Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 9m
Distance
335 mi
539 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$54
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tonawanda, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Newburgh, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Tonawanda to Newburgh is 335 miles and takes about 7 hours 9 minutes via I 86 and New York State Thruway, with a fuel budget near $54 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, traveling east across the state from the Niagara region to the Hudson Valley. You'll encounter a mix of highway cruising and surface roads, making it a manageable one-day drive. With two recommended stops, you can break up the 7-hour journey comfortably. The total fuel cost is estimated at $54, providing a clear budget for this straightforward cross-state excursion.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
167.5 miles from Tonawanda, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 37m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 86 | 105.3 mi | 2h 11m |
| New York State Thruway | 99.4 mi | 1h 54m |
| I 81 | 45.4 mi | 54m |
| State Highway 17K | 16.4 mi | 22m |
| East Lake Road | 9.9 mi | 14m |
| State Highway 41 | 9.8 mi | 13m |
| Clark Street Road | 9.6 mi | 11m |
| Youngmann Expressway | 6.3 mi | 8m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,020 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~94 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 3 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Tonawanda, NY and Newburgh, NY.
Start on NY 265
Turn left onto Broad Street
Continue on Young Street
Turn left
Turn straight onto NY 425
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 290
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 90
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on NY 414
Turn left onto NY 318
At end of road, turn left onto US 20; NY 5
Continue on US 20; NY 5
Turn right onto State Street
Turn left onto Dill Street
Continue on Loop Road
Turn left onto Genesee Street
Continue on US 20
Turn right onto NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Turn right onto NY 281
Take the ramp
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 86; NY 17
Take the exit
Turn left onto NY 17K
Turn slight right onto NY 17K
Continue on NY 17K
Continue on NY 17K
Turn left
Merge onto I 84
Take the exit
Turn right onto US 9W; NY 32
Turn left onto South Street
Turn right onto Liberty Street
Turn left onto 2nd Street
Arrive at destination
Leaving Tonawanda in the morning should give you ample daylight to reach Newburgh, as the drive is estimated at just over 7 hours. With two suggested stops, you can comfortably divide the 335 miles. Consider an early start to maximize your time at your destination or to avoid potential afternoon traffic. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially as you move from the interstate to surface roads, as services can be less frequent. The longest stretch on I 86 is over 100 miles, so plan your fuel and rest stops before you hit that segment.
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 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 74 miles or 1h 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 167.5 miles or 3h 37m 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 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Newburgh, NY than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Tonawanda, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Tonawanda, NY
This is one driving day of about 335 miles and 7h 9m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
168 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.
A short stop after about 74 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 167.5 miles from Tonawanda, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 86 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 105.3 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 8.8 and 333.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 East: Albany
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward NY 414: Waterloo, Clyde
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward NY 17K: Bloomingburg, Montgomery
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward US 9W, NY 32: Highland, Newburgh
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$54.19 one way
$108.39 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.46 | $58.81 | $117.62 |
| premium | $4.85 | $63.94 | $127.88 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $63.25 | $126.51 |
Estimated Tolls: $4.97
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
$54
Tolls
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$84–$109
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 117.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 100.5 | 1 | $35.18 | $16.08 |
| Efficient EV | 83.8 | 0 | $29.31 | $13.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 134 | 1 | $46.90 | $21.44 |
Gas CO2
117 kg
EV CO2
39 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Tonawanda on Sunday
Local time
11:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Areas Of Smoke
Destination
Morning in Newburgh on Sunday
Local time
11:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
94°F
Areas Of Smoke
81°F
Hamilton, NY
168 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
National Historical Park
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This 335-mile route is 59% highway, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on major interstates. The longest continuous stretch without a major break is 105.3 miles on I 86. Expect to transition from highway driving to surface roads as you progress eastward. The profile is mixed highway and surface, so be prepared for varying speed limits and traffic patterns as you leave the interstate system.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.8 miles in.
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 28 significant decision points across 335 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 8.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 108.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 159.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,604 ft
Total Descent
2,050 ft
Highest Point
1,615 ft
~143.6 mi in
Elevation Range
1,482 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Tonawanda, NY and Newburgh, NY, road signs point toward Clyde, New York and Montgomery.
Clyde
New York
Montgomery
Tonawanda is the name of both a city in the Northtowns of Erie County, New York, and the unincorporated suburban township that surrounds it. The incorporated village of Kenmore also makes up part of the Town of Tonawanda. All three of these places are covered in this article.
Founded 1709
Newburgh is a small, riverside city in Orange County, New York.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 9m. Total distance: 335 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 9m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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