Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 8m
Distance
389.7 mi
627 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$64
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buffalo, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Kew Gardens, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Buffalo to Kew Gardens is 389.7 miles and takes about 8h 8m via Southern Tier Expressway, Keystone Shortway, and I 81, with a fuel budget near $64 and enough daylight to finish in a day if you start early. This trip focuses heavily on highways, so expect a fairly direct path across New York and into Pennsylvania. It's a route that prioritizes getting you from point A to point B efficiently, making it a solid choice if you're looking to cover ground. With a recommended two days for the journey, you can take your time or push through in one if you're up for it.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
194.9 miles from Buffalo, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 8m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Tier Expressway | 104.5 mi | 2h 2m |
| Keystone Shortway | 80 mi | 1h 37m |
| I 81 | 53.4 mi | 1h 3m |
| Genesee Expressway | 32.6 mi | 37m |
| I 380 | 23.6 mi | 25m |
| Aurora Expressway | 12.4 mi | 14m |
| Varysburg Road | 10.9 mi | 15m |
| Big Tree Road | 10.5 mi | 15m |
Step-by-step road directions between Buffalo, NY and Kew Gardens, NY.
Start on NY 384
Continue on Perkins Drive
At end of road, turn left onto NY 5
Keep slight right at fork
At end of road, turn right onto Church Street
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 190
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 90
Take the exit
Continue on NY 400
Take the exit
Turn left onto US 20A; NY 78
Continue on US 20A; NY 78
Continue on US 20A
Continue on US 20A
Continue on US 20A
Continue on US 20A
Continue on CR 64
Turn right onto NY 36
Continue on NY 36
Continue on NY 36
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 390
Merge onto I 86
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6
Continue on I 84; I 380
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Turn right
Turn straight onto CR 56
Continue on CR 56
Continue on CR 56
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 1; US 9; US 46
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
Continue on I 95; US 1
Continue on I 95; US 1
Take the exit
Merge onto I 678
Continue on I 678
Continue on I 678
Keep slight left at fork onto I 678
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto Union Turnpike
Continue on Union Turnpike
Arrive at destination
Given the 8-hour drive time, splitting this trip over two days is a good idea for a more relaxed experience. You'll have two recommended stops, so plan your overnight stay somewhere around the halfway point to break up the 389.7 miles. Starting your drive early in the morning will give you ample daylight to reach your destination or a comfortable stopping point. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the longer stretches like the 104.5 miles on the Southern Tier Expressway, as services can sometimes be spread out on these main arteries.
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.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 86 miles or 2h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 194.9 miles or 4h 8m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 194.9 miles or 4h 8m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kew Gardens, NY than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Buffalo, 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.
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Buffalo, NY
Aim for roughly 195 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Kew Gardens, NY
Aim for roughly 195 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
195 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Vestal, NYNight 1
195 mi · about 4.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Vestal, NY after about 195 miles or 4.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 86 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 194.9 miles from Buffalo, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Southern Tier Expressway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 104.5 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 195 miles or 4.1 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 388.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork toward I 190 South, NY 5 West: Skyway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
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
Keep slight right at fork toward Leonia, Teaneck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward Jackie Robinson Parkway West, Union Turnpike West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Union Turnpike West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$64.15 one way
$128.29 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $69.36 | $138.73 |
| premium | $4.92 | $75.53 | $151.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $86.04 | $172.08 |
Estimated Tolls: $22.85
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
$64
Tolls
$23
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$217–$327
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 136.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 116.9 | 1 | $40.92 | $18.71 |
| Efficient EV | 97.4 | 1 | $34.10 | $15.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 155.9 | 1 | $54.56 | $24.94 |
Gas CO2
136 kg
EV CO2
46 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Buffalo on Sunday
Local time
7:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Kew Gardens on Sunday
Local time
7:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 63% of the journey on major expressways. You'll spend a good chunk of time on the Southern Tier Expressway, where the longest uninterrupted stretch measures 104.5 miles, offering a consistent pace. The route transitions through the Keystone Shortway and eventually I 81, maintaining a generally straightforward driving experience. Expect a steady flow of traffic and limited interaction with local roads, making it a predictable and efficient travel corridor.
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 0.4 miles in.
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 36 significant decision points across 389.7 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 0.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 255.8 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 370.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Buffalo, NY and Kew Gardens, NY, road signs point toward Mt Pocono and Milford.
Mt Pocono
Milford
Founded 1832
The largest city in New York State's Niagara Frontier, Buffalo is a city full of surprises. Though Buffalo is sometimes the butt of jokes about chicken wings, its long-suffering sports teams, and the mountains of snow under which it is supposedly buried each winter, those in the know tell a different story: one of vibrant nightlife, world-class museums and cultural attractions, tight-knit neighborhoods with strong community spirit – and the sunniest summers in Northeastern United States.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
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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