How far is Cortland, NY from Buffalo, NY?

The driving distance from Cortland, NY to Buffalo, NY is about 182.5 miles (293.7 km), with a travel time of about 02h 52m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 138.3 miles (222.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 44m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
182.5 mi
02h 52m
Flight
138.3 mi
222.57 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Cortland.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
138.3 mi
Kilometers
222.57 km
Flight Time
00h 16m

Driving Distance

Road route
182.5 mi
Kilometers
293.7 km
Drive Time
02h 52m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 02h 52m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Buffalo
Wed, Apr 15, 10:04 PM EDT
Return by in Cortland
Thu, Apr 16, 12:57 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Cortland
2026-04-15T19:12
Arrive Buffalo
Wed, Apr 15, 10:04 PM EDT
Route Timing
02h 52m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:52 AM to 12:52 PM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
12:46 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Cortland
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Victor
NY

Village in Ontario County, New York

From Cortland
81 mi
01h 26m
To Buffalo
101.5 mi
01h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
57°F
Overnight

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 4:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 mph S
Destination
58°F
Wednesday

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 2:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Cortland and Buffalo.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cortland and Buffalo.

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    1892 ft · 51 sec · Main Street

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn left onto North Main Street

    1597 ft · 48 sec · North Main Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Homer Avenue

    1815 ft · 51 sec · Homer Avenue

  4. 4

    Continue on South Main Street

    999 ft · 31 sec · South Main Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Fisher Avenue

    2640 ft · 1 min · Fisher Avenue

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn right onto West Homer Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · West Homer Road

  7. 7

    Continue on South West Street

    1.2 mi · 3 min · South West Street

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Clinton Street

    9.8 mi · 14 min · Clinton Street

  9. 9

    Continue on East Lake Road

    2904 ft · 49 sec · East Lake Road

  10. 10

    Continue on State Route 41

    4.8 mi · 7 min · State Route 41

  11. 11

    Continue on East Lake Road

    9.4 mi · 14 min · East Lake Road

  12. 12

    Continue on East Lake Street

    2676 ft · 48 sec · East Lake Street

  13. 13

    Turn left onto East Genesee Street

    7.3 mi · 14 min · East Genesee Street

  14. 14

    Turn right onto North Fulton Street

    815 ft · 13 sec · North Fulton Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Arterial West

    1931 ft · 1 min · Arterial West

  16. 16

    Continue on Chase Street

    9.8 mi · 11 min · Chase Street

  17. 17

    Continue on Auburn Road

    1.9 mi · 2 min · Auburn Road

  18. 18

    Turn right

    4.1 mi · 7 min

  19. 19

    Continue straight

    97 m · 10 sec

  20. 20

    Turn right onto State Route 414

    1557 ft · 29 sec · State Route 414

  21. 21

    Continue on Ridge Road

    66 m · 11 sec · Ridge Road

  22. 22

    Take the ramp left

    945 ft · 23 sec

  23. 23

    Keep slight left to continue on I 90 West: Buffalo

    3202 ft · 1 min

  24. 24

    Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway

    100.8 mi · 1 hr 57 min · New York State Thruway

  25. 25

    Take the exit slight right toward NY 33 West: Buffalo

    1901 ft · 46 sec

  26. 26

    Merge slight left onto Kensington Expressway

    6.4 mi · 9 min · Kensington Expressway

  27. 27

    Keep slight left to continue on Oak Street

    2170 ft · 40 sec

  28. 28

    Continue on Oak Street

    131 m · 14 sec · Oak Street

  29. 29

    Turn right onto Genesee Street

    1172 ft · 39 sec · Genesee Street

  30. 30

    Turn right onto East Huron Street

    729 ft · 34 sec · East Huron Street

  31. 31

    Turn left onto Franklin Street

    716 ft · 23 sec · Franklin Street

  32. 32

    Turn right onto Genesee Street

    123 m · 12 sec · Genesee Street

  33. 33

    Enter the roundabout toward Niagara Square

    119 m · 12 sec · Niagara Square

  34. 34

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Niagara Square

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Cortland and Buffalo.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
34 steps
15 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
18.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
New York State Thruway
101 mi · 55%
East Lake Road
9.92 mi · 5%
Clinton Street
9.82 mi · 5%
Chase Street
9.76 mi · 5%
East Genesee Street
7.33 mi · 4%
Kensington Expressway
6.41 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

New York State Thruway

Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway

101 mi · 01h 57m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 52m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 44m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+44.2 mi
138.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Victor
01h 26m from Cortland
Leave By
12:46 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Cortland and Rain Showers Likely near Buffalo.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Cortland to Buffalo?

The road trip is about 182.5 miles (293.7 km) and usually takes 02h 52m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Victor is a useful midpoint, sitting about 81 miles from Cortland and 101.5 miles from Buffalo.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 138.3 miles (222.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 44.2 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 12:46 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $25.82 one way or $51.64 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 57.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Cortland and Rain Showers Likely near Buffalo.

Stop Ideas Near Victor

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Victor, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Victor.

RAIL

Louise M. Slaughter Rochester Station

26 mi away
320 Central Avenue
RAIL

Empire Expo Center

98 mi away
581 State Fair Blvd
RAIL

William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center

103 mi away
131 Alliance Bank Parkway
RAIL

Buffalo–Depew station

108 mi away
55 Dick Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Cortland and Buffalo. Straight-line distance: 138.3 mi (222.57 km).

Cortland

#1 Cortland

City in New York, USA

Population18,455
Coordinates42.6011800, -76.1804800
Altitude344
CountryUnited States
Buffalo

#2 Buffalo

The second most populous city in New York.

Population254,479
Coordinates42.8864500, -78.8783700
Altitude183
CountryUnited States
Start: Clinton Avenue (-76.180457, 42.60122)
End: Niagara Square (-78.878786, 42.886515)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 294 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 04m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 33m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 38m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 02m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 36m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.44 gal
24.38 L · about $25.82
Round trip
$51.64
12.88 gal · 48.76 L
Estimated CO2
57.2 kg one way
Round trip: 114.5 kg / 252 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.01 $25.82 $51.64
Mid-grade $4.48 $28.86 $57.72
Premium $4.86 $31.30 $62.61
Diesel $4.69 $30.23 $60.46

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in New York · Apr 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Cortland and Buffalo. The current time is 19:12:30.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.