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Trip from Elmhurst, NY to Lockport, NY

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

8h 9m

Distance

382.7 mi

616 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$64

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min
4 AM
8h 2m ★
6 AM
8h 10m
8 AM
8h 26m
10 AM
8h 15m
12 PM
8h 14m
3 PM
8h 16m
5 PM
8h 25m
8 PM
8h 5m

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

Best Time
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Downtown Elmhurst, NY, NY

Elmhurst, NY

Mel Audelo

city in Niagara County, New York, United States

Lockport, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Elmhurst, NY to Lockport, NY is 382.7 miles and takes about 8h 9m via I 86, I 81, and Christopher Columbus Highway, with a fuel budget near $63 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, starting in the Northeast region and ending in the same area. Given the 8-hour drive time, it's best planned as a two-day trip to avoid a marathon driving day. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, making it a straightforward, albeit long, transit between two points.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

191.4 miles from Elmhurst, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 59m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 86 100 mi 1h 56m
I 81 58.1 mi 1h 9m
Christopher Columbus Highway 44.6 mi 52m
Genesee Expressway 38.6 mi 44m
I 380 27.7 mi 30m
Keystone Shortway 17.3 mi 24m
NY 63 11.7 mi 20m
US 46 10.8 mi 12m
Longest stretch: I 86 — 100 mi, about 1h 56m

Traffic on I-80

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 246 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

3 PM

~4,353 veh/hr typical · worst 5,201

Quietest

1 AM

~459 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

9.5×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elmhurst, NY and Lockport, NY.

1

Start on Grand Avenue

90 ft · 7 sec · Grand Avenue
2

Turn left onto NY 25

1.2 mi · 3 min · Queens Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Brooklyn Use the straight lane.
4

Merge onto I 278

0.7 mi · 1 min · Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
5

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Exit 35 Toward I 495: Midtown Tunnel, Eastern Long Island, Greenpoint Avenue Use the slight right lane.
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 32 sec
Exit 35W Toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel, Manhattan Use the slight left lane.
7

Merge onto I 495

1.4 mi · 2 min · Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 495

1.3 mi · 2 min · Queens-Midtown Tunnel
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward Crosstown, 37th Street Use the slight left lane.
10

Turn slight left onto East 37th Street

1.1 mi · 3 min · East 37th Street
Use the slight left lane.
11

Take the ramp

474 ft · 11 sec
Toward Lincoln Tunnel
12

Turn right

342 ft · 11 sec
Use the right lane.
13

Merge onto NY 495

105 ft · 4 sec · Lincoln Tunnel Expressway
14

Keep slight right at fork onto NY 495

3.7 mi · 6 min · Lincoln Tunnel Expressway
Toward Lincoln Tunnel Use the straight / slight left lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 29 sec
Toward NJ 3 West: Secaucus Use the slight right lane.
16

Keep slight left at fork

453 ft · 7 sec
Toward NJ 3 West: Clifton Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Merge onto NJ 3

10 mi · 12 min · NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Merge onto US 46

11 mi · 12 min · US 46
Use the straight lane.
19

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Toward I 80 West: Dover, Del Water Gap
20

Continue on I 80W

1.6 mi · 1 min · Interstate 80 West
Toward I 287: Morristown, Mahwah Use the straight / slight left lanes.
21

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 21 sec
Toward I 80 West: Delaware Water Gap Use the straight / slight left lanes.
22

Merge onto I 80

45 mi · 52 min · Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23

Keep slight left at fork onto I 80

5.5 mi · 8 min · Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24

Keep slight left at fork onto I 80

12 mi · 15 min · Keystone Shortway
25

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 46 sec
Exit 293 Toward I 380 North: Scranton
26

Continue on I 380

28 mi · 30 min · I 380
Use the straight lane.
27

Merge onto I 81

58 mi · 1 hr 9 min · I 81
Use the straight lane.
28

Keep slight left at fork onto I 86; NY 17

100 mi · 1 hr 56 min · I 86; NY 17
Toward I 86: Corning
29

Keep slight left at fork onto I 390

39 mi · 44 min · Genesee Expressway
Toward I 390: Rochester
30

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Exit 7 Toward NY 408, NY 63: Mount Morris, Letchworth Park
31

