Origin
Saratoga Springs, NY
Morning in Saratoga Springs on Sunday
Local time
10:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saratoga Springs, NY to Albany, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
31.5 mi
51 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 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saratoga Springs, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Saratoga Springs and Albany covers a brief 31.5-mile distance that typically takes about 46 minutes to complete. Because this journey is so short, it is easily managed as a quick day trip rather than an overnight excursion. You should budget approximately $5 for fuel to cover the entire distance. Navigating through the Northeast, you will find this transition between two major New York hubs to be straightforward and efficient. Whether you are commuting for work or heading down for a day of errands, the route provides a simple connection between the two cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Adirondack Northway | 17.7 mi | 21m |
| Loudon Road | 6.2 mi | 10m |
| Broadway | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| Henry Johnson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Washington Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Troy Schenectady Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| NY 7 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Central Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Adirondack Northway
— 17.7 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saratoga Springs, NY and Albany, NY.
1
Start on NY 29
65 ft
·
8 sec
·
Lake Avenue
2
Turn left onto US 9; NY 29; NY 50
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Broadway
3
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 87 South
4
Merge onto I 87
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Adirondack Northway
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 7-6
Toward NY 2, NY 7: Schenectady, Watervliet, Troy, Cohoes
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Toward NY 2, NY 7 West: Troy, Schenectady
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto NY 7
237 ft
·
3 sec
·
NY 7
8
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 7
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
NY 7
Exit 6
Toward NY 2, NY 7 West: Watervliet, Schenectady
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward NY 2, NY 9
Use the slight left lane.
10
Turn straight onto NY 2
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Troy Schenectady Road
11
Enter roundabout onto Loudon Road
20 ft
·
0 sec
·
Loudon Road
12
Continue on Loudon Road
6.2 mi
·
10 min
·
Loudon Road
13
Continue on US 9
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Henry Johnson Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto NY 5
508 ft
·
16 sec
·
Central Avenue
15
Turn slight left onto NY 5
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Avenue
16
Turn right
30 ft
·
2 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.7 miles from Saratoga Springs, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 23.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 9; NY 29; NY 50 / Broadway
Turn left onto US 9; NY 29; NY 50 / Broadway
Navigation decision point
6
22.4 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward NY 2, NY 7: Schenectady, Watervliet, Troy, Cohoes
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 7-6
Toward NY 2, NY 7: Schenectady, Watervliet, Tro...
8
22.8 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NY 2, NY 7 West: Troy, Schenectady
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NY 2, NY 7 West: Troy, Schenectady
8
23.2 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
NY 7
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 7 toward NY 2, NY 7 West: Watervliet, Schenectady
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 6
Toward NY 2, NY 7 West: Watervliet, Schenectady
9
23.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NY 2, NY 9
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward NY 2, NY 9
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.19 one way
$10.37 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $5.61 | $11.21 |
| premium | $4.92 | $6.11 | $12.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.95 | $13.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Albany, NY
Morning in Albany on Sunday
Local time
10:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Partly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
S 5 to 13 mph
68% chance
Live forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 2:55PM EDT until April 14 at 3:45PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 2:52PM EDT until April 14 at 3:30PM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY
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
33 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
46m 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 mix of driving styles as you transition from city streets to the open highway. The route is entirely highway-based, relying on the Adirondack Northway, Broadway, and Loudon Road to move you toward your destination. You will spend your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 17.7 miles on the Adirondack Northway. Because this is a turn-heavy local drive, you should stay alert as the road transitions from local thoroughfares to the faster pace of the interstate. It is a functional path that gets you from point A to point B without any complex navigation.
Only 1% 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: 17.7 mi on Adirondack Northway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 early in the drive near US 9; NY 29; NY 50 / Broadway.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 11 decision points packed into just 31.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 9; NY 29; NY 50 / Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
353 ft
144 ft
Total Climb
262 ft
Total Descent
420 ft
Highest Point
353 ft
~15.7 mi in
Elevation Range
209 ft
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 Saratoga Springs, NY and Albany, NY, road signs point toward Watervliet, Troy, Cohoes and Schenectady.
Watervliet
22.4 mi in
|
~29m
Troy
22.4 mi in
|
~29m
Cohoes
22.4 mi in
|
~29m
Schenectady
22.8 mi in
|
~29m
About the Cities
Starting in Saratoga Springs, NY
Full guide →Founded 1776
Saratoga Springs is just south of the Adirondacks in upstate New York. Long a vacation destination for New Yorkers, Saratoga Springs is a pleasant town filled with swanky shops, spas and horse racing. A key battle in the Revolutionary War happened nearby. The city is also home to Skidmore College and Empire State College (SUNY).
Top landmarks
- • National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame — non-profit organization in the USA
- • Yaddo — estate, artist colony, and non-profit organization in the USA
- • United States Post Office — government building in Saratoga Springs, New York
Arriving in Albany, NY
Full guide →Founded 1686
Albany is the capital of New York. Albany is an interesting showcase of several centuries' worth of architectural styles, including the modernistic Empire State Plaza.
Top landmarks
- • New York State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of New York
- • Fort Orange — fort in New Netherland (now Albany, New York)
- • Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception — historic cathedral in Albany, 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 46m. Total distance: 31.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m 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 17.7 miles on Adirondack Northway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Albany, 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: near the start (US 9; NY 29; NY 50 / Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Saratoga 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 Albany, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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