Origin
Caton, NY
Morning in Caton on Tuesday
Local time
10:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 22m
Distance
249.9 mi
402 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Caton, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Brooklyn, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Caton to Brooklyn is 249.9 miles and takes about 5h 22m via Keystone Shortway and Southern Tier Expressway, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York State, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on major highways, making it a good option for a single-day trip. You'll cover a good distance without excessive time, making it manageable for most drivers.
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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
125 miles from Caton, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 35m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Keystone Shortway | 63.3 mi | 1h 19m |
| Southern Tier Expressway | 58.7 mi | 1h 9m |
| I 81 | 53.4 mi | 1h 3m |
| I 380 | 23.6 mi | 25m |
| Essex Freeway | 15.8 mi | 20m |
| Hendy Creek Road | 5.6 mi | 9m |
| West Water Street | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| I 84 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
Step-by-step road directions between Caton, NY and Brooklyn, NY.
Start on this road
Turn left onto NY 225
Continue on NY 225
At end of road, turn right onto NY 352
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 86; NY 17
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
Take the exit
Continue on I 280
Take the exit
Merge onto CR 508
Continue on NJ 7
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn straight
Merge onto NJ 139
Continue on NJ 139
Continue on I 78
Keep slight left at fork onto I 78
Take the exit
Turn slight left onto Laight Street
At end of road, turn left onto NY 9A
Take the exit
Continue on I 278
Take the exit onto NY 27
Take the exit onto NY 27
Turn left onto NY 27
Continue on NY 27
Turn right onto Nostrand Avenue
Arrive at destination
Given the 5-hour duration, departing in the morning is recommended to maximize daylight for the entire trip. With only one day needed, you have flexibility in your departure time, but an early start can help you avoid potential traffic closer to Brooklyn. The estimated fuel cost is around $41, so plan accordingly. Keep in mind the longest stretch without a major break is 63.3 miles on the Keystone Shortway, so be sure to fuel up before you hit that segment if needed.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 55 miles or 1h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 125 miles or 2h 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 11m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brooklyn, NY than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Caton, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Caton, NY
This is one driving day of about 249.9 miles and 5h 22m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
125 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 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 125 miles from Caton, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Keystone Shortway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.3 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 72.6 and 243.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81 toward I 81 South: Scranton
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
Take the exit toward NJ 139 East: Hoboken, Holland Tunnel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Hugh L Carey Tunnel, Brooklyn
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$41.14 one way
$82.27 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $44.48 | $88.96 |
| premium | $4.92 | $48.44 | $96.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $55.17 | $110.35 |
Estimated Tolls: $16.14
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
$41
Tolls
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$82–$107
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 75 | 0 | $26.24 | $12.00 |
| Efficient EV | 62.5 | 0 | $21.87 | $10.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 100 | 1 | $34.99 | $15.99 |
Gas CO2
87 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Caton on Tuesday
Local time
10:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Brooklyn on Tuesday
Local time
10:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°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
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
About 64% of this drive is on highways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 63.3 miles on the Keystone Shortway before transitioning to other main roads. Expect a mostly highway profile for the majority of your travel time. The transition from highway to more local roads will be evident as you get closer to your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Keystone Shortway and Southern Tier Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 72.6 miles in near I 81.
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 26 significant decision points across 249.9 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 72.6 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 125.9 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 238 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Caton, NY and Brooklyn, NY, road signs point toward Mt Pocono, Milford, Newark and Cr 508 East: Jersey City.
Mt Pocono
Milford
Newark
Cr 508 East: Jersey City
Founded 1634
Brooklyn, the "Borough of Homes and Churches," is one of the five boroughs of New York City. It used to be a separate city, and still feels much like one. It has about 2.5 million inhabitants. If separated from the rest of New York City, Brooklyn would be the 4th most populous American city. Brooklyn is on the westernmost point of Long Island and shares a land boundary with Queens, which partially encircles Brooklyn to the north, east and south; Manhattan lies across the East River to the west and north of Brooklyn, and Staten Island is across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the southwest. Brooklyn is enjoying a period of growth and affluence not seen since before World War II. The Brooklyn Academy of Music boasts world-class theater performances, and the nearby Barclays Center is the home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 22m. Total distance: 249.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
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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