Turn right onto NY 408

0.1 mi · 10 sec · Mount Morris-Geneseo Road
32

Continue on NY 63

3.3 mi · 4 min · Geneseo-Mount Morris Road
33

Turn left onto NY 63

1.3 mi · 1 min · Genesee Street
34

Enter roundabout onto NY 63

100 ft · 1 sec · Genesee Street
35

Continue on NY 63

7.5 mi · 11 min · Genesee Street
36

Continue on NY 63

0.7 mi · 54 sec · State Highway 63
37

Continue on NY 63

4.1 mi · 6 min · Big Tree Road
38

Continue on NY 63

10 mi · 15 min · Ellicott Street Road
39

Turn right onto Cedar Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · Cedar Street
40

Turn left onto NY 5

2.3 mi · 4 min · East Main Street
41

Turn slight right onto NY 63

12 mi · 20 min · NY 63
42

Turn right onto NY 63; NY 77

1.5 mi · 2 min · Alleghany Road
43

Turn left onto NY 77

8.3 mi · 13 min · Lewiston Road
44

At end of road, turn left onto NY 77

6.6 mi · 11 min · Chestnut Ridge Road
45

At end of road, turn left onto NY 31

309 ft · 4 sec · Rochester Road
46

Continue on NY 31

1.0 mi · 1 min · Chestnut Ridge Road
47

Continue on NY 31

1.3 mi · 1 min · East Avenue
48

Continue on Main Street

0.2 mi · 30 sec · Main Street
49

Turn sharp right onto Market Street

48 ft · 1 sec · Market Street
50

Arrive at destination

Market Street

Trip Plan

With an 8-hour estimated drive time, breaking this trip into two days is highly recommended for a more relaxed experience. Aim to depart Elmhurst in the morning to give yourself ample daylight. Plan your overnight stop roughly halfway, around the 4-hour mark. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially on I 86, as services can be spread out. The 2-stop recommendation suggests breaking up the drive into roughly equal segments, with one planned stop and one overnight.

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 191.4 miles from Elmhurst, NY, or about 3h 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 100 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 84 miles or 1h 51m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 191.4 miles or 3h 59m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 191.4 miles or 3h 59m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 6h 32m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lockport, NY than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Elmhurst, 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.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Elmhurst, NY

Aim for roughly 191 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Lockport, NY

Aim for roughly 191 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 84 miles from Elmhurst, NY.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 86 for about 100 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Barton, NY, NY

Mid-route town

Overnight candidate

Barton, NY

191 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Barton, NY

Overnight Options

Night 1

Barton, NY

191 mi · about 4.1h in

A practical overnight split lands near Barton, NY after about 191 miles or 4.1 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

New York City, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 84 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Barton, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 191.4 miles from Elmhurst, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 86 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 100 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 191 miles or 4.1 hours on the road.

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 38

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 11 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
2.4 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the exit toward I 495: Midtown Tunnel, Eastern Long Island, Greenpoint Avenue

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 35 Toward I 495: Midtown Tunnel, Eastern Long Isla...
9
2.5 mi into trip | ~6m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel, Manhattan

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Exit 35W Toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel, Manhattan
8
5.6 mi into trip | ~12m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Crosstown, 37th Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward Crosstown, 37th Street
7
7.1 mi into trip | ~16m in | NY 495 / Lincoln Tunnel Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto NY 495 / Lincoln Tunnel Expressway toward Lincoln Tunnel

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward Lincoln Tunnel
8
11 mi into trip | ~23m in

Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 3 West: Clifton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward NJ 3 West: Clifton

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$64.19 one way

$128.37 round trip

$4.26/gal 25.4 MPG avg 134 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.63 $69.70 $139.40
premium $5.05 $76.13 $152.27
diesel $5.60 $84.36 $168.72

Estimated Tolls: $16.00

Lincoln Tunnel $16.00

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

$64

Tolls

$16

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$210–$320

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 133.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $40 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 114.8 1 $40.18 $18.37
Efficient EV 95.7 1 $33.49 $15.31
EV Truck/SUV 153.1 1 $53.58 $24.49

