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Trip from Byron, NY to Buffalo, NY

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 7m

Distance

50 mi

80 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 2m ★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

English Romantic poet and lyricist (1788–1824)

Byron, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Buffalo, NY, NY

Buffalo, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 50-mile drive from Byron to Buffalo, NY, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 7 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You'll primarily navigate the New York State Thruway, with portions of Kensington Expressway and Ford Road also part of the journey. With an estimated fuel cost of $8, this route is budget-friendly for a quick hop. The overall feel is that of a typical local drive within the Northeast region, connecting two points in New York.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
New York State Thruway 31.2 mi 36m
Kensington Expressway 6.4 mi 8m
Ford Road 3.9 mi 6m
Oak Orchard Road 3.4 mi 5m
Byron Elba Road 2.7 mi 4m
Genesee Street 0.3 mi <1m
Oak Street 0.2 mi <1m
East Huron Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: New York State Thruway — 31.2 mi, about 36m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Byron, NY and Buffalo, NY.

1

Start on NY 262

141 ft · 4 sec · Townline Road
2

Continue on NY 262

2.7 mi · 4 min · Byron Elba Road
3

Continue on NY 262

3.9 mi · 6 min · Ford Road
4

Turn left onto NY 98

3.4 mi · 5 min · Oak Orchard Road
5

Continue on NY 98

451 ft · 15 sec · Oak Street
6

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 34 sec
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 90 West
8

Merge onto I 90

31 mi · 36 min · New York State Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Exit 51W Toward NY 33 West: Buffalo Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto NY 33

6.4 mi · 8 min · Kensington Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 39 sec
Toward Oak Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on Oak Street

428 ft · 14 sec · Oak Street
13

Turn right onto Genesee Street

0.2 mi · 39 sec · Genesee Street
Use the right lane.
14

Turn right onto East Huron Street

0.1 mi · 34 sec · East Huron Street
15

Turn left onto Franklin Street

0.1 mi · 22 sec · Franklin Street
Use the left lane.
16

Turn right onto Genesee Street

402 ft · 11 sec · Genesee Street
17

Enter roundabout onto NY 384

391 ft · 11 sec · Niagara Square
18

Arrive at destination

NY 384

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

village in Erie County, New York, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Akron, NY

25 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

Batavia, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Pembroke, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 25 miles from Byron, 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 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 10.1 and 49.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
10.1 mi into trip | ~17m in

Take the ramp

Navigation decision point

7
42.1 mi into trip | ~55m in

Take the exit toward NY 33 West: Buffalo

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 51W Toward NY 33 West: Buffalo
7
48.9 mi into trip | ~1h 4m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Oak Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Oak Street
6
49.4 mi into trip | ~1h 5m in | Genesee Street

Turn right onto Genesee Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
49.7 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in | Franklin Street

Turn left onto Franklin Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.23 one way

$16.46 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $8.90 $17.80
premium $4.92 $9.69 $19.38
diesel $5.61 $11.04 $22.08

Estimated Tolls: $1.56

New York State Thruway (31.2 mi) $1.56

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Tolls

$2

Total

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 15 0 $5.25 $2.40
Efficient EV 12.5 0 $4.38 $2.00
EV Truck/SUV 20 0 $7.00 $3.20

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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 18, 2026

Origin

Byron, NY

Late night in Byron on Tuesday

Local time

5:12 AM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Buffalo, NY

Late night in Buffalo on Tuesday

Local time

5:12 AM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Mostly Clear

SE 2 to 9 mph 0% chance Live forecast

61°F

Akron, NY

25 mi in

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 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 7m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this 50-mile route. While 13% of the journey involves highway driving, the character leans more towards navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 31.2 miles on the New York State Thruway, offering a brief period of consistent speed before you transition back to more varied road conditions. This drive will likely feel like a mix of open highway and more intricate local navigation as you approach your destination.

Only 13% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.2 mi on New York State Thruway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

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 10.1 miles in.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50 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 10.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 42.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Byron, NY

Full guide →

Arriving 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

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 7m. Total distance: 50 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 7m 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 31.2 miles on New York State Thruway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $1.56 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.

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 Buffalo, 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 10.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 42.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Buffalo, 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.

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