Origin
Watervliet, NY
Afternoon in Watervliet on Friday
Local time
4:37 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Watervliet, NY to Albany, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
11m
Distance
7.1 mi
11 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 11m
★
6 AM
0h 12m
8 AM
0h 14m
10 AM
0h 12m
12 PM
0h 12m
3 PM
0h 13m
5 PM
0h 14m
8 PM
0h 11m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Watervliet, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Trip Overview
Watervliet, NY to Albany, NY is 7.1 miles and takes about 11m via I 787, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick hop stays within New York's Northeast region, making it a straightforward connection between two nearby points. Given its short distance and swift travel time, this route is ideal for a same-day excursion or a simple transfer. You'll find yourself on a predominantly highway-focused drive, so expect efficient travel. Consider this trip when you need to get from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 11m. Total distance: 7.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a highway-focused drive, with 79% of the journey taking place on major roads like I 787. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of 5.6 miles on I 787, which means you'll be on a high-speed, limited-access road for a significant portion of the trip. The primary roads include I 787, 2nd Avenue, and Chapel Street, indicating a transition from interstate to more urban surface streets as you near your destination. Expect a driving experience characterized by efficiency and speed, typical of interstate travel.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 787 is the longest continuous segment at about 5.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 787 and 2nd Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 11m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (I 787): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 787 South
Navigation decision point
Toward I 787 South
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 787
Merge onto I 787
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
6.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward US 9 North: Clinton Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 4B
Toward US 9 North: Clinton Avenue
5
6.6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
Chapel Street
Turn left onto Chapel Street
Navigation decision point
5
6.9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
Eagle Street
At end of road, turn left onto Eagle Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 787 | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| 2nd Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Chapel Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 23rd Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Eagle Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Clinton Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Columbia Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Washington Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 787
— 5.6 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Watervliet, NY and Albany, NY.
1
Start on NY 2
67 ft
·
4 sec
·
19th Street
2
Turn right onto NY 32
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
2nd Avenue
3
Turn right onto 23rd Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
23rd Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 787 South
5
Merge onto I 787
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
I 787
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 4B
Toward US 9 North: Clinton Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
7
Continue on US 9
525 ft
·
23 sec
·
Clinton Avenue
8
Turn left onto Chapel Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Chapel Street
9
Turn right onto Columbia Street
483 ft
·
17 sec
·
Columbia Street
10
At end of road, turn left onto Eagle Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Eagle Street
11
Turn right onto NY 5
352 ft
·
15 sec
·
Washington Avenue
12
Turn left
30 ft
·
2 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.17 one way
$2.34 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $1.26 | $2.53 |
| premium | $4.92 | $1.38 | $2.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.57 | $3.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.1 | 0 | $0.75 | $0.34 |
| Efficient EV | 1.8 | 0 | $0.62 | $0.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.99 | $0.45 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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
Albany, NY
Afternoon in Albany on Friday
Local time
4:37 PM
EDT
Current temp
34°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
13 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
11m 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 Watervliet, NY to Albany, NY covers 7.1 miles and takes about 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 787, 2nd Avenue, Chapel Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 3.5 miles from Watervliet, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.17 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 straightforward 11m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (I 787): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Watervliet, NY to Albany, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Saratoga 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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