Origin
Churchville, NY
Late night in Churchville on Sunday
Local time
2:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Churchville, NY to Buffalo, 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
1h 11m
Distance
57.9 mi
93 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Churchville, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Buffalo, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Churchville to Buffalo is 57.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 11 minutes via New York State Thruway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within New York, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward trip primarily using major highways, making it a quick and easy option. You won't need to plan for an overnight stay, and the estimated fuel cost is quite manageable. Consider this route if you're looking for a simple, direct connection between these two points without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Thruway | 42.5 mi | 49m |
| Kensington Expressway | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| Western Expressway | 6.3 mi | 7m |
| South Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Genesee Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Huron Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Franklin Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Churchville-Riga Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 42.5 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Churchville, NY and Buffalo, NY.
1
Start on NY 33; NY 36
60 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Buffalo Street
2
Turn left onto NY 36
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
3
Continue on NY 36
486 ft
·
10 sec
·
Churchville-Riga Road
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 490 West: LeRoy, Buffalo
5
Merge onto I 490
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Western Expressway
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo
7
Merge onto I 90
42 mi
·
49 min
·
New York State Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 51W
Toward NY 33 West: Buffalo
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto NY 33
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Kensington Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
Toward Oak Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on Oak Street
428 ft
·
14 sec
·
Oak Street
12
Turn right onto Genesee Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Genesee Street
Use the right lane.
13
Turn right onto East Huron Street
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Huron Street
14
Turn left onto Franklin Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Franklin Street
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto Genesee Street
402 ft
·
11 sec
·
Genesee Street
16
Enter roundabout onto NY 384
391 ft
·
11 sec
·
Niagara Square
17
Arrive at destination
NY 384
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.9 miles from Churchville, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 57.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 490 West: LeRoy, Buffalo
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 490 West: LeRoy, Buffalo
7
50 mi into trip
|
~59m 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
56.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m 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
57.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
Genesee Street
Turn right onto Genesee Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
57.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
Franklin Street
Turn left onto Franklin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.41 one way
$18.82 round trip
$4.13/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $10.18 | $20.37 |
| premium | $4.87 | $11.09 | $22.18 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $12.32 | $24.63 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.12
New York State Thruway
(42.5 mi)
$2.12
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.08 | $2.78 |
| Efficient EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.07 | $2.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.11 | $3.71 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Buffalo, NY
Late night in Buffalo on Sunday
Local time
2:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
40°F
Alabama, NY
29 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
4 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 11m 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 features a significant portion on the New York State Thruway, accounting for 22% of the total mileage. You'll experience a longest stretch of 42.5 miles on the Thruway, where you can maintain consistent speeds. After exiting the Thruway, the route shifts to surface roads, which will involve navigating more local traffic and intersections. Expect to transition from higher-speed highway cruising to more stop-and-go conditions as you approach Buffalo.
Only 22% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.5 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 0.7 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 57.9 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Churchville, NY
Full guide →Founded 1852
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 11m. Total distance: 57.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m 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 42.5 miles on New York State Thruway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.12 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 0.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.7 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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