Smithtown, NY to Williamsville, NY is 418.3 miles and takes about 8h 47m via New York State Thruway and I 81, with a fuel budget near $69 and enough daylight to finish in a day, though two days is recommended. This trip stays within New York, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Much of this route utilizes major highways, but be prepared for a significant portion on surface roads. Planning for two days will allow for a more relaxed pace and time to navigate the varied road types.
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
209.2 miles from Smithtown, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 21m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
New York State Thruway
99.6 mi
1h 55m
I 81
97.3 mi
1h 55m
Christopher Columbus Highway
68.2 mi
1h 20m
I 380
27.7 mi
30m
Long Island Expressway
24.8 mi
33m
Keystone Shortway
17.3 mi
24m
Clinton Street
10.5 mi
15m
East Lake Road
9.9 mi
14m
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 99.6 mi, about 1h 55m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 336 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~4,190 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,979
Quietest
1 AM
~446 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Smithtown, NY and Williamsville, NY.
1
Start on NY 25; NY 25A
0.6 mi·51 sec·West Main Street
2
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 25; NY 25A
179 ft·5 sec·West Main Street
3
Continue on NY 25
4.0 mi·6 min·Jericho Turnpike
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward SM South: Bay Shore
5
Merge onto SM
1.9 mi·2 min·Sunken Meadow State Parkway
6
Continue on SA
0.8 mi·49 sec·Sagtikos State Parkway
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi·16 sec
Exit S1WToward I 495 West: New YorkUse the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 495 West: New YorkUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto LIE North Service Road
0.4 mi·33 sec·LIE North Service Road
10
Turn straight onto North Service Road
0.1 mi·14 sec·North Service Road
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 495 West: New York
12
Merge onto I 495
25 mi·33 min·Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 31N-SToward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge, Kennedy AirportUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·38 sec
Exit 31NToward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone BridgeUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto CI
3.1 mi·4 min·Cross Island Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 33Toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx, New EnglandUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 295
1.8 mi·3 min·Throgs Neck Bridge
18
Continue on I 295
0.7 mi·1 min·Throgs Neck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
6.6 mi·8 min·Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 1
0.7 mi·1 min·Trans-Manhattan Expressway
Toward Upper Level
21
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.6 mi·59 sec·George Washington Bridge (upper level)
22
Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.5 mi·48 sec·I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
23
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.6 mi·39 sec·I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP
0.1 mi·8 sec·I 95 EXPR; NJTP
25
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: HackensackUse the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·29 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: HackensackUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
27
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
2.0 mi·2 min·New Jersey Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 69Toward I 80 West: Paterson, HackensackUse the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Continue on I 80
68 mi·1 hr 20 min·Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi·8 min·Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
12 mi·15 min·Keystone Shortway
32
Take the exit
0.7 mi·46 sec
Exit 293Toward I 380 North: Scranton
33
Continue on I 380
28 mi·30 min·I 380
Use the straight lane.
34
Merge onto I 81
58 mi·1 hr 9 min·I 81
Use the straight lane.
35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
1.8 mi·2 min·I 81
Toward I 81 North: Syracuse, Albany
36
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
37 mi·43 min·I 81
Toward I 81 North: Syracuse
37
Take the exit
0.1 mi·21 sec
Exit 52Toward NY 13: Cortland
38
Turn right onto NY 13
39 ft·5 sec·Clinton Avenue
39
Turn left onto Locust Avenue
1.2 mi·2 min·Locust Avenue
40
Continue on Albany Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Albany Street
41
At end of road, turn right onto US 11; NY 41
0.4 mi·1 min·South Main Street
42
Turn left onto NY 41
10 mi·15 min·Clinton Street
43
Continue on NY 41
0.5 mi·49 sec·East Lake Road
44
Continue on NY 41
4.8 mi·7 min·State Route 41
45
Continue on NY 41
9.4 mi·13 min·East Lake Road
46
Continue on NY 41
0.5 mi·48 sec·East Lake Street
47
Turn left onto US 20
7.3 mi·13 min·East Genesee Street
48
Turn right onto US 20
0.2 mi·12 sec·North Fulton Street
49
Turn left onto US 20; NY 5
0.4 mi·1 min·Arterial West
50
Continue on US 20; NY 5; NY 38
9.8 mi·11 min·Chase Street
Use the left lane.
51
Continue on US 20; NY 5
1.9 mi·2 min·Auburn Road
52
Turn right onto NY 318
4.1 mi·7 min·NY 318
53
Continue on NY 318
319 ft·10 sec·NY 318
Use the right lane.
54
Turn right onto NY 414
0.3 mi·28 sec·State Route 414
Use the right lane.
55
Continue on NY 414
217 ft·11 sec·Ridge Road
Use the left lane.
56
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
Use the left lane.
57
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 90 West: BuffaloUse the straight / right lanes.
