Origin
Kirkland, NY
Morning in Kirkland on Sunday
Local time
10:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kirkland, NY to Syracuse, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
46.1 mi
74 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kirkland, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Syracuse, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion through New York’s Northeast region, the 46-mile journey from Kirkland to Syracuse is a straightforward option. You can comfortably complete this trip in about 49 minutes, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day outing. Budgeting around $7 for fuel should cover your needs for the entire distance. Since the travel time is under an hour, there is no need to plan for overnight stays or complex logistics. This route serves as a practical connection between the two locations, offering a reliable path for those looking to travel efficiently between these upstate New York points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Thruway | 33 mi | 38m |
| I 690 | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| NY 233 | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| I 481 | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Seneca Turnpike | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South State Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Cider Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Townsend Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 33 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, NY and Syracuse, NY.
1
Start on NY 5
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
Seneca Turnpike
2
Turn right onto NY 233
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
NY 233
3
Turn right onto Cider Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Cider Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 90
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 90 West
6
Merge onto I 90
33 mi
·
38 min
·
New York State Thruway
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 34A
Toward I 481: Syracuse, Oswego
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 481 South: Syracuse, Fairgrounds, Binghamton
9
Merge onto I 481
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
I 481
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 690 West: Syracuse, Fairgrounds
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on I 690
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
I 690
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 13
Toward Townsend Street, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn left onto North Townsend Street
501 ft
·
16 sec
·
North Townsend Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto East Water Street
479 ft
·
16 sec
·
East Water Street
15
Turn left onto US 11
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
South State Street
Use the straight lane.
16
Arrive at destination
US 11
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23 miles from Kirkland, 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 37.2 and 45.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
37.2 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward I 481: Syracuse, Oswego
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 34A
Toward I 481: Syracuse, Oswego
7
40.7 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward I 690 West: Syracuse, Fairgrounds
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 690 West: Syracuse, Fairgrounds
8
45.5 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward Townsend Street, Downtown
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 13
Toward Townsend Street, Downtown
7
45.7 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
North Townsend Street
Turn left onto North Townsend Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
45.9 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
US 11 / South State Street
Turn left onto US 11 / South State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.59 one way
$15.18 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $8.21 | $16.41 |
| premium | $4.92 | $8.94 | $17.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.18 | $20.36 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.65
New York State Thruway
(33 mi)
$1.65
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.84 | $2.21 |
| Efficient EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.45 | $2.95 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Morning in Syracuse on Sunday
Local time
10:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Rain Showers Likely then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 7 mph
60% chance
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
40 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
58m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local driving experience as you navigate away from Kirkland. You will transition from local roads like Cider Street to the more consistent flow of I-90 West. While this route utilizes the interstate, it maintains a technical feel rather than a monotonous highway grind. Because the highway share is low, you will spend most of your time navigating local stretches that require your full attention. It is a compact drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel from start to finish.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33 mi on New York State Thruway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 37.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 46.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 37.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 45.5 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 Kirkland, NY and Syracuse, NY, road signs point toward Oswego, Fairgrounds and Binghamton.
Oswego
37.2 mi in
|
~45m
Fairgrounds
37.9 mi in
|
~46m
Binghamton
37.9 mi in
|
~46m
About the Cities
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 58m. Total distance: 46.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33 miles on New York State Thruway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.65 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 Syracuse, 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 37.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 45.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Fort Stanwix National Monument and 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Syracuse, NY
More from Kirkland, NY
More trips to Syracuse, NY
Explore more options from Kirkland, NY or browse trips ending in Syracuse, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.