Albany to Rockland is 118.2 miles and takes about 2h 24m via New York State Thruway and NY 17, with a fuel budget near $19 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, connecting the Northeast region to itself. The drive offers a mix of highway cruising and surface road travel, making it a straightforward option for a single-day excursion. With a relatively short duration and a manageable fuel cost, this route is convenient for those looking to travel between these two points without a significant time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
59.1 miles from Albany, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
New York State Thruway
50.3 mi
58m
NY 17
15.6 mi
18m
United States Highway 209
15.6 mi
19m
Canal Street
11.5 mi
13m
Clayton 'Peg Leg' Bates Highway
8.4 mi
9m
State Highway 52
5.7 mi
7m
Main Street
3.1 mi
3m
I 787
1.7 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 50.3 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Albany, NY and Rockland, 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 1Toward 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
50 mi·58 min·New York State Thruway
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 19Toward NY 28: Kingston, Rhinecliff Bridge
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·13 sec
14
Merge onto NY 28
0.5 mi·50 sec·State Route 28
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
16
Merge onto US 209
8.4 mi·9 min·Clayton 'Peg Leg' Bates Highway
17
Continue on US 209
1.7 mi·2 min·Main Street
18
Continue on US 209
16 mi·19 min·United States Highway 209
19
Continue on US 209
1.0 mi·1 min·North Main Street
20
Turn right onto NY 52
12 mi·13 min·Canal Street
21
Continue on NY 42; NY 52
0.3 mi·20 sec·State Highway 42
22
Turn slight right onto NY 52
1.4 mi·1 min·Main Street
23
Continue on NY 52
1.3 mi·1 min·State Highway 52
24
Continue on NY 52
0.4 mi·30 sec·Old Monticello Road
25
Continue on NY 52
4.4 mi·5 min·State Highway 52
26
Take the exit
282 ft·8 sec
Toward NY 17 West: Binghamton
27
Merge onto Triangle Road
0.2 mi·10 sec·Triangle Road
28
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
29
Merge onto NY 17
16 mi·18 min·NY 17
30
Take the exit
0.1 mi·27 sec
Exit 94Toward NY 206: Roscoe, Walton
31
Turn left onto NY 206; CR 179
0.5 mi·53 sec·Old Route 17
32
Continue on NY 206; CR 91
0.6 mi·1 min·Rockland Road
33
Turn left onto Wilcox Avenue
33 ft·1 sec·Wilcox Avenue
34
Arrive at destination
Wilcox Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 24m estimated drive time, you can easily complete this trip in one day. Leaving Albany in the morning will give you ample time to reach Rockland without feeling rushed. Since the longest continuous stretch is 50.3 miles on the New York State Thruway, plan for a potential stop before or shortly after this segment if you prefer to break up the driving. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $19, and it's always wise to top off before embarking on the surface road portions of the route, especially if you plan to make any unscheduled stops. The flexibility of a shorter drive like this means you can adjust your departure time based on traffic or personal preference.
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 59.1 miles from Albany, NY, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50.3 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 26 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.1 miles or 1h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rockland, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Albany, 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 Albany, NY
This is one driving day of about 118.2 miles and 2h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Albany, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on New York State Thruway for about 50.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 21
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 117 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|NY 5 / Washington Avenue
Turn right onto NY 5 / Washington Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|Broadway
At end of road, turn right onto Broadway
Navigation decision point
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
53.5 mi into trip|~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward NY 28: Kingston, Rhinecliff Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 19
Toward NY 28: Kingston, Rhinecliff Bridge
6
117 mi into trip|~2h 21m in
Take the exit toward NY 206: Roscoe, Walton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 94
Toward NY 206: Roscoe, Walton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.46 one way
$38.91 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$21.04
$42.08
premium
$4.92
$22.91
$45.82
diesel
$5.61
$26.10
$52.19
Estimated Tolls: $2.51
New York State Thruway
(50.3 mi)$2.51
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
$19
Tolls
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.5
0
$12.41
$5.67
Efficient EV
29.6
0
$10.34
$4.73
EV Truck/SUV
47.3
0
$16.55
$7.56
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Albany, NY
Late night
in Albany on Tuesday
Local time
5:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
32°F
Mostly Clear
SW 2 to 12 mph7% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 19 at 3:17PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 19 at 2:18PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Destination
Rockland, NY
Late night
in Rockland on Tuesday
Local time
5:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°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
7 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
2h 24m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Saratoga National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In 1777, a large British invasion force met an equally large American army here at Saratoga. After two intense battles, an eight-mile retreat, and a three-day siege, British General John Burgoyne surr...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 34% of this 118.2-mile drive is on highways, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 50.3 miles on the New York State Thruway. After this highway segment, you'll transition to surface roads, including NY 17 and US 209. Expect to notice more frequent exits and potential changes in speed limits as you move from the limited-access highway to more varied road conditions. This shift from high-speed travel to more local thoroughfares is a key characteristic of the latter half of the route.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
34 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 50.3 mi on New York State Thruway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near NY 5 / Washington Avenue.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 118.2 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: near the start (NY 5 / Washington Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 24m. Total distance: 118.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 50.3 miles on New York State Thruway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.51 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.
Yes — we found about 7 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Rockland, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. There are 7 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NY 5 / Washington Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 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 Rockland, NY before heading back.
