Origin
Albany, NY
Late night in Albany on Tuesday
Local time
5:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Albany, NY to Cairo, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
39.4 mi
63 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cairo, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 39.4-mile drive from Albany to Cairo, NY, is a quick 52-minute trip, perfect for a single day. You'll primarily navigate using the New York State Thruway, State Highway 23, and I-787, with about 22% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is around $6, making it an economical excursion. Given its short duration and minimal stops, it's an easy out-and-back or a simple leg of a larger journey within the Northeast region. This route offers a straightforward connection between two New York locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Thruway | 27.7 mi | 31m |
| State Highway 23 | 6.8 mi | 9m |
| I 787 | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Broadway | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| CR 23B | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Bross Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Pine Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Washington Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 27.7 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Albany, NY and Cairo, NY.
1
Start on this road
30 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto NY 5
352 ft
·
10 sec
·
Washington Avenue
3
Turn left onto Eagle Street
156 ft
·
4 sec
·
Eagle Street
4
Turn slight right onto Pine Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Pine Street
5
At end of road, turn right onto Broadway
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Broadway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto Broadway
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Broadway
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 787 South
8
Merge onto I 787
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 787
9
Continue on I 787
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 787
Exit 1
Toward I 87 Toll: New York State Thruway
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 87 South: New York, Massachusetts Turnpike, Exits 22-1
11
Merge onto I 87
28 mi
·
31 min
·
New York State Thruway
12
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 21
Toward NY 23: Catskill, Cairo
13
Continue on this road
519 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
14
Keep slight left at fork
156 ft
·
11 sec
Toward Catskill, Hudson, Tannersville, Hunter, Windham
15
Turn left onto CR 23B
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
CR 23B
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward NY 23 West: East Durham, Windham, Cairo, Greenville
Use the right lane.
17
Turn straight onto NY 23
6.8 mi
·
9 min
·
State Highway 23
18
Turn left onto Bross Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Bross Street
19
At end of road, turn left onto CR 23B
58 ft
·
1 sec
·
Main Street
20
Arrive at destination
CR 23B
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.7 miles from Albany, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 2.7 and 39.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 87 South: New York, Massachusetts Turnpike, Exits 22-1
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 87 South: New York, Massachusetts Turn...
6
30.9 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward NY 23: Catskill, Cairo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 21
Toward NY 23: Catskill, Cairo
7
31.8 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Catskill, Hudson, Tannersville, Hunter, Windham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Catskill, Hudson, Tannersville, Hunter,...
7
32.2 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward NY 23 West: East Durham, Windham, Cairo, Greenville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward NY 23 West: East Durham, Windham, Cairo,...
6
39.4 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
CR 23B / Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto CR 23B / Main Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.49 one way
$12.97 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $7.01 | $14.03 |
| premium | $4.92 | $7.64 | $15.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.70 | $17.40 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.39
New York State Thruway
(27.7 mi)
$1.39
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.14 | $1.89 |
| Efficient EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.45 | $1.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.52 | $2.52 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Cairo, NY
Late night in Cairo on Tuesday
Local time
5:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
40°F
New Baltimore, NY
20 mi in
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
1 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
52m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, rather than a monotonous highway cruise. While 22% of the journey involves highways, the overall feel is more about navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 27.7 miles on the New York State Thruway, offering a brief period of faster travel. As you progress, the road will likely transition from highway segments to more winding local paths, requiring your attention and adaptability behind the wheel.
Only 22% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.7 mi on New York State Thruway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 39.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Albany, NY and Cairo, NY, road signs point toward Massachusetts Turnpike, Exits 22-1, Catskill, Hudson, Tannersville and Hunter - among others.
Massachusetts Turnpike
2.7 mi in
|
~5m
Exits 22-1
2.7 mi in
|
~5m
Catskill
31.8 mi in
|
~40m
Hudson
31.8 mi in
|
~40m
Tannersville
31.8 mi in
|
~40m
Hunter
31.8 mi in
|
~40m
Windham
31.8 mi in
|
~40m
Greenville
32.2 mi in
|
~41m
About the Cities
Starting in Albany, NY
Full guide →Founded 1686
Albany is the capital of New York. Albany is an interesting showcase of several centuries' worth of architectural styles, including the modernistic Empire State Plaza.
Top landmarks
- • New York State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of New York
- • Fort Orange — fort in New Netherland (now Albany, New York)
- • Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception — historic cathedral in Albany, New York, United States
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 39.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.7 miles on New York State Thruway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.39 in tolls one way, starting with New York State Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Cairo, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Saratoga National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cairo, NY before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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