58
Merge onto I 90
100 mi·1 hr 55 min·New York State Thruway
59
Take the exit
0.4 mi·36 sec
Exit 50Toward I 290: Niagara FallsUse the straight / slight right lanes.
60
Continue on I 290
0.1 mi·9 sec·Youngmann Expressway
61
Take the exit
0.3 mi·49 sec
Exit 7BToward NY 5 East: Main Street EastUse the slight right lane.
62
Turn straight onto NY 5
1.3 mi·2 min·Main Street
63
Arrive at destination
NY 5
Trip Plan
Given the 8 hour 47 minute estimated drive time, splitting this trip over two days is a practical approach. Aim to depart early in the morning to maximize daylight, especially if you plan to tackle it in one go. With two recommended stops, you can break up the 418.3 miles effectively. Keep an eye on your fuel, budgeting around $69, and utilize the longest stretch of highway, 99.6 miles on the New York State Thruway, for efficient travel before transitioning to surface roads. This will help you manage your energy and enjoy the drive more.
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 209.2 miles from Smithtown, NY, or about 4h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.6 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 92 miles or 2h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 209.2 miles or 4h 21m 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 209.2 miles or 4h 21m
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 7h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Williamsville, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Smithtown, 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 Smithtown, NY
Aim for roughly 209 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Williamsville, NY
Aim for roughly 209 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 92 miles from Smithtown, 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 New York State Thruway for about 99.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 41
5 decision points cluster between mile 7.6 and 49.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
7.6 mi into trip|~10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 West: New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 495 West: New York
8
33.3 mi into trip|~46m in
Take the exit toward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge, Kennedy Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31N-S
Toward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge,...
10
33.5 mi into trip|~46m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 31N
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone B...
8
36.9 mi into trip|~51m in
Take the exit toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx, New England
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 33
Toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx,...
8
49.1 mi into trip|~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$73.89 one way
$147.79 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg146 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.86
$79.95
$159.91
premium
$5.28
$86.89
$173.78
diesel
$6.18
$101.76
$203.52
Estimated Tolls: $28.09
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
New York State Thruway
(99.6 mi)$4.98
Jericho Turnpike
(4 mi)$0.28
New Jersey Turnpike
(2 mi)$0.28
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
$74
Tolls
$28
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$232–$342
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 146.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $44 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
125.5
1
$43.92
$20.08
Efficient EV
104.6
1
$36.60
$16.73
EV Truck/SUV
167.3
2
$58.56
$26.77
Gas CO2
146 kg
EV CO2
49 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Smithtown, NY
Night
in Smithtown on Monday
Local time
11:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Clear
NE 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Williamsville, NY
Night
in Williamsville on Monday
Local time
11:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Clear
S 6 mph0% chanceLive 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.
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
2 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 47m 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.
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Harriet Tubman was guided by a deep faith and devotion to family, freedom, and community. After emancipating herself and members of her family, she moved them from Ontario, Canada to Fleming and Aubur...
3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Free
near mile 302.9
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...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 43.3
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...
5 mi from route
~13 min detour
Free
near mile 43.3
Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19-20, 1848. It is a story of struggles for civil rights, human r...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 317.3
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...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
Free
near mile 43.3
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...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 43.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features 43% highway travel, with the longest uninterrupted stretch on the New York State Thruway measuring 99.6 miles. After this, you'll transition to mostly surface roads, which make up the remainder of the trip. Expect to encounter more frequent exits and potentially slower traffic as you move off the main expressways. The profile is predominantly surface roads, so plan for more varied driving conditions.
Only 43% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
63 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 99.6 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 7.6 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
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 41 significant decision points across 418.3 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 7.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
1,941 ft49 ft
Total Climb
3,189 ft
Total Descent
2,568 ft
Highest Point
1,941 ft
~149.4 mi in
Elevation Range
1,893 ft
Notable High Points
1,941 ft at ~149.4 miles+826 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Smithtown, NY and Williamsville, NY, road signs point toward Kennedy Airport, Cross Island Parkway North, Bronx, New England, Upper Level and Njtp South: Hackensack - among others.
Smithtown is a town of 117,000 people (2016) in Suffolk County, on Long Island, in New York. Smithtown is comprised of the villages and hamlets of Commack (in part, with the Town of Huntington), Fort Salonga (in part, with the Town of Huntington), Hauppauge (in part, with the Town of Islip), Head of the Harbor, Kings Park, Lake Ronkonkoma (in part with the Town of Brookhaven and Town of Islip), Nesconset, Nissequogue, Smithtown, St. James, & Village of the Branch.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 99.6 miles on New York State Thruway. 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 209 miles on day one.
Expect about $28.09 in tolls one way, starting with George Washington Bridge. 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.
Yes — we found about 41 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Williamsville, 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. There are 41 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 7.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Harriet Tubman National Historical Park, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and General Grant National Memorial (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.8 hours each way, a round trip means 17.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Williamsville, NY before the return drive.
