Origin
Marcellus, NY
Afternoon in Marcellus on Sunday
Local time
12:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 13m
Distance
252 mi
406 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Marcellus, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Yonkers, NY
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Marcellus, NY to Yonkers, NY covers 252 miles and takes about 5h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 86, I 81, Palisades Interstate Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 129.9 miles on I 86. At current regular gas prices, budget about $40.95 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
126 miles from Marcellus, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 34m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 86 | 129.9 mi | 2h 40m |
| I 81 | 57.8 mi | 1h 8m |
| Palisades Interstate Parkway | 15.1 mi | 17m |
| New York State Thruway | 10.2 mi | 13m |
| Cherry Valley Turnpike | 9.8 mi | 11m |
| Saw Mill River Parkway | 7.8 mi | 10m |
| US 6 | 7.1 mi | 9m |
| Syracuse Tully Valley Road | 6.8 mi | 9m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,058 veh/hr typical · worst 1,330
Quietest
2 AM
~95 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 34 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Marcellus, NY and Yonkers, NY.
Start on NY 174
Turn left onto NY 174
Continue on NY 174
Turn right onto NY 175; NY 174
Turn left onto NY 174
Turn left onto US 20
Turn left onto Field Lane
Turn right onto NY 11A
Continue on Lake Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 86; NY 17
Take the exit onto US 6
Enter roundabout
Continue
Merge onto Palisades Interstate Parkway
Take the exit
Merge onto I 87; I 287
Keep slight right at fork onto I 87
Take the exit
Merge onto Saw Mill River Parkway
Take the exit
Turn slight right onto Yonkers Avenue
Continue on Nepperhan Avenue
Turn sharp left onto US 9; NY 9A
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 55 miles or 1h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 126 miles or 2h 34m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Yonkers, NY than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Marcellus, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Marcellus, NY
This is one driving day of about 252 miles and 5h 13m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
126 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.
A short stop after about 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 126 miles from Marcellus, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 86 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 129.9 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 79.1 and 251.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork onto I 86; NY 17 toward New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 87 South, I 287 East: New York City, White Plains, New York State Thruway South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Saw Mill River Parkway South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward West Yonkers Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn sharp left onto US 9; NY 9A / South Broadway
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$40.95 one way
$81.91 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $44.33 | $88.66 |
| premium | $4.87 | $48.28 | $96.55 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $53.60 | $107.21 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.19
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
$41
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 88.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 75.6 | 0 | $26.46 | $12.10 |
| Efficient EV | 63 | 0 | $22.05 | $10.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 100.8 | 1 | $35.28 | $16.13 |
Gas CO2
88 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Marcellus on Sunday
Local time
12:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Destination
Afternoon in Yonkers on Sunday
Local time
12:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
42°F
Montague, NJ
126 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.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
252 mi in 5h 13m, mostly highway — 129.9 mi of that is on I 86.
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 79.1 miles in near I 86; NY 17.
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 20 significant decision points across 252 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 79.1 miles (I 86; NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 231.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 242.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Marcellus, NY and Yonkers, NY, road signs point toward New York, Palisades Interstate Parkway South, White Plains and New York State Thruway South.
New York
Palisades Interstate Parkway South
White Plains
New York State Thruway South
Founded 1646
Yonkers is a city of 211,569 people (2020) in Westchester County. The third most populous city in New York state, Yonkers is a suburb of New York City and borders the Borough of the Bronx. Yonkers is known as the "City of Seven Hills," which are Park, Nodine, Ridge, Cross, Locust, Glen, and Church hills.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 13m. Total distance: 252 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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