Origin
Buffalo, NY
Afternoon in Buffalo on Sunday
Local time
1:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buffalo, NY to West Hempstead, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 16m
Distance
396.1 mi
637 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$64
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 9m
★
6 AM
8h 17m
8 AM
8h 32m
10 AM
8h 22m
12 PM
8h 21m
3 PM
8h 23m
5 PM
8h 31m
8 PM
8h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buffalo, NY
Wikimedia Commons
West Hempstead, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Buffalo, NY to West Hempstead, NY is 396.1 miles and takes about 8h 16m via Southern Tier Expressway, Keystone Shortway, and I-81, with a fuel budget near $65 and best split over two days. This trip stays within the Northeast, traversing New York state for the entirety. It's a largely highway route, making it straightforward for those who prefer to cover ground efficiently. With a recommended two-day pace, you'll have ample time to break up the drive and avoid feeling rushed.
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
198.1 miles from Buffalo, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 12m into the drive .
Main Roads
| 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 |
Longest stretch:
Southern Tier Expressway
— 104.5 mi, about 2h 2m
Traffic on I-80
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
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buffalo, NY and West Hempstead, 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
4.6 mi
·
8 min
·
West Buffalo Street
19
Continue on US 20A
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Perry Center Road
20
Continue on CR 64
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Perry Road
21
Turn right onto NY 36
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Mount Morris Road
22
Continue on NY 36
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
North Main Street
23
Continue on NY 36
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Sonyea Road
24
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
25
Merge onto I 390
33 mi
·
37 min
·
Genesee Expressway
26
Merge onto I 86
105 mi
·
2 hr 2 min
·
Southern Tier Expressway
27
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
53 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
I 81
Toward I 81 South: Scranton
Use the straight lane.
28
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
US 6
Exit 187
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
29
Continue on I 84; I 380
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
I 84; I 380
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South: Mount Pocono, Milford
Use the straight lane.
30
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
24 mi
·
25 min
·
I 380
Exit 4
Toward I 380 South: Mount Pocono
31
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1B
Toward I 80 East: Stroudsburg
32
Merge onto I 80
80 mi
·
1 hr 37 min
·
Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / right lanes.
33
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Toward I 95: George Washington Bridge Lower Level
Use the slight right lane.
34
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
35
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 70A-B
Toward Leonia, Teaneck
Use the slight right lane.
36
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 70A
Toward Leonia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
37
Turn straight onto CR 56
454 ft
·
9 sec
·
Degraw Avenue
38
Continue on CR 56
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Fort Lee Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
39
Continue on CR 56
469 ft
·
13 sec
·
Main Street
40
Take the ramp
472 ft
·
12 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge
41
Merge onto US 1; US 9; US 46
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Bergen Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
42
Take the exit
312 ft
·
4 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge Upper Level
43
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
44
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95 EXPR
45
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
46
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Trans-Manhattan Expressway
47
Continue on I 95; US 1
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
48
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
Exit 6B
Toward I 295 South: Throgs Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
49
Merge onto I 295
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Throgs Neck Expressway
50
Continue on I 295
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Throgs Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
51
Continue on I 295
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Clearview Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
52
Turn left onto NY 25
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hillside Avenue
Use the left lane.
53
Turn right onto NY 25
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Braddock Avenue
54
Turn left onto NY 25
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Jamaica Avenue
55
Continue on NY 25
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
Jericho Turnpike
56
Turn slight right onto Tulip Avenue
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Tulip Avenue
Use the right lane.
57
Turn right onto New Hyde Park Road
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
New Hyde Park Road
58
Turn left onto NY 24
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Hempstead Turnpike
Use the left lane.
59
Turn right onto Sycamore Street
193 ft
·
13 sec
·
Sycamore Street
60
Turn left
50 ft
·
9 sec
61
Turn left
105 ft
·
7 sec
62
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 8h 16m estimated driving time, it's highly recommended to split this drive over two days. Aim to depart early on your first day to cover a substantial portion of the miles, perhaps targeting the end of the Keystone Shortway as a good stopping point. This will leave you with a shorter, more manageable drive on day two. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the longer highway stretches, and plan your stops at service areas or towns along the Southern Tier Expressway and I-81. The $65 fuel estimate should help you budget for gas across the 396.1 miles.
