How far is Grand Island, NY from Buffalo, NY?

The driving distance from Grand Island, NY to Buffalo, NY is about 13 miles (21 km), with a travel time of about 00h 18m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 11 miles (17.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 37m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
13.02 mi
00h 18m
Flight
10.99 mi
17.69 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Grand Island.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
10.99 mi
Kilometers
17.69 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
13.02 mi
Kilometers
20.95 km
Drive Time
00h 18m

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 00h 18m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Buffalo
Sat, Apr 18, 3:43 AM EDT
Return by in Grand Island
Sat, Apr 18, 4:02 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Grand Island
2026-04-18T03:24
Arrive Buffalo
Sat, Apr 18, 3:43 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 18m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:19 AM to 7:19 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:52 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Grand Island
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
Oakfield
NY

Human settlement in Genesee County, New York, United States of America

From Grand Island
6.5 mi
00h 09m
To Buffalo
6.5 mi
00h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
74°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 12 mph S
Destination
65°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 17 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Grand Island and Buffalo.

  1. 1

    Start on Colonial Drive

    743 ft · 38 sec · Colonial Drive

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Homeland Drive

    142 m · 26 sec · Homeland Drive

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Baseline Road

    1.1 km · 2 min · Baseline Road

  4. 4

    Turn slight left onto Grand Island Boulevard

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Grand Island Boulevard

  5. 5

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grand Island Boulevard

    26 m · 2 sec · Grand Island Boulevard

  6. 6

    Exit the roundabout onto Grand Island Boulevard

    58 m · 4 sec · Grand Island Boulevard

  7. 7

    Continue on South Parkway

    917 ft · 18 sec · South Parkway

  8. 8

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 190 S

    1722 ft · 42 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Niagara Thruway

    9.1 mi · 12 min · Niagara Thruway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward NY 266: Niagara Street

    2587 ft · 1 min

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Niagara Street

    2739 ft · 1 min · Niagara Street

  12. 12

    Enter the roundabout toward Niagara Square

    33 m · 3 sec · Niagara Square

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Niagara Square

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
13 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
100 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Niagara Thruway
9.05 mi · 70%
Grand Island Boulevard
1.53 mi · 12%
Baseline Road
0.67 mi · 5%
Niagara Street
0.52 mi · 4%
NY 266
0.49 mi · 4%
I 190 S
0.33 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Niagara Thruway

Merge slight left onto Niagara Thruway

9.05 mi · 00h 12m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 18m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2 mi
11 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Oakfield
00h 09m from Grand Island
Leave By
7:52 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Grand Island and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Buffalo.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Grand Island to Buffalo?

The road trip is about 13 miles (21 km) and usually takes 00h 18m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Oakfield is a useful midpoint, sitting about 6.5 miles from Grand Island and 6.5 miles from Buffalo.

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

The direct path is about 11 miles (17.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:52 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.84 one way or $3.69 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Grand Island and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Buffalo.

Stop Ideas Near Oakfield

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Oakfield, 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 Oakfield.

RAIL

Buffalo–Exchange Street

13 mi away
75 Exchange Street
RAIL

Niagara Falls Station and Customhouse Interpretive Center

17 mi away
27th St. and Lockport Rd.
RAIL

Buffalo–Depew station

21 mi away
55 Dick Road
BUS

Dunkirk, New York

62 mi away
411 Central Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Grand Island and Buffalo. Straight-line distance: 10.99 mi (17.69 km).

Grand Island

#1 Grand Island

Town in New York

Population21,767
Coordinates43.0331100, -78.9625400
Altitude178
CountryUnited States
Buffalo

#2 Buffalo

The second most populous city in New York.

Population254,479
Coordinates42.8864500, -78.8783700
Altitude183
CountryUnited States
Start: Colonial Drive (-78.962623, 43.033052)
End: Niagara Square (-78.878786, 42.886515)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 21 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 26m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 19m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 15m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 13m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 11m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.46 gal
1.74 L · about $1.84
Round trip
$3.69
0.92 gal · 3.48 L
Estimated CO2
4.1 kg one way
Round trip: 8.2 kg / 18 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.01 $1.84 $3.69
Mid-grade $4.48 $2.06 $4.12
Premium $4.86 $2.24 $4.47
Diesel $4.69 $2.16 $4.32

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 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Grand Island and Buffalo. The current time is 03:24:51.

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.