Origin
Cheektowaga, NY
Late night in Cheektowaga on Sunday
Local time
12:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cheektowaga, NY to Buffalo, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
15m
Distance
9 mi
15 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 18m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 14m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cheektowaga, NY
Abhishek Navlakha
Buffalo, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Cheektowaga, NY to Buffalo, NY is 9 miles and takes about 15m via Niagara Thruway, Union Road, and New York State Thruway, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region, specifically in New York. It's a very quick drive, mostly on local roads with some highway thrown in, making it ideal for a quick errand or a brief transition between locations. You won't need much time to complete this journey, so you can afford to be flexible with your departure time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Niagara Thruway | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| Union Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| New York State Thruway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| William Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Niagara Square | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Delaware Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Church Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Niagara Thruway
— 4.9 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cheektowaga, NY and Buffalo, NY.
1
Start on this road
49 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
66 ft
·
9 sec
3
Take the ramp
425 ft
·
12 sec
4
Turn right onto NY 277
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Union Road
5
Turn straight
264 ft
·
11 sec
6
Turn straight onto William Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
William Street
7
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 90 West: New York State Thruway
8
Merge onto I 90
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
New York State Thruway
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 53
Toward I 190: Downtown Buffalo, Canada
Use the slight right lane.
10
Continue on I 190
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Niagara Thruway
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 7
Toward Buffalo, Outer Harbor, Church Street
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on NY 5
521 ft
·
21 sec
·
Church Street
13
Turn left onto NY 384
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Delaware Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Enter roundabout onto NY 384
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Niagara Square
15
Arrive at destination
NY 384
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 8.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 West: New York State Thruway
Navigation decision point
Toward I 90 West: New York State Thruway
8
3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward I 190: Downtown Buffalo, Canada
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 53
Toward I 190: Downtown Buffalo, Canada
8
8.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward Buffalo, Outer Harbor, Church Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 7
Toward Buffalo, Outer Harbor, Church Street
7
8.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
NY 384 / Delaware Avenue
Turn left onto NY 384 / Delaware Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
8.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
NY 384 / Niagara Square
Enter roundabout onto NY 384 / Niagara Square
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.48 one way
$2.96 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $1.60 | $3.20 |
| premium | $4.92 | $1.74 | $3.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.99 | $3.97 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.28
Niagara Thruway
(4.9 mi)
$0.24
New York State Thruway
(0.8 mi)
$0.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.94 | $0.43 |
| Efficient EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.79 | $0.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.26 | $0.58 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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
Buffalo, NY
Late night in Buffalo on Sunday
Local time
12:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
1 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
15m 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?
This drive has a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, meaning you'll navigate several intersections and changes in direction rather than settling into a long stretch of highway. With 0% highway share, expect a local feel throughout. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.9 miles on the Niagara Thruway. The route involves a mix of main roads like Union Road and the New York State Thruway, suggesting a need for attention to traffic signals and local road conditions.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.9 mi on Niagara Thruway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 9 miles you will encounter 9 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 2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
Between Cheektowaga, NY and Buffalo, NY, road signs point toward Canada and Outer Harbor.
Canada
3 mi in
|
~5m
Outer Harbor
8.3 mi in
|
~13m
About the Cities
Starting in Cheektowaga, NY
Full guide →Founded 1839
Cheektowaga is a town of 89,877 (2020) in the Northtowns of Erie County, New York. It is a suburb east of Buffalo.
Top landmarks
- • Villa Maria Motherhouse Complex — Roman Catholic convent and school complex located at Cheektowaga in Erie County,...
Arriving 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.
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 15m. Total distance: 9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.9 miles on Niagara Thruway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.28 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.
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 2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 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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