Origin
Cortland, NY
Late night in Cortland on Tuesday
Local time
4:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cortland, NY to Syracuse, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
33.3 mi
54 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cortland, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Syracuse, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 33.3-mile drive from Cortland, NY, to Syracuse, NY, takes about 41 minutes and is an easy day trip. With 94% of the journey on highways, it's a quick connection between two points in New York's Northeast region. The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $5. This route is ideal for those seeking efficiency, with no recommended overnight stops needed. It's designed for getting from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 30.8 mi | 36m |
| Clinton Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| I-81 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Almond Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Genesee Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South State Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 30.8 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cortland, NY and Syracuse, NY.
1
Start on Main Street
19 ft
·
1 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto US 11; NY 41; NY 222
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Clinton Avenue
3
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 81 North
4
Merge onto I 81
29 mi
·
33 min
·
I 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 81
Toward Syracuse
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on I-81
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
I-81
7
Continue on I 81
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
I 81
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward Adams Street, Harrison Street
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on Almond Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Almond Street
Use the left / slight left / straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto NY 92
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
East Genesee Street
11
At end of road, turn right onto US 11
10 ft
·
0 sec
·
South State Street
12
Arrive at destination
US 11
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 33.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward I 81 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 81 North
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 81
Merge onto I 81
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
29.9 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81 toward Syracuse
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward Syracuse
7
32.5 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward Adams Street, Harrison 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.
Toward Adams Street, Harrison Street
6
33.3 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
US 11 / South State Street
At end of road, turn right onto US 11 / South State Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.48 one way
$10.96 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $5.93 | $11.85 |
| premium | $4.92 | $6.45 | $12.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.35 | $14.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10 | 0 | $3.50 | $1.60 |
| Efficient EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.66 | $2.13 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Syracuse, NY
Late night in Syracuse on Tuesday
Local time
4:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°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
3 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
41m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of this trip, with 94% of the drive utilizing major roadways like I-81. You'll encounter one significant uninterrupted stretch of 30.8 miles on I-81, indicating a consistent pace for most of the journey. The road's personality is largely that of a functional interstate, designed for smooth and swift travel. This means you'll likely experience minimal slowdowns and a predictable driving environment.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.8 mi on I 81.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and Clinton Avenue. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 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 33.3 miles you will encounter 7 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 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.2 miles (I 81): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.9 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Cortland, NY
Full guide →“Crown City” · Founded 1791
Cortland is a small city in Central New York.
Top landmarks
- • 1890 House Museum — museum in Cortland, NY
Arriving in Syracuse, NY
Full guide →Founded 1848
Syracuse is a city in Central New York. With a population of 149,000 in city proper and 662,000 in its metro area (2020), Syracuse is the fifth largest city in the state of New York, and the third largest in Upstate New York.
Top landmarks
- • Oncenter War Memorial Arena — arena in Syracuse, New York
- • Everson Museum of Art — art museum in Syracuse, New York
- • Niagara Mohawk Building — historic commercial building in New York, 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 41m. Total distance: 33.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.8 miles on I 81. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.2 miles (I 81): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.9 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Harriet Tubman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Syracuse, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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