Origin
Washington Heights, NY
Evening in Washington Heights on Sunday
Local time
5:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Washington Heights, NY to Buffalo, NY
Drive Time
6h 22m
Distance
381.4 mi
614 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$62
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 10m
★
6 AM
6h 23m
8 AM
6h 48m
10 AM
6h 31m
12 PM
6h 29m
3 PM
6h 33m
5 PM
6h 46m
8 PM
6h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Washington Heights, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Trip Overview
The drive from Washington Heights, NY to Buffalo, NY covers 381.4 miles and takes about 6h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Broadway, West 179th Street, I 95 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $62.09 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
190.7 miles from Washington Heights, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 11m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 22m drive with frequent turns across 381.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 41 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Broadway 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 22m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Washington Heights, NY to Buffalo, NY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Broadway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West 179th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 95 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| George Washington Bridge (upper level) | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| New Jersey Turnpike | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 80 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Keystone Shortway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Broadway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Washington Heights, NY and Buffalo, NY.
1
Start on West 181st Street
89 ft
·
9 sec
·
West 181st Street
2
Turn left onto Broadway
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Broadway
3
Turn right onto West 179th Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
West 179th Street
4
Take the ramp straight toward I 95 South: George Washington Bridge, New Jersey
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
I 95 South: George Washington Bridge, New Jersey
5
Merge slight left onto George Washington Bridge (upper level)
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
6
Continue straight
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
7
Keep slight left
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
8
Keep slight left
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
9
Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
10
Keep slight left to continue on I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
11
Merge slight left onto New Jersey Turnpike
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
12
Take the exit slight right toward I 80 West: Paterson, Hackensack
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 80 West: Paterson, Hackensack
13
Continue on Christopher Columbus Highway
68 mi
·
1 hr 20 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
14
Keep slight left to continue on Keystone Shortway
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Keystone Shortway
15
Keep slight left to continue on Keystone Shortway
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Keystone Shortway
16
Take the exit slight right toward I 380 North: Scranton
0.7 mi
·
46 sec
·
I 380 North: Scranton
17
Continue straight
28 mi
·
30 min
18
Merge slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 9 min
19
Keep slight left to continue on I 86: Corning
100 mi
·
1 hr 56 min
·
I 86: Corning
20
Keep slight left to continue on Genesee Expressway
33 mi
·
37 min
·
Genesee Expressway
21
Take the exit slight right toward NY 36: Mount Morris, Letchworth Park
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
NY 36: Mount Morris, Letchworth Park
22
Turn left onto Sonyea Road
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Sonyea Road
23
Continue on Main Street
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Main Street
24
Continue on Mount Morris Road
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Mount Morris Road
25
Turn left onto Perry Road
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Perry Road
26
Continue on Leicester Road
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Leicester Road
27
Continue on East Buffalo Street
4.6 mi
·
8 min
·
East Buffalo Street
28
Continue on West Buffalo Road
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West Buffalo Road
29
Continue on Varysburg Road
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Varysburg Road
30
Continue on Big Tree Road
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Big Tree Road
31
Take the ramp slight right
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
32
Merge slight left onto Aurora Expressway
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Aurora Expressway
33
Keep slight right to continue on I 90 East: Buffalo
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
I 90 East: Buffalo
34
Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
New York State Thruway
35
Take the exit slight right toward I 190 North: Downtown Buffalo, Niagara Falls
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 190 North: Downtown Buffalo, Niagara Falls
36
Continue on Niagara Thruway
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Niagara Thruway
37
Take the exit slight right toward Buffalo, Outer Harbor, Church Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Buffalo, Outer Harbor, Church Street
38
Continue on Church Street
522 ft
·
22 sec
·
Church Street
39
Turn left onto Delaware Avenue
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Delaware Avenue
40
Enter the roundabout toward Niagara Square
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Niagara Square
41
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 190.7 miles from Washington Heights, NY, or about 3h 11m 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 84 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 190.7 miles or 3h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buffalo, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Washington Heights, 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 Washington Heights, NY
This is one driving day of about 381.4 miles and 6h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 84 miles from Washington Heights, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 190.7 mi from Washington Heights, NY · 3h 11m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
191 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 84 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 190.7 miles from Washington Heights, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Buffalo, NY
The final approach into Buffalo, 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 Buffalo, 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
$62.09 one way
$124.18 round trip
$4.14/gal
25.4 MPG avg
133 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.48 | $67.29 | $134.57 |
| premium | $4.88 | $73.32 | $146.64 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $84.73 | $169.47 |
Estimated Tolls: $16.00
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
New Jersey Turnpike
$0.00
New York State Thruway
$0.00
Niagara Thruway
$0.00
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
$62
Tolls
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$103–$128
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 133.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $40 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 114.4 | 1 | $40.05 | $18.31 |
| Efficient EV | 95.4 | 1 | $33.37 | $15.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 152.6 | 1 | $53.40 | $24.41 |
Gas CO2
133 kg
EV CO2
45 kg (66% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Buffalo, NY
Evening in Buffalo on Sunday
Local time
5:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
10 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
6h 22m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Washington Heights, NY to Buffalo, NY covers 381.4 miles and takes about 6h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Broadway, West 179th Street, I 95 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 190.7 miles from Washington Heights, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $62.09 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 22m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Washington Heights, NY to Buffalo, NY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Washington Heights, NY to Buffalo, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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Return Trip
Buffalo, NY to Washington Heights, NYPlan the drive back the other way.
381.8 mi
6h 26m
Continue From Buffalo, NY
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