Staten Island, NY to Penfield, NY is 312.1 miles and takes about 6h 53m via I 81 and New York State Thruway, with a fuel budget near $51 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, taking you from the Northeast's urban edge into its more central regions. With a drive time under seven hours and a single recommended stop, this route is very manageable for a same-day trip. Plan for a mix of highway cruising and surface roads as you make your way across the state.
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
156 miles from Staten Island, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 26m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 81
97.3 mi
1h 55m
New York State Thruway
30.3 mi
34m
Christopher Columbus Highway
29 mi
34m
I 380
27.7 mi
30m
Keystone Shortway
17.3 mi
24m
NJ 10
12.8 mi
18m
Clinton Street
10.5 mi
15m
East Lake Road
9.9 mi
14m
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 97.3 mi, about 1h 55m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 46 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,553 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,185
Quietest
midnight
~450 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
3.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 46 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 Staten Island, NY and Penfield, NY.
1
Start on Croft Court
147 ft·13 sec·Croft Court
2
Turn left onto Corona Avenue
0.2 mi·38 sec·Corona Avenue
3
Continue on Cotter Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·Cotter Avenue
4
At end of road, turn left onto Clarke Avenue
284 ft·13 sec·Clarke Avenue
5
Turn right onto Kensico Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Kensico Street
6
At end of road, turn right onto Richmond Road
0.6 mi·1 min·Richmond Road
7
Continue on Richmond Road
447 ft·14 sec·Richmond Road
8
Continue on Rockland Avenue
1.2 mi·2 min·Rockland Avenue
9
Turn right onto Brielle Avenue
0.8 mi·2 min·Brielle Avenue
10
Turn left onto Bradley Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·Bradley Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto North Gannon Avenue
364 ft·8 sec·North Gannon Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward I 278 West: Staten Island Expressway, Goethals Bridge, Elizabeth
13
Merge onto I 278
2.1 mi·3 min·Staten Island Expressway
14
Keep slight left at fork onto Staten Island Expressway
1.1 mi·1 min·Staten Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 278
1.4 mi·2 min·Goethals Bridge
16
Take the exit
150 ft·4 sec
Exit 3B; 3CToward NJ 439 North: Bayway Avenue, ElizabethUse the slight right lane.
Toward I 287 North: MahwahUse the slight right lane.
30
Merge onto I 287
0.9 mi·1 min·I 287
31
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Exit 39Toward NJ 10: Dover, WhippanyUse the slight right lane.
32
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward NJ 10 West: DoverUse the slight left lane.
33
Continue on NJ 10
13 mi·18 min·NJ 10
Use the straight / right lanes.
34
Continue on US 46
1.2 mi·1 min·US 46
35
Take the exit
0.4 mi·56 sec
Toward I 80 West
36
Merge onto I 80
29 mi·34 min·Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
37
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi·8 min·Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
38
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
12 mi·15 min·Keystone Shortway
39
Take the exit
0.7 mi·46 sec
Exit 293Toward I 380 North: Scranton
40
Continue on I 380
28 mi·30 min·I 380
Use the straight lane.
41
Merge onto I 81
58 mi·1 hr 9 min·I 81
Use the straight lane.
42
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
1.8 mi·2 min·I 81
Toward I 81 North: Syracuse, Albany
43
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
37 mi·43 min·I 81
Toward I 81 North: Syracuse
44
Take the exit
0.1 mi·21 sec
Exit 52Toward NY 13: Cortland
45
Turn right onto NY 13
39 ft·5 sec·Clinton Avenue
46
Turn left onto Locust Avenue
1.2 mi·2 min·Locust Avenue
47
Continue on Albany Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Albany Street
48
At end of road, turn right onto US 11; NY 41
0.4 mi·1 min·South Main Street
49
Turn left onto NY 41
10 mi·15 min·Clinton Street
50
Continue on NY 41
0.5 mi·49 sec·East Lake Road
51
Continue on NY 41
4.8 mi·7 min·State Route 41
52
Continue on NY 41
9.4 mi·13 min·East Lake Road
53
Continue on NY 41
0.5 mi·48 sec·East Lake Street
54
Turn left onto US 20
7.3 mi·13 min·East Genesee Street
55
Turn right onto US 20
0.2 mi·12 sec·North Fulton Street
56
Turn left onto US 20; NY 5
0.4 mi·1 min·Arterial West
57
Continue on US 20; NY 5; NY 38
9.8 mi·11 min·Chase Street
Use the left lane.
58
Continue on US 20; NY 5
1.9 mi·2 min·Auburn Road
59
Turn right onto NY 318
4.1 mi·7 min·NY 318
60
Continue on NY 318
319 ft·10 sec·NY 318
Use the right lane.
61
Turn right onto NY 414
0.3 mi·28 sec·State Route 414
Use the right lane.
62
Continue on NY 414
217 ft·11 sec·Ridge Road
Use the left lane.
63
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
Use the left lane.
64
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 90 West: BuffaloUse the straight / right lanes.
65
Merge onto I 90
30 mi·34 min·New York State Thruway
66
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
Exit 45Toward I 490: RochesterUse the slight right lane.
