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Trip from Syracuse, NY to Auburn, NY

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

38m

Distance

28.3 mi

45 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 36m ★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in and county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States

Syracuse, NY

Wikimedia Commons

city in Cayuga County, New York, United States

Auburn, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning a quick excursion through the Northeast, the 28.3-mile trip from Syracuse to Auburn is a highly efficient choice. You can expect to complete the journey in about 38 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $5, this route is as economical as it is fast. Because the drive is short, you have the flexibility to depart whenever fits your schedule best. Both cities are located within New York, keeping you firmly in the Northeast region for the duration of your transit. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a short getaway, this straightforward connection between the two cities is a practical and reliable way to travel.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
NY 5 20.8 mi 27m
I 690 2.8 mi 3m
NY 695 1.3 mi 1m
East Washington Street 0.6 mi 1m
South West Street 0.3 mi <1m
East Genesee Street 0.3 mi <1m
John Street 0.1 mi <1m
South State Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: NY 5 — 20.8 mi, about 27m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Syracuse, NY and Auburn, NY.

1

Start on US 11

507 ft · 18 sec · South State Street
Use the straight lane.
2

Turn left onto East Washington Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Washington Street
Use the left lane.
3

Turn right onto South West Street

0.3 mi · 37 sec · South West Street
4

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Toward I 690 West: Baldwinsville
5

Merge onto I 690

2.8 mi · 3 min · I 690
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 36 sec
Exit 6 Toward NY 695, NY 5: Auburn Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on this road

0.7 mi · 48 sec · this road
Exit 6 Toward NY 695, NY 5: Auburn
8

Continue on NY 695

1.3 mi · 1 min · NY 695
9

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 32 sec
Toward NY 5 West: Auburn
10

Merge onto NY 5

4.7 mi · 5 min · NY 5
11

Keep slight right at fork onto NY 5

16 mi · 21 min · NY 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
12

Take the exit onto John Street

0.1 mi · 19 sec · John Street
13

Turn right onto East Genesee Street

0.3 mi · 48 sec · East Genesee Street
14

Turn left onto NY 34; NY 38

20 ft · 0 sec · South Street
15

Arrive at destination

NY 34; NY 38

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 11.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | East Washington Street

Turn left onto East Washington Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
1 mi into trip | ~2m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 690 West: Baldwinsville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 690 West: Baldwinsville
5
1.2 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 690

Merge onto I 690

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
4.1 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the exit toward NY 695, NY 5: Auburn

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 6 Toward NY 695, NY 5: Auburn
6
11.8 mi into trip | ~15m in | NY 5

Keep slight right at fork onto NY 5

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.66 one way

$9.32 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $5.04 $10.07
premium $4.92 $5.49 $10.97
diesel $5.61 $6.25 $12.50

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.5 0 $2.97 $1.36
Efficient EV 7.1 0 $2.48 $1.13
EV Truck/SUV 11.3 0 $3.96 $1.81

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Syracuse, NY

Late night in Syracuse on Sunday

Local time

2:02 AM

EDT

Current temp

78°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

W 10 mph 67% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 4:32PM EDT until April 14 at 5:15PM EDT by NWS Albany NY

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 14 at 4:26PM EDT by NWS Albany NY

Destination

Auburn, NY

Late night in Auburn on Sunday

Local time

2:02 AM

EDT

Current temp

76°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

W 12 mph 58% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 4:32PM EDT until April 14 at 5:15PM EDT by NWS Albany NY

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 14 at 4:26PM EDT by NWS Albany 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

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

38m 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?

This trip is a highway-focused drive, with 88% of your time spent on major arteries like I-690, NY-695, and NY-5. You will spend the vast majority of your time at highway speeds, providing a consistent and efficient experience behind the wheel. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 20.8 miles on NY-5, which serves as the primary backbone of the journey. Because you are primarily utilizing highways rather than local roads, the drive feels direct and purposeful. You can anticipate a smooth, predictable rhythm as you transition between these main routes to reach your destination.

88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.8 mi on NY 5.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NY 5 and I 690. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Washington Street.

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 12 decision points packed into just 28.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 1.2 miles (I 690): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Syracuse, NY

Full guide →

Founded 1848

Syracuse is a city in Central New York. With a population of 149,000 in city proper and 662,000 in its metro area (2020), Syracuse is the fifth largest city in the state of New York, and the third largest in Upstate New York.

Top landmarks

  • • Oncenter War Memorial Arena — arena in Syracuse, New York
  • • Everson Museum of Art — art museum in Syracuse, New York
  • • Niagara Mohawk Building — historic commercial building in New York, United States

Arriving in Auburn, NY

Full guide →

Founded 1793

Auburn is a city in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

Top landmarks

  • • St. Peter's Episcopal Church Complex — historic church in Auburn, New York, United States
  • • Harriet Tubman grave — grave of Harriet Tubman
  • • Shines Auburn Theater — former movie theater in Auburn, 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 38m. Total distance: 28.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

38m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 20.8 miles on NY 5. 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 Auburn, 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: at 0.1 miles (East Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 1.2 miles (I 690): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Auburn, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Auburn, NY to Syracuse, NY

Plan the drive back the other way.

28.5 mi 39m

Continue From Auburn, NY

Islip, NY 300.7 mi · 6h 24m Richmond Hill, NY 268.5 mi · 5h 42m Queens, NY 264 mi · 5h 46m Astoria, NY 260.4 mi · 5h 32m

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