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 drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 198.1 miles from Buffalo, NY, or about 4h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 104.5 miles.
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 87 miles or 2h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 198.1 miles or 4h 12m 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 198.1 miles or 4h 12m
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 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near West Hempstead, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
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 198 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into West Hempstead, NY
Aim for roughly 198 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 87 miles from Buffalo, NY.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Southern Tier Expressway for about 104.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
198 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 Clarks Summit, PAOvernight Options
Night 1
198 mi · about 4.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Clarks Summit, PA after about 198 miles or 4.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 87 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 198.1 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 198 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 395 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 370.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
9
255.8 mi into trip
|
~5h 20m in
|
US 6
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
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 187
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbo...
9
370.7 mi into trip
|
~7h 37m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Leonia, Teaneck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 70A-B
Toward Leonia, Teaneck
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$64.37 one way
$128.75 round trip
$4.13/gal
25.4 MPG avg
139 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $69.68 | $139.35 |
| premium | $4.87 | $75.88 | $151.77 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $84.26 | $168.51 |
Estimated Tolls: $22.99
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
Niagara Thruway
(4.9 mi)
$0.24
Hempstead Turnpike
(1.4 mi)
$0.10
New York State Thruway
(1.3 mi)
$0.06
Jericho Turnpike
(0.5 mi)
$0.04
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: 138.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $42 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 118.8 | 1 | $41.59 | $19.01 |
| Efficient EV | 99 | 1 | $34.66 | $15.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 158.4 | 1 | $55.45 | $25.35 |
Gas CO2
139 kg
EV CO2
46 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
West Hempstead, NY
Afternoon in West Hempstead on Sunday
Local time
1:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°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.
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
10 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
8h 16m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily on highways, with 62% of the total mileage on expressways. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 104.5 miles on the Southern Tier Expressway without needing to exit. Expect a good amount of highway cruising, though the percentage of highway driving decreases as you approach your destination, indicating a transition to more local roads and potentially more frequent exits.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
62 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 104.5 mi on Southern Tier Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 39 significant decision points across 396.1 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 7.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,800 ft
50 ft
Total Climb
2,858 ft
Total Descent
3,390 ft
Highest Point
1,800 ft
~282.9 mi in
Elevation Range
1,750 ft
Notable High Points
1,585 ft at ~84.9 miles
+566 ft prominence
1,800 ft at ~282.9 miles
+958 ft prominence
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 Buffalo, NY and West Hempstead, NY, road signs point toward Mt Pocono, Milford, New York City, Leonia, Teaneck and George Washington Bridge Upper Level.
Mt Pocono
255.8 mi in
|
~5h 20m
|
via US 6
Milford
256.6 mi in
|
~5h 21m
|
via I 84; I 380
New York City
370.4 mi in
|
~7h 36m
Leonia
370.7 mi in
|
~7h 37m
Teaneck
370.7 mi in
|
~7h 37m
George Washington Bridge Upper Level
372.9 mi in
|
~7h 41m
About the Cities
Starting in Buffalo, NY
Full guide →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
- • Buffalo AKG Art Museum — art museum in New York, US
- • Buffalo City Hall — skyscraper and municipal building in Buffalo, New York, USA
- • USS Croaker — 1943 Gato-class submarine
Arriving in West Hempstead, NY
Full guide →Hempstead is the most populous town in America, with a whopping 700,000 residents, located on the South Shore of Nassau County, New York. The town is highly urbanized and fragmented, containing 22 semi-autonomous villages within its boundaries, and forty other neighborhoods. Garden City, encompassing the "Nassau Hub" region, has its own article. The other prominent communities in Hempstead include Floral Park, Hempstead Village, Valley Stream, Rockville Centre, Freeport, Merrick, and the Five Towns area.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 104.5 miles on Southern Tier Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 198 miles on day one.
Expect about $22.99 in tolls one way, starting with George Washington Bridge. 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.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 West Hempstead, 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. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 7.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.3 hours each way, a round trip means 16.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at West Hempstead, NY before the return drive.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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