward Clinton Street, Salina Street
8
28.4 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Salina Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Salina Street
6
28.8 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
US 11 / North State Street
Turn right onto US 11 / North State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NY 481 | 12.5 mi | 14m |
| State Route 264 | 7.2 mi | 10m |
| I 81 | 7 mi | 8m |
| State Route 3 | 1 mi | 1m |
| North State Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Willow Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Salina Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South State Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
NY 481
— 12.5 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palermo, NY and Syracuse, NY.
1
Start on NY 3
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 3
2
Turn straight onto NY 264
7.2 mi
·
10 min
·
State Route 264
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward NY 481 South
4
Merge onto NY 481
13 mi
·
14 min
·
NY 481
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 9S
Toward I 81 South: Syracuse
6
Merge onto I 81
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
I 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
251 ft
·
7 sec
Exit 19
Toward Clinton Street, Salina Street
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward Salina Street
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto North Salina Street
501 ft
·
20 sec
·
North Salina Street
10
Turn left onto East Willow Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
East Willow Street
11
Turn right onto US 11
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
North State Street
Use the straight lane.
12
Arrive at destination
US 11
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.81 one way
$9.61 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $5.20 | $10.39 |
| premium | $4.92 | $5.66 | $11.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.45 | $12.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.55 | $1.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.09 | $1.87 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Night in Syracuse on Friday
Local time
10:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°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
16 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
38m 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 Palermo, NY to Syracuse, NY covers 29.2 miles and takes about 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NY 481, State Route 264, I 81. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.6 miles from Palermo, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.81 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 is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 29.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
The main spots that need attention: at 8.5 miles (NY 481): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 28.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Palermo, NY to Syracuse, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include 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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