Trip from Syracuse, NY to Utica, NY

Drive Time

57m

Distance

55 mi

89 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

Downtown Utica, NY, NY

Photo: Renan Tagliaferro

Trip Overview

The drive from Syracuse, NY to Utica, NY covers 55 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on James Street, Teall Avenue, Arterial Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.95 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

27.5 miles from Syracuse, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 28m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 57m drive with frequent turns across 55 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
James Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Syracuse, NY to Utica, NY is easy. At 57m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Syracuse, NY to Utica, NY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
James Street Unavailable Refreshing
Teall Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
Arterial Road Unavailable Refreshing
Court Street Unavailable Refreshing
Carrier Circle Unavailable Refreshing
I 90 Unavailable Refreshing
I 90 East Unavailable Refreshing
New York State Thruway Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: James Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Syracuse, NY and Utica, NY.

1

Start on South State Street

0.3 mi · 49 sec · South State Street
2

Turn right onto James Street

1.6 mi · 3 min · James Street
3

Turn left onto Teall Avenue

1.1 mi · 2 min · Teall Avenue
4

Turn right onto Arterial Road

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Arterial Road
5

Turn straight onto Court Street

1.7 mi · 2 min · Court Street
6

Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Carrier Circle

0.2 mi · 14 sec · Carrier Circle
7

Exit the rotary onto I 90

0.2 mi · 21 sec · I 90
8

Keep slight right to continue on I 90 East: Albany

0.3 mi · 41 sec · I 90 East: Albany
9

Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway

46 mi · 52 min · New York State Thruway
10

Take the exit slight right toward I 790, NY 8, NY 12: Utica

0.5 mi · 1 min · I 790, NY 8, NY 12: Utica
11

Keep slight left

0.5 mi · 1 min
12

Keep slight right

157 ft · 4 sec
13

Turn slight right onto North Genesee Street

1.0 mi · 1 min · North Genesee Street
14

Continue on Genesee Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Genesee Street
15

Turn right onto Washington Lane

62 ft · 3 sec · Washington Lane
16

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 27.5 miles from Syracuse, NY, or about 28m into the drive.

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 55 miles or 57m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 27.5 miles or 28m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 49m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Utica, NY than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Syracuse, 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 Syracuse, NY

This is one driving day of about 55 miles and 57m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Syracuse, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 27.5 mi from Syracuse, NY · 28m into the drive

Downtown Schenectady, NY, NY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Schenectady, NY

28 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

Schenectady, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Schenectady, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.5 miles from Syracuse, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Utica, NY

The final approach into Utica, 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 Utica, 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

$8.95 one way

$17.91 round trip

$4.14/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.48 $9.70 $19.41
premium $4.88 $10.57 $21.15
diesel $5.64 $12.22 $24.44

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$9

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$34–$59

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.5 0 $5.77 $2.64
Efficient EV 13.8 0 $4.81 $2.20
EV Truck/SUV 22 0 $7.70 $3.52

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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

Local time and weather at both ends of the drive

Current conditions at both ends of the drive. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Syracuse, NY

Morning in Syracuse on Sunday

Local time

8:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

53°F

Forecast unavailable right now

EDT Live forecast

Destination

Utica, NY

Morning in Utica on Sunday

Local time

8:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

53°F

Forecast unavailable right now

EDT Live forecast

Along the Route

53°F

Schenectady, NY

28 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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

57m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Syracuse, NY to Utica, NY covers 55 miles and takes about 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are James Street, Teall Avenue, Arterial Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.5 miles from Syracuse, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.95 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.
The drive from Syracuse, NY to Utica, NY is easy. At 57m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Syracuse, NY to Utica, NY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Syracuse, NY to Utica, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Utica, NY to Syracuse, NY

Plan the drive back the other way.

54.7 mi 1h 8m

Explore more options from Syracuse, NY or browse trips ending in Utica, NY.

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