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

The driving distance from Grand Island, NY to Syracuse, NY is about 156 miles (251.1 km), with a travel time of about 02h 28m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 142.2 miles (228.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 04h 57m 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
156.04 mi
02h 28m
Flight
142.16 mi
228.78 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Grand Island.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
142.16 mi
Kilometers
228.78 km
Flight Time
00h 17m

Driving Distance

Road route
156.04 mi
Kilometers
251.13 km
Drive Time
02h 28m

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 28m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Syracuse
Sat, Apr 18, 4:08 AM EDT
Return by in Grand Island
Sat, Apr 18, 6:37 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Grand Island
2026-04-18T01:40
Arrive Syracuse
Sat, Apr 18, 4:08 AM EDT
Route Timing
02h 28m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:29 AM to 12:29 PM EDT

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

Leave by
1:32 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Grand Island
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
Henrietta
NY

A city in Monroe County, New York.

From Grand Island
77.5 mi
01h 14m
To Syracuse
78.5 mi
01h 14m

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
76°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Niagara Thruway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 290 East: Tonawanda, Rochester

    1993 ft · 49 sec

  11. 11

    Continue on Youngmann Expressway

    9.5 mi · 13 min · Youngmann Expressway

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on I 90 East: Albany

    1 km · 57 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway

    130.5 mi · 2 hr 31 min · New York State Thruway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward I 690, NY 690: Syracuse, Fulton

    1.1 km · 1 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on I 690 East: Fairgrounds, Syracuse

    1225 ft · 30 sec

  16. 16

    Continue straight

    7.9 mi · 10 min

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward Downtown

    636 ft · 16 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight right to continue on Downtown

    833 ft · 27 sec

  19. 19

    Turn left onto West Genesee Street

    1939 ft · 1 min · West Genesee Street

  20. 20

    Continue on James Street

    607 ft · 23 sec · James Street

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Oswego Boulevard

    97 m · 12 sec · Oswego Boulevard

  22. 22

    Continue on Erie Boulevard East

    160 m · 19 sec · Erie Boulevard East

  23. 23

    Turn right onto South State Street

    989 ft · 25 sec · South State Street

  24. 24

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South State Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
24 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
2 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
15.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
New York State Thruway
130 mi · 84%
Youngmann Expressway
9.45 mi · 6%
I 690 East
8.16 mi · 5%
Niagara Thruway
1.56 mi · 1%
Grand Island Boulevard
1.53 mi · 1%
I 690
0.68 mi
Longest Stretch

New York State Thruway

Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway

130 mi · 02h 31m

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 28m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
04h 58m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+13.8 mi
142.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Henrietta
01h 14m from Grand Island
Leave By
1:32 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Grand Island and Mostly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers near Syracuse.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 156 miles (251.1 km) and usually takes 02h 28m 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?

Henrietta is a useful midpoint, sitting about 77.5 miles from Grand Island and 78.5 miles from Syracuse.

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

The direct path is about 142.2 miles (228.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 13.8 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 1:32 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $22.09 one way or $44.18 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 49 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Grand Island and Mostly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers near Syracuse.

Stop Ideas Near Henrietta

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

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

RAIL

Louise M. Slaughter Rochester Station

11 mi away
320 Central Avenue
RAIL

Buffalo–Depew station

92 mi away
55 Dick Road
RAIL

Buffalo–Exchange Street

105 mi away
75 Exchange Street
RAIL

Empire Expo Center

114 mi away
581 State Fair Blvd

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Grand Island and Syracuse. Straight-line distance: 142.16 mi (228.78 km).

Grand Island

#1 Grand Island

Town in New York

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

#2 Syracuse

The fifth most populous city in New York.

Population141,229
Coordinates43.0481200, -76.1474200
Altitude121
CountryUnited States
Start: Colonial Drive (-78.962623, 43.033052)
End: South State Street (-76.14744, 43.04812)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 251 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 11m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 54m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 07m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 36m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 13m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 56m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
5.51 gal
20.84 L · about $22.09
Round trip
$44.18
11.02 gal · 41.68 L
Estimated CO2
49 kg one way
Round trip: 97.9 kg / 216 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.01 $22.09 $44.18
Mid-grade $4.48 $24.69 $49.38
Premium $4.86 $26.78 $53.57
Diesel $4.69 $25.86 $51.73

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 Syracuse. The current time is 01:40:10.

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.