Trip from Wellsville, NY to New York City, NY

Drive Time

6h 28m

Distance

303.7 mi

489 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$49

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min
4 AM
6h 16m ★
6 AM
6h 29m
8 AM
6h 53m
10 AM
6h 37m
12 PM
6h 35m
3 PM
6h 39m
5 PM
6h 52m
8 PM
6h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Wellsville, NY, NY

Wellsville, NY

Beth Fitzpatrick

Downtown New York City, NY, NY

New York City, NY

Renan Tagliaferro

Trip Overview

Traveling from Wellsville to New York City covers 303.7 miles and typically takes about 6 hours and 28 minutes of time behind the wheel. Because this is a highway-focused drive, you can comfortably tackle the distance in a single day, though you should plan for at least one dedicated stop to break up the journey. With an estimated fuel cost of $48, it is a straightforward trip that moves you from the rural landscape of Western New York toward the dense urban environment of the state's southeastern coast. Utilizing the Southern Tier Expressway, Keystone Shortway, and I-81, the route is designed for efficiency rather than sightseeing. Whether you are heading to the city for business or a weekend getaway, the drive remains manageable for a solo driver as long as you account for the duration of the trip.

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

151.9 miles from Wellsville, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 15m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a high-speed experience, as 72% of this route consists of highway driving. You will spend a significant portion of your time on the Southern Tier Expressway, which features the longest uninterrupted stretch of the trip at 80.1 miles. The road’s personality is defined by these long, consistent segments that allow you to maintain a steady pace across the Northeast. As you transition between the Southern Tier Expressway, Keystone Shortway, and I-81, the character of the drive remains consistently focused on interstate travel. It is a utilitarian trek that prioritizes speed and directness over the technical challenges or winding paths of local secondary roads.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 44 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Southern Tier Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 80.1 miles.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,996 ft 34 ft

Total Climb

2,529 ft

Total Descent

4,009 ft

Highest Point

1,996 ft

~12.7 mi in

Elevation Range

1,962 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern Tier Expressway and Keystone Shortway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 52 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 27 significant decision points across 303.7 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 52 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 52.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 133.4 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 27 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
52 mi into trip | ~1h 16m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 86 East, NY 17 East: Corning, Binghamton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 13A-B Toward I 86 East, NY 17 East: Corning, Binghamt...
7
52.9 mi into trip | ~1h 18m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 86 East, NY 17 East: Corning, Binghamton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 13A Toward I 86 East, NY 17 East: Corning, Binghamt...
7
133.4 mi into trip | ~2h 53m in | I 81

Keep slight right at fork onto I 81 toward I 81 South: Scranton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the none lane. Toward I 81 South: Scranton
9
186.8 mi into trip | ~3h 57m in | US 6

Keep slight right at fork onto US 6 toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 187 Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbo...
8
299.1 mi into trip | ~6h 17m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel

Towns Along This Route

Between Wellsville, NY and New York City, NY, road signs point toward Binghamton, Mt Pocono, Milford and Newark.

Binghamton

52 mi in | ~1h 16m

Mt Pocono

186.8 mi in | ~3h 57m | via US 6

Milford

187.5 mi in | ~3h 58m | via I 84; I 380

Newark

279.2 mi in | ~5h 49m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Southern Tier Expressway 80.1 mi 1h 34m
Keystone Shortway 63.3 mi 1h 19m
I 81 53.4 mi 1h 3m
State Highway 417 35 mi 52m
I 380 23.6 mi 25m
Essex Freeway 15.8 mi 20m
Andover Road 4.4 mi 6m
I 84 3.7 mi 4m
Longest stretch: Southern Tier Expressway — 80.1 mi, about 1h 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wellsville, NY and New York City, NY.

1

Start on North Main Street

87 ft · 4 sec · North Main Street
2

Turn right onto West Madison Street

420 ft · 24 sec · West Madison Street
3

Turn left onto NY 19; NY 417

0.6 mi · 58 sec · Wellsville Bypass
4

Continue on NY 417

0.3 mi · 28 sec · State Highway 417
5

Continue on NY 417

0.3 mi · 24 sec · East Dyke Street
6

Continue on NY 417

4.4 mi · 6 min · Andover Road
7

Continue on NY 417

2.8 mi · 4 min · State Highway 417
8

Continue on NY 417

1.1 mi · 1 min · East Chestnut Street
9

Continue on NY 417

15 mi · 22 min · State Highway 417
10

At end of road, turn left onto NY 36; NY 417

1.2 mi · 1 min · State Highway 36
11

Turn right onto NY 417

16 mi · 24 min · State Highway 417
12

Continue on NY 417

0.7 mi · 1 min · Tuscarora Street
13

Continue on NY 417

0.2 mi · 13 sec · Main Street
14

Continue on NY 417

1.1 mi · 1 min · Front Street
15

Continue on NY 417

365 ft · 6 sec · State Highway 417
16

Continue on NY 417

3.5 mi · 5 min · Addison Road
17

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Toward I 99 North, US 15 North
18

Merge onto I 99; US 15

3.6 mi · 4 min · I 99; US 15
19

Keep slight right at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 13A-B Toward I 86 East, NY 17 East: Corning, Binghamton
20

