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Trip from Sharon, NY to Buffalo, NY

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h

Distance

251.4 mi

405 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$41

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
4h 47m ★
6 AM
5h 0m
8 AM
5h 27m
10 AM
5h 10m
12 PM
5h 7m
3 PM
5h 11m
5 PM
5h 26m
8 PM
4h 52m

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

town in Schoharie County, New York, United States

Sharon, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Buffalo, NY, NY

Buffalo, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Sharon, NY to Buffalo, NY is 251.4 miles and takes about 5h via New York State Thruway, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, traversing the Northeast region from start to finish. Expect a drive that's mostly surface roads, but with a significant stretch on the New York State Thruway. It's a straightforward drive, best suited for a single day of travel if you're looking for efficiency.

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

125.7 miles from Sharon, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 31m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
New York State Thruway 227 mi 4h 22m
Kensington Expressway 6.4 mi 8m
Ames Road 5.4 mi 8m
US 20 5 mi 7m
State Highway 10 2.9 mi 4m
Main Street 1.2 mi 1m
Reed Street 0.6 mi <1m
Genesee Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: New York State Thruway — 227 mi, about 4h 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sharon, NY and Buffalo, NY.

1

Start on CR 5A

128 ft · 6 sec · Argusville Road
2

Turn right onto US 20

5.0 mi · 7 min · US 20
3

Turn right onto NY 10

1.2 mi · 1 min · Main Street
4

Continue on NY 10

2.9 mi · 4 min · State Highway 10
5

Continue on NY 10

5.4 mi · 8 min · Ames Road
6

Continue on NY 10

0.6 mi · 50 sec · Reed Street
7

At end of road, turn right onto NY 10

191 ft · 3 sec · Walnut Street
8

Turn slight right onto NY 10

351 ft · 5 sec · Wheeler Street
9

Continue on NY 10

0.3 mi · 28 sec · Rock Street
10

Turn slight right onto Little Mohawk Street

416 ft · 15 sec · Little Mohawk Street
11

Turn right onto NY 5S

0.2 mi · 34 sec · East Main Street
12

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 28 sec
13

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Toward I 90 West
14

Merge onto I 90

227 mi · 4 hr 22 min · New York State Thruway
Use the straight lane.
15

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Exit 51W Toward NY 33 West: Buffalo Use the slight right lane.
16

Merge onto NY 33

6.4 mi · 8 min · Kensington Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 39 sec
Toward Oak Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Continue on Oak Street

428 ft · 14 sec · Oak Street
19

Turn right onto Genesee Street

0.2 mi · 39 sec · Genesee Street
Use the right lane.
20

Turn right onto East Huron Street

0.1 mi · 34 sec · East Huron Street
21

Turn left onto Franklin Street

0.1 mi · 22 sec · Franklin Street
Use the left lane.
22

Turn right onto Genesee Street

402 ft · 11 sec · Genesee Street
23

Enter roundabout onto NY 384

391 ft · 11 sec · Niagara Square
24

Arrive at destination

NY 384

Trip Plan

For this 5-hour drive, leaving in the morning is your best bet to maximize daylight and avoid potential evening traffic. With a fuel cost estimated at $41, make sure to fill up before you depart or at a convenient point along the New York State Thruway. Since the longest stretch on the Thruway is 227 miles, plan for a break before or shortly after exiting the highway to stretch your legs. The transition from highway to surface roads around the 227-mile mark is where you'll want to be most attentive to navigation.

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.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 125.7 miles from Sharon, NY, or about 2h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 227 miles.

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 9m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 125.7 miles or 2h 31m 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 4m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Sharon, 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 Sharon, NY

This is one driving day of about 251.4 miles and 5h.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Sharon, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on New York State Thruway for about 227 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Lyncourt, NY, NY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lyncourt, NY

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.

Pacing Suggestions

Warren, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Liverpool, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 125.7 miles from Sharon, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before New York State Thruway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 227 miles.

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 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 16 and 251.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
16 mi into trip | ~24m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 90 West
7
243.5 mi into trip | ~4h 47m in

Take the exit toward NY 33 West: Buffalo

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 51W Toward NY 33 West: Buffalo
7
250.2 mi into trip | ~4h 57m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Oak Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Oak Street
6
250.7 mi into trip | ~4h 58m in | Genesee Street

Turn right onto Genesee Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
251.1 mi into trip | ~4h 59m in | Franklin Street

Turn left onto Franklin Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$40.86 one way

$81.71 round trip

$4.13/gal 25.4 MPG avg 88 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.47 $44.22 $88.45
premium $4.87 $48.16 $96.32
diesel $5.40 $53.48 $106.95

Estimated Tolls: $11.35

New York State Thruway (227 mi) $11.35

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

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$77–$102

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 88 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 75.4 0 $26.40 $12.07
Efficient EV 62.9 0 $22.00 $10.06
EV Truck/SUV 100.6 1 $35.20 $16.09

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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Jun 1, 2022

Origin

Sharon, NY

Late night in Sharon on Sunday

Local time

5:46 AM

EDT

Current temp

58°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Buffalo, NY

Late night in Buffalo on Sunday

Local time

5:46 AM

EDT

Current temp

37°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

21 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

5h on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route covers 251.4 miles, with 6% on highways. You'll experience 227 miles on the New York State Thruway before transitioning to surface roads like Kensington Expressway and Ames Road. This means you'll have a long, continuous stretch of highway driving followed by navigating through towns and local traffic.

Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 227 mi on New York State Thruway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

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 16 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 251.4 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 16 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 243.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 250.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Sharon, NY

Full guide →

Arriving in Buffalo, NY

Full guide →

Founded 1832

The largest city in New York State's Niagara Frontier, Buffalo is a city full of surprises. Though Buffalo is sometimes the butt of jokes about chicken wings, its long-suffering sports teams, and the mountains of snow under which it is supposedly buried each winter, those in the know tell a different story: one of vibrant nightlife, world-class museums and cultural attractions, tight-knit neighborhoods with strong community spirit – and the sunniest summers in Northeastern United States.

Top landmarks

  • Buffalo AKG Art Museum — art museum in New York, US
  • Buffalo City Hall — skyscraper and municipal building in Buffalo, New York, USA
  • USS Croaker — 1943 Gato-class submarine

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 5h. Total distance: 251.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 227 miles on New York State Thruway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $11.35 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.

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 Buffalo, 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 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 16 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 243.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 250.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Not recommended in a single day. At 5.0 hours each way, a round trip means 10.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Buffalo, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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