Origin
Stamford, NY
Night in Stamford on Sunday
Local time
10:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Stamford, NY to Manhattan, NY
Drive Time
3h 22m
Distance
149.8 mi
241 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$24
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 11m
★
6 AM
3h 23m
8 AM
3h 47m
10 AM
3h 31m
12 PM
3h 29m
3 PM
3h 33m
5 PM
3h 46m
8 PM
3h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Stamford, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Manhattan, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Trip Overview
Traveling from Stamford to Manhattan covers 154.7 miles and typically takes about 2 hours and 57 minutes of driving time. Because this route consists entirely of local roads without any highway segments, it functions best as a focused, one-day trip. Budget approximately $24 for fuel to cover the journey between these two Northeast locations. You will navigate through local roads like Main Street, Highway 23, and State Route 23A rather than high-speed interstates. Whether you are heading into the city for business or returning home, this drive is straightforward enough to complete in a single stretch without needing an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
74.9 miles from Stamford, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 45m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy, local experience rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Since the highway share is 0%, your focus will remain on navigating winding local corridors throughout the entire 154.7-mile trek. You won't find any long, uninterrupted stretches here; in fact, the longest segment on Main Street is 0 miles, indicating a drive characterized by constant transitions and attention to local traffic patterns. As you progress from the quieter streets of Stamford toward the dense environment of Manhattan, the road profile remains consistently technical. Be prepared for a hands-on driving experience that requires more engagement than a standard highway route.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 36 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 70.5 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 118.5 miles in near NY 17.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 149.8 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 118.5 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 119.9 miles (NJ 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 143.4 miles (US 9): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
118.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 36m in
|
NY 17
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17 toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 15
Toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
8
119.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 37m in
|
NJ 17
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17 toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 66
Toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
8
143.4 mi into trip
|
~3h 10m 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...
7
143.5 mi into trip
|
~3h 10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway
8
143.8 mi into trip
|
~3h 11m 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 Along This Route
Between Stamford, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward Gsp South: Paterson, Fort Lee and New York.
Gsp South: Paterson
133.9 mi in
|
~2h 56m
Fort Lee
133.9 mi in
|
~2h 56m
New York
133.9 mi in
|
~2h 56m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Thruway | 70.5 mi | 1h 21m |
| State Route 23A | 17.4 mi | 26m |
| NJ 17 | 14.1 mi | 18m |
| State Highway 23 | 13.4 mi | 19m |
| NJ 4 | 6.7 mi | 9m |
| King's Highway | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| State Highway 23A | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| Henry Hudson Parkway | 4.2 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 70.5 mi, about 1h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stamford, NY and Manhattan, NY.
1
Start on South Delaware Street
55 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Delaware Street
2
Turn right onto NY 23
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
3
Continue on NY 23
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 23
4
Continue on NY 23
11 mi
·
16 min
·
State Highway 23
5
Continue on NY 23A
14 mi
·
20 min
·
State Route 23A
6
Continue on NY 23A
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
7
Continue on NY 23A
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
State Route 23A
8
Continue on NY 23A
1.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Main Street
9
Continue on NY 23A
5.2 mi
·
8 min
·
State Highway 23A
10
Continue on NY 23A
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
State Route 23A
11
Turn slight right onto NY 32A
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
State Route 32A
12
Continue on NY 32A
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
State Highway 32A
13
Continue on NY 32
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
King's Highway
14
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
15
Merge onto I 87
71 mi
·
1 hr 21 min
·
New York State Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17
0.9 mi
·
59 sec
·
NY 17
Exit 15
Toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
Use the slight right lane.
17
Continue on I 287; NJ 17
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
·
I 287; NJ 17
18
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17
14 mi
·
18 min
·
NJ 17
Exit 66
Toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward NJ 4, GSP South: Paterson, Fort Lee, New York
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward NJ 4 East: Fort Lee, New York
21
Merge onto NJ 4
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
NJ 4
Use the right lane.
22
Continue on NJ 4
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
NJ 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
24
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
0.7 mi
·
54 sec
·
I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95 EXPR
26
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
27
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.
28
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward NY 9A South: Henry Hudson Parkway, Downtown
Use the straight lane.
30
Merge onto HH; NY 9A
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Henry Hudson Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
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.
32
Continue on West 79th Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
West 79th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
33
Turn left onto Broadway
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Broadway
34
Turn right onto West 86th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West 86th Street
35
Continue on 86th Street Transverse
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
86th Street Transverse
Toward East Side
Use the straight / left lanes.
36
Arrive at destination
86th Street Transverse
Trip Plan
Given the local nature of these roads, plan for a steady pace rather than high-speed travel. Since there is only one suggested stop, try to time your departure to avoid peak local congestion, which can significantly impact your 2-hour and 57-minute travel time. Keep your fuel budget of $24 in mind and consider topping off your tank before leaving Stamford, as local routes may have fewer convenient service options than major interstates. Flexibility is your biggest advantage on a route like this, so feel free to adjust your pace if you encounter unexpected traffic on State Route 23A. Most importantly, stay alert for frequent speed limit changes that are common on these types of local thoroughfares.
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 74.9 miles from Stamford, NY, or about 1h 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.5 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 80 miles or 1h 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 74.9 miles or 1h 45m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 41m
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 Stamford, 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 Stamford, NY
This is one driving day of about 149.8 miles and 3h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Stamford, 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 New York State Thruway for about 70.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 74.9 mi from Stamford, NY · 1h 45m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
75 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 74.9 miles from Stamford, 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 70.5 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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.39 one way
$48.77 round trip
$4.14/gal
25.4 MPG avg
52 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.48 | $26.43 | $52.85 |
| premium | $4.88 | $28.80 | $57.60 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $33.28 | $66.56 |
Estimated Tolls: $19.53
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
New York State Thruway
(70.5 mi)
$3.53
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
$24
Tolls
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 52.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 44.9 | 0 | $15.73 | $7.19 |
| Efficient EV | 37.5 | 0 | $13.11 | $5.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 59.9 | 0 | $20.97 | $9.59 |
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
18 kg (65% 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
Manhattan, NY
Night in Manhattan on Sunday
Local time
10:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
59°F
Ramapo, NY
75 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
8 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
3h 22m 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 Stamford, NY to Manhattan, NY covers 149.8 miles and takes about 3h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are New York State Thruway, State Route 23A, NJ 17. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 74.9 miles from Stamford, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.39 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 149.8 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 118.5 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 119.9 miles (NJ 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 143.4 miles (US 9): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Stamford, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward Gsp South: Paterson, Fort Lee and New York.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Manhattan, NY
More from Stamford, NY
More trips to Manhattan, NY
Explore more options from Stamford, NY or browse trips ending in Manhattan, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.
Explore maps for Stamford, NY or Manhattan, NY on MapSof.net.