Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 48m
Distance
376.4 mi
606 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$61
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
Morris Heights, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Buffalo, NY to Morris Heights, NY is 376.4 miles and takes about 7h 48m via Southern Tier Expressway, Keystone Shortway, and I 81, with a fuel budget near $62 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Northeast region, primarily traversing New York. Expect a highway-focused experience for most of the journey, making it a straightforward trip. Given the duration and distance, it's feasible as a single-day undertaking, but be prepared for a solid amount of time behind the wheel. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B without extensive detours.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
188.2 miles from Buffalo, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 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 |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 168 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~4,210 veh/hr typical · worst 4,900
Quietest
1 AM
~430 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Buffalo, NY and Morris Heights, 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
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Turn straight onto Washington Bridge
Continue on Washington Bridge
Turn left onto University Avenue
Turn left onto West 174th Street
Turn right onto Montgomery Avenue
Turn left onto West 176th Step Street
Arrive at destination
Starting your drive from Buffalo early in the morning will give you ample daylight to reach Morris Heights, as it's a 7h 48m trip. With just 2 recommended stops, you can be strategic about where you choose to refuel and stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 104.5-mile stretch on the Southern Tier Expressway, to avoid any unexpected delays. The $62 fuel cost is an estimate, so it's always wise to have a little extra budgeted. This is a manageable one-day drive, so you have flexibility to adjust your stop times based on how you feel.
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.
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 83 miles or 1h 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 188.2 miles or 4h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Morris Heights, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Buffalo, NY
This is one driving day of about 376.4 miles and 7h 48m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
188 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.
A short stop after about 83 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 188.2 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.
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 375.2 — 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 toward I 90 West: Erie
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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 right at fork toward Amsterdam Avenue, University Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$61.17 one way
$122.34 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $66.21 | $132.42 |
| premium | $4.87 | $72.11 | $144.22 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $80.07 | $160.13 |
Estimated Tolls: $16.30
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
$61
Tolls
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$102–$127
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 131.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $40 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 112.9 | 1 | $39.52 | $18.07 |
| Efficient EV | 94.1 | 1 | $32.93 | $15.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 150.6 | 1 | $52.70 | $24.09 |
Gas CO2
132 kg
EV CO2
44 kg (67% 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
Evening in Buffalo on Sunday
Local time
5:28 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Evening in Morris Heights on Sunday
Local time
5:28 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°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.
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
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.
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 trip is largely a highway-focused drive, with 62% of the journey utilizing major expressways. You'll encounter the Southern Tier Expressway, Keystone Shortway, and I 81, which offer consistent speeds and direct travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 104.5 miles on the Southern Tier Expressway, so plan your breaks accordingly. While primarily highway, the transition between these major roads is generally smooth, maintaining a steady pace throughout the 7h 48m 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 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 37 significant decision points across 376.4 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 5.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 255.8 miles (US 6): 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 Morris Heights, 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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 48m. Total distance: 376.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 48m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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