Gas CO2

134 kg

EV CO2

45 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 Aug 27, 2026

Origin

Elmhurst, NY

Afternoon in Elmhurst on Friday

Local time

4:13 PM

EDT

Current temp

82°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

S 15 mph 65% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued August 27 at 2:56PM EDT until August 27 at 3:30PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued August 27 at 2:49PM EDT until August 27 at 3:00PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

Destination

Lockport, NY

Afternoon in Lockport on Friday

Local time

4:13 PM

EDT

Current temp

78°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

W 15 mph 54% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued August 27 at 2:56PM EDT until August 27 at 3:30PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued August 27 at 2:49PM EDT until August 27 at 3:00PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

56°F

Barton, NY

191 mi in

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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

8h 9m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

General Grant National Memorial

General Grant National Memorial

National Memorial

The final resting place of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia, is the largest mausoleum in North America. It testifies to a people’s gratitude for the man who ended the bloodiest conflict...

6 mi from route ~14 min detour Free near mile 13.2
Caution: Lower Crypt Access Subject to Safe Conditions
View on nps.gov
Hamilton Grange National Memorial

Hamilton Grange National Memorial

National Memorial

Merchant’s clerk, Revolutionary War soldier, first Secretary Treasury of the United States: Alexander Hamilton’s life is memorialized at The Grange, the home he built on a country estate in uptown Man...

6 mi from route ~16 min detour Free near mile 13.2
View on nps.gov
Stonewall National Monument

Stonewall National Monument

National Monument

Before the 1960s, almost everything about living authentically as a lesbian, a bisexual person or a gay man was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for civil r...

6 mi from route ~15 min detour Free near mile 13.2
View on nps.gov
African Burial Ground National Monument

African Burial Ground National Monument

National Monument

The African Burial Ground stands as the oldest and largest known excavated burial site in North America for both free and enslaved Africans. It offers a profound testament to the enduring legacy of Af...

7 mi from route ~17 min detour Free
View on nps.gov
Castle Clinton National Monument

Castle Clinton National Monument

National Monument

Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, Castle Clinton marks the place where New York City began and reflects the growth of both the city and the nation. Built to defend the harbor during the War of...

7 mi from route ~19 min detour Free near mile 13.2
View on nps.gov
Federal Hall National Memorial

Federal Hall National Memorial

National Memorial

Here at Federal Hall, George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States, marking the beginning of the American constitutional republic. This historic site served as...

7 mi from route ~18 min detour Free
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is mostly highway, with 69% of the 382.7 miles on interstates. You'll encounter a 100-mile stretch on I 86 without needing to exit. Expect a consistent cruising experience for the majority of the trip until you transition to surface roads closer to your destination. The frequent exits on the interstate sections mean plenty of opportunities for services.

69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
50 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 100 mi on I 86.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 86 and I 81. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 38 significant decision points across 382.7 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 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,809 ft 23 ft

Total Climb

2,941 ft

Total Descent

2,346 ft

Highest Point

1,809 ft

~109.4 mi in

Elevation Range

1,786 ft

Notable High Points

1,809 ft at ~109.4 miles +571 ft prominence

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Elmhurst, NY and Lockport, NY, road signs point toward Del Water Gap, Mahwah and Letchworth Park.

Del Water Gap

32.1 mi in | ~48m

Mahwah

32.4 mi in | ~49m | via I 80W

Letchworth Park

321.2 mi in | ~6h 30m

About the Cities

Arriving in Lockport, NY

Full guide →

Lockport is a city in the Niagara Frontier of New York. It is the county seat of Niagara County, and is a few miles from Buffalo. The city is surrounded by the town of Lockport. Both the town and city are named after the double Erie Canal lock.

Top landmarks

  • • Cold Springs Cemetery — cemetery in Lockport, New York

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 100 miles on I 86. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 191 miles on day one.

Expect about $16.00 in tolls one way, starting with Lincoln Tunnel. 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.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

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 Lockport, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — General Grant National Memorial, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 8.2 hours each way, a round trip means 16.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Lockport, NY before the return drive.

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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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