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Exit 13A Toward I 86 East, NY 17 East: Corning, Binghamton
21

Merge onto I 86; NY 17

80 mi · 1 hr 34 min · Southern Tier Expressway
Use the none lane.
22

Keep slight right at fork onto I 81

53 mi · 1 hr 3 min · I 81
Toward I 81 South: Scranton Use the none lane.
23

Keep slight right at fork onto US 6

0.8 mi · 1 min · US 6
Exit 187 Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
24

Continue on I 84; I 380

3.7 mi · 4 min · I 84; I 380
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South: Mount Pocono, Milford Use the straight lane.
25

Keep slight right at fork onto I 380

24 mi · 25 min · I 380
Exit 4 Toward I 380 South: Mount Pocono
26

Keep slight left at fork

1.0 mi · 1 min
Exit 1B Toward I 80 East: Stroudsburg
27

Merge onto I 80

63 mi · 1 hr 19 min · Keystone Shortway
Use the none / straight / right lanes.
28

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 49 sec
Exit 47A Toward I 280 East: The Oranges, Newark
29

Continue on I 280

16 mi · 20 min · Essex Freeway
Use the none lane.
30

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 17A Toward CR 508 East: Jersey City
31

Merge onto CR 508

2.0 mi · 3 min · Newark-Jersey City Turnpike
Use the none lane.
32

Continue on NJ 7

0.5 mi · 43 sec · New Wittpenn Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward NJ 139 East: Hoboken, Holland Tunnel Use the slight right lane.
34

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Toward Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel Use the straight / slight left lanes.
35

Turn straight

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Use the straight lane.
36

Merge onto NJ 139

0.7 mi · 1 min · Conrail Viaduct
37

Continue on NJ 139

0.4 mi · 32 sec · 12th Street Viaduct
Use the none lane.
38

Continue on I 78

0.3 mi · 54 sec · 12th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
39

Keep slight left at fork onto I 78

2.0 mi · 4 min · Holland Tunnel
Toward Holland Tunnel, Manhattan
40

Take the exit

305 ft · 10 sec
Toward Brooklyn Use the straight / slight right lanes.
41

Continue on Beach Street

121 ft · 7 sec · Beach Street
Toward Brooklyn, 6th Avenue, Walker Street Use the straight lane.
42

Turn slight right onto Walker Street

0.2 mi · 1 min · Walker Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
43

Turn right onto Broadway

0.4 mi · 1 min · Broadway
Use the straight / none lanes.
44

Arrive at destination

Broadway

Trip Plan

To ensure a smooth arrival in New York City, aim to depart early in the morning to avoid peak congestion as you approach the metropolitan area. You should budget for at least one significant stop during your 6 hour and 28 minute journey to manage fatigue and refuel. Since the route is heavily reliant on major interstates, keep an eye on real-time traffic updates for I-81 and the Southern Tier Expressway, as these roads are your primary corridors. Given the $48 fuel estimate, topping off your tank before you leave Wellsville can help you avoid higher prices closer to your destination. Since this is a single-day trip, your primary advantage is flexibility, so stay prepared to adjust your pace if you encounter unexpected delays on the highway.

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 151.9 miles from Wellsville, NY, or about 3h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.1 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 151.9 miles or 3h 15m 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 11m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Wellsville, 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 Wellsville, NY

This is one driving day of about 303.7 miles and 6h 28m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Wellsville, 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 Southern Tier Expressway for about 80.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 151.9 mi from Wellsville, NY · 3h 15m into the drive

Downtown Cortland, NY, NY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Cortland, NY

152 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.

Popular next leg

Cortland, NY to New York City, NY

215 mi · 4h 29m

Pacing Suggestions

Ithaca, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Cortland, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 151.9 miles from Wellsville, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Southern Tier Expressway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 80.1 miles.

Arriving in New York City, NY

The final approach into New York City, 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 New York City, 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

$49.44 one way

$98.88 round trip

$4.14/gal 25.4 MPG avg 106 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.48 $53.58 $107.16
premium $4.88 $58.38 $116.77
diesel $5.64 $67.47 $134.94

Estimated Tolls: $16.14

Holland Tunnel $16.00
Newark-Jersey City Turnpike (2 mi) $0.14

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

$49

Tolls

$16

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$91–$116

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 106.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $32 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 91.1 1 $31.89 $14.58
Efficient EV 75.9 0 $26.57 $12.15
EV Truck/SUV 121.5 1 $42.52 $19.44

Gas CO2

106 kg

EV CO2

36 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Wellsville, NY

Evening in Wellsville on Sunday

Local time

7:53 PM

EDT

Current temp

53°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

New York City, NY

Evening in New York City on Sunday

Local time

7:53 PM

EDT

Current temp

61°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

8 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

6h 28m 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 Wellsville, NY to New York City, NY covers 303.7 miles and takes about 6h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Southern Tier Expressway, Keystone Shortway, I 81. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 151.9 miles from Wellsville, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $49.44 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.
This is a demanding drive. With 27 significant decision points across 303.7 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 52 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 52.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 133.4 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Wellsville, NY and New York City, NY, road signs point toward Binghamton, Mt Pocono, Milford and Newark.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 34 ft to 1,996 ft elevation with about 2,529 ft of total climbing.

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