67
Continue on I 490
7.6 mi·8 min·Eastern Expressway
68
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 25Toward NY 31F: Fairport, East RochesterUse the straight / slight right lanes.
69
Keep slight right at fork
199 ft·4 sec
Toward NY 31F East: Fairport
70
Turn straight onto NY 31F
0.3 mi·43 sec·Fairport Road
71
Turn left onto NY 153
1.0 mi·2 min·South Washington Street
72
Turn right onto CR 15
0.6 mi·1 min·East Linden Avenue
Use the right lane.
73
At end of road, turn left onto CR 17
0.2 mi·20 sec·Whitney Road
74
Continue on CR 18
0.5 mi·1 min·Five Mile Line Road
75
Turn right onto NY 441
121 ft·2 sec·Penfield Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
76
Arrive at destination
NY 441
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 53m estimated drive time, leaving Staten Island in the morning is your best bet to arrive in Penfield with daylight to spare. You'll want to plan for one stop to break up the 312.1 miles; the longest stretch on I 81 is 97.3 miles, so consider refueling before that segment. The fuel cost is estimated at $51. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility, but be aware of the shift from highway to surface roads towards the end, which can slow your progress.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 156 miles from Staten Island, NY, or about 3h 26m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 97.3 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 69 miles or 1h 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 156 miles or 3h 26m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Penfield, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Staten Island, 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 Staten Island, NY
This is one driving day of about 312.1 miles and 6h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 69 miles from Staten Island, 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 I 81 for about 97.3 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 54
5 decision points cluster between mile 9 and 309.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
9 mi into trip|~19m in
Take the exit toward NJ 439 North: Bayway Avenue, Elizabeth
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 3B; 3C
Toward NJ 439 North: Bayway Avenue, Elizabeth
8
9 mi into trip|~19m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 439 West: Elizabeth, Bayway Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
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 39
Toward NJ 10: Dover, Whippany
8
309.3 mi into trip|~6h 46m in
Take the exit toward NY 31F: Fairport, East Rochester
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 25
Toward NY 31F: Fairport, East Rochester
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.49 one way
$100.98 round trip
$4.11/gal25.4 MPG avg109 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.46
$54.79
$109.58
premium
$4.85
$59.57
$119.14
diesel
$4.80
$58.93
$117.86
Estimated Tolls: $17.52
Goethals Bridge
$16.00
New York State Thruway
(30.3 mi)$1.52
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
$50
Tolls
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$93–$118
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 109.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
93.6
1
$32.77
$14.98
Efficient EV
78
0
$27.31
$12.48
EV Truck/SUV
124.8
1
$43.69
$19.97
Gas CO2
109 kg
EV CO2
37 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Staten Island, NY
Late night
in Staten Island on Monday
Local time
4:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Areas Of Smoke
S 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Penfield, NY
Late night
in Penfield on Monday
Local time
4:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Mostly Sunny
N 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
84°F
Barton, NY
156 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 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
6h 53m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 258.3
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...
A gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States "The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World" is recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. It was dedicated by Pre...
9 mi from route
~23 min detour
Free
near mile 10.8
Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, Castle Clinton marks the place where New York City began and reflects the growth of both the city and the nation. Built to defend the harbor during the War of...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 10.8
Here at Federal Hall, George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States, marking the beginning of the American constitutional republic. This historic site served as...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 10.8
From 1794 to 1966, the U.S. Army presence on Governors Island played a vital role in the social, political, and economic life of New York City. The island then served as the headquarters of the U.S. C...
11 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 10.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features 56% highway, with the longest continuous stretch being 97.3 miles on I 81. After the primary highway sections, you'll transition to mostly surface roads for the remainder of the trip. Expect to encounter moderate exit density typical of interstates before shifting to a more local road feel.
Only 56% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
76 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 97.3 mi on I 81.
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 9 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 54 significant decision points across 312.1 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 9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,802 ft72 ft
Total Climb
2,520 ft
Total Descent
2,171 ft
Highest Point
1,802 ft
~111.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,730 ft
Notable High Points
1,802 ft at ~111.5 miles+596 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Staten Island, NY and Penfield, NY, road signs point toward Morristown, Whippany and Albany.
Staten Island is New York City's "Forgotten Borough" across New York Harbor from Manhattan. Staten Island may seem like it's in an entirely different world than the hustle and bustle expected in New York City. However, it still has some of the features you've come to expect from the city. This combination of city influences and its rural origins have created a unique borough that is a great place to visit.
Top landmarks
•Bayonne Bridge — arch bridge connecting Staten Island, NY with Bayonne, NJ
•Staten Island Museum — museum in Staten Island, New York
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 53m. Total distance: 312.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 53m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 97.3 miles on I 81. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $17.52 in tolls one way, starting with Goethals 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 28 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 Penfield, 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. There are 28 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Harriet Tubman National Historical Park, Women's Rights National Historical Park and Statue Of Liberty National Monument (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.9 hours each way, a round trip means 13.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Penfield, NY before the return drive.
