Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 48m
Distance
419.5 mi
675 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$69
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Smithtown, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Amherst, NY
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Smithtown, NY to Amherst, NY covers 419.5 miles and takes about 8h 48m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on New York State Thruway, I 81, Christopher Columbus Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 99.6 miles on New York State Thruway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $69.05 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
209.7 miles from Smithtown, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 22m into the drive .
Expect a 8h 48m drive with frequent turns across 419.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
Total Climb
3,093 ft
Total Descent
2,550 ft
Highest Point
1,902 ft
~149.8 mi in
Elevation Range
1,861 ft
Notable High Points
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 7.6 miles in.
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 43 significant decision points across 419.5 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 7.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 West: New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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
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
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
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
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Smithtown, NY and Amherst, NY, road signs point toward Kennedy Airport, Cross Island Parkway North, Bronx, New England, Upper Level and Njtp South: Hackensack - among others.
Kennedy Airport
Cross Island Parkway North
Bronx
New England
Upper Level
Njtp South: Hackensack
Hackensack
Albany
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Thruway | 99.6 mi | 1h 55m |
| I 81 | 97.3 mi | 1h 55m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 68.2 mi | 1h 20m |
| I 380 | 27.7 mi | 30m |
| Long Island Expressway | 24.8 mi | 33m |
| Keystone Shortway | 17.3 mi | 24m |
| Clinton Street | 10.5 mi | 15m |
| East Lake Road | 9.9 mi | 14m |
Step-by-step road directions between Smithtown, NY and Amherst, NY.
Start on NY 25; NY 25A
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 25; NY 25A
Continue on NY 25
Take the ramp
Merge onto SM
Continue on SA
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn straight onto LIE North Service Road
Turn straight onto North Service Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto CI
Take the exit
Merge onto I 295
Continue on I 295
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 1
Continue on I 95; US 1
Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
Take the exit
Continue on I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Take the exit
Continue on I 380
Merge onto I 81
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
Take the exit
Turn right onto NY 13
Turn left onto Locust Avenue
Continue on Albany Street
At end of road, turn right onto US 11; NY 41
Turn left onto NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Turn left onto US 20
Turn right onto US 20
Turn left onto US 20; NY 5
Continue on US 20; NY 5; NY 38
Continue on US 20; NY 5
Turn right onto NY 318
Continue on NY 318
Turn right onto NY 414
Continue on NY 414
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 90
Take the exit
Continue on I 290
Take the exit
Turn left onto NY 324
Turn left onto NY 263
Arrive at destination
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.
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 92 miles or 2h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 209.7 miles or 4h 22m 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 209.7 miles or 4h 22m
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 7h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Amherst, NY than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Smithtown, 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 Smithtown, NY
Aim for roughly 210 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Amherst, NY
Aim for roughly 210 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 209.7 mi from Smithtown, NY · 4h 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
210 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 Ramapo, NYNight 1
210 mi · about 4.4h in
A practical overnight split lands near Ramapo, NY after about 210 miles or 4.4 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 92 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 209.7 miles from Smithtown, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before New York State Thruway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.6 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 210 miles or 4.4 hours on the road.
The final approach into Amherst, 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 Amherst, NY.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Amherst, NY with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$69.05 one way
$138.10 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $74.67 | $149.34 |
| premium | $4.92 | $81.31 | $162.61 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $92.62 | $185.24 |
Estimated Tolls: $28.09
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
$69
Tolls
$28
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$227–$337
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 146.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $44 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 125.9 | 1 | $44.05 | $20.14 |
| Efficient EV | 104.9 | 1 | $36.71 | $16.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 167.8 | 2 | $58.73 | $26.85 |
Gas CO2
147 kg
EV CO2
49 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Smithtown on Friday
Local time
4:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Partly Cloudy
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:13PM EDT until April 16 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Late night in Amherst on Friday
Local time
4:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
57°F
Ramapo, NY
210 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Elevation is sampled from USGS 3DEP. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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