Origin
Buffalo, NY
Night in Buffalo on Saturday
Local time
10:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buffalo, NY to Warsaw, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
44.9 mi
72 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buffalo, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion from Buffalo to Warsaw, you can expect a manageable 44.9-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 4 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to head out and back without the need for an overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via the Aurora Expressway, Varysburg Road, and Big Tree Road as you transition through the Northeast region. Budgeting approximately $7 for fuel makes this an economical choice for a weekend getaway or a spontaneous afternoon drive. Since the entire trip is relatively short, you have plenty of flexibility to adjust your departure time based on your personal schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora Expressway | 12.4 mi | 14m |
| Varysburg Road | 10.9 mi | 15m |
| Big Tree Road | 10.5 mi | 15m |
| Niagara Thruway | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| West Buffalo Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| West Buffalo Street | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| New York State Thruway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| South Elmwood Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Aurora Expressway
— 12.4 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buffalo, NY and Warsaw, NY.
1
Start on NY 384
100 ft
·
2 sec
·
Niagara Square
2
Continue on Perkins Drive
321 ft
·
16 sec
·
Perkins Drive
3
At end of road, turn left onto NY 5
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
South Elmwood Avenue
4
Keep slight right at fork
206 ft
·
8 sec
5
At end of road, turn right onto Church Street
501 ft
·
16 sec
·
Church Street
Use the right lane.
6
Take the exit
175 ft
·
4 sec
Toward I 190, NY 5 West: Skyway, Peace Bridge, Canada
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 190 South, NY 5 West: Skyway
Use the left / right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 190
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Niagara Thruway
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 54-61
Toward I 90 West: Erie
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 90
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
New York State Thruway
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 54
Toward NY 400, NY 16: West Seneca, East Aurora
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on NY 400
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Aurora Expressway
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 20A, NY 78: East Aurora
14
Turn left onto US 20A; NY 78
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Main Street
15
Continue on US 20A; NY 78
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Big Tree Road
16
Continue on US 20A
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Varysburg Road
17
Continue on US 20A
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West Buffalo Road
18
Continue on US 20A
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
West Buffalo Street
19
Turn right onto NY 19
60 ft
·
1 sec
·
South Main Street
20
Arrive at destination
NY 19
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.4 miles from Buffalo, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 7.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NY 5 / South Elmwood Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto NY 5 / South Elmwood Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Church Street
At end of road, turn right onto Church Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
9
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
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
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward I 190 South, NY 5 West: Skyway
8
5.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 90 West: Erie
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 54-61
Toward I 90 West: Erie
8
7.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward NY 400, NY 16: West Seneca, East Aurora
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 54
Toward NY 400, NY 16: West Seneca, East Aurora
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.39 one way
$14.78 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $7.99 | $15.98 |
| premium | $4.92 | $8.70 | $17.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.91 | $19.83 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.30
Niagara Thruway
(4.9 mi)
$0.24
New York State Thruway
(1.3 mi)
$0.06
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$0
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.71 | $2.16 |
| Efficient EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.93 | $1.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18 | 0 | $6.29 | $2.87 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Warsaw, NY
Night in Warsaw on Saturday
Local time
10:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 4m 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 that trades the monotony of long highway stretches for a more engaging experience behind the wheel. Only 28% of your journey will be spent on highways, meaning you will spend the majority of your time navigating local roads. Your longest uninterrupted segment is a 12.4-mile stretch along the Aurora Expressway, which serves as the primary fast-moving portion of the trip. As you move away from the expressway, the route shifts into a more technical drive that requires your full attention. The transition from the faster, wider lanes to the winding local roads defines the personality of this 1-hour trek.
Only 28% 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: 12.4 mi on Aurora Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 0.1 miles in near NY 5 / South Elmwood Avenue.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.9 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (NY 5 / South Elmwood Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (Church Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. 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.
On the drive from Buffalo, NY to Warsaw, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Aurora along the way.
Aurora
7.1 mi in
|
~10m
About the Cities
Starting in Buffalo, NY
Full guide →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.
Arriving in Warsaw, NY
Full guide →Wyoming County is in the Niagara Frontier region of New York.
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 1h 4m. Total distance: 44.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.4 miles on Aurora Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.30 in tolls one way, starting with Niagara 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 Warsaw, 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 0.1 miles (NY 5 / South Elmwood Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (Church Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Warsaw, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Warsaw, NY
More trips to Warsaw, NY
Explore more options from Buffalo, NY or browse trips ending in Warsaw, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.