How far is Hempstead, NY from Elma, NY?

The driving distance from Hempstead, NY to Elma, NY is about 386 miles (621.2 km), with a travel time of about 08h 04m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 298.1 miles (479.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 16h 09m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
385.98 mi
08h 04m
Flight
298.08 mi
479.72 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Hempstead.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
298.08 mi
Kilometers
479.72 km
Flight Time
00h 35m

Driving Distance

Road route
385.98 mi
Kilometers
621.17 km
Drive Time
08h 04m

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 08h 04m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Elma
Sun, Apr 12, 6:16 PM EDT
Return by in Hempstead
Mon, Apr 13, 2:21 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Hempstead
2026-04-12T10:11
Arrive Elma
Sun, Apr 12, 6:16 PM EDT
Route Timing
08h 04m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:05 PM to 3:35 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
7:50 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Hempstead
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

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
Kirkwood
NY

Town in Broome County, New York, United States

From Hempstead
192.8 mi
04h 02m
To Elma
193.2 mi
04h 02m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
56°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 2:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 10 mph E
Destination
64°F
Sunday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 9 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Hempstead and Elma.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hempstead and Elma.

  1. 1

    Start on Peninsula Boulevard

    24 m · 1 sec · Peninsula Boulevard

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Clinton Street

    110 m · 18 sec · Clinton Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Front Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Front Street

  4. 4

    Turn slight left onto Hempstead Turnpike

    2 mi · 4 min · Hempstead Turnpike

  5. 5

    Turn right onto New Hyde Park Road

    2197 ft · 53 sec · New Hyde Park Road

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Tulip Avenue

    2 mi · 4 min · Tulip Avenue

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Jamaica Avenue

    1.1 km · 1 min · Jamaica Avenue

  8. 8

    Turn slight right onto Braddock Avenue

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Braddock Avenue

  9. 9

    Turn left onto Hillside Avenue

    1.1 km · 1 min · Hillside Avenue

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Clearview Expressway

    5 mi · 5 min · Clearview Expressway

  11. 11

    Continue on Throgs Neck Bridge

    2 mi · 3 min · Throgs Neck Bridge

  12. 12

    Continue on Throgs Neck Expressway

    1.1 km · 1 min · Throgs Neck Expressway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on Cross Bronx Expressway

    6.6 mi · 9 min · Cross Bronx Expressway

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on Trans-Manhattan Expressway

    1.1 km · 1 min · Trans-Manhattan Expressway

  15. 15

    Continue on George Washington Bridge (upper level)

    3167 ft · 60 sec · George Washington Bridge (upper level)

  16. 16

    Continue straight

    2659 ft · 48 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left

    3214 ft · 39 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight left

    559 ft · 9 sec

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack

    1270 ft · 23 sec

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack

    1884 ft · 29 sec

  21. 21

    Merge slight left onto New Jersey Turnpike

    2 mi · 3 min · New Jersey Turnpike

  22. 22

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80 West: Paterson, Hackensack

    1.3 km · 1 min

  23. 23

    Continue on Christopher Columbus Highway

    68.2 mi · 1 hr 21 min · Christopher Columbus Highway

  24. 24

    Keep slight left to continue on Keystone Shortway

    5.5 mi · 8 min · Keystone Shortway

  25. 25

    Keep slight left to continue on Keystone Shortway

    11.9 mi · 16 min · Keystone Shortway

  26. 26

    Take the exit slight right toward I 380 North: Scranton

    1.1 km · 46 sec

  27. 27

    Continue straight

    27.7 mi · 31 min

  28. 28

    Merge slight right

    58.1 mi · 1 hr 9 min

  29. 29

    Keep slight left to continue on I 86: Corning

    100 mi · 1 hr 57 min

  30. 30

    Keep slight left to continue on Genesee Expressway

    32.9 mi · 38 min · Genesee Expressway

  31. 31

    Take the exit slight right toward NY 36: Mount Morris, Letchworth Park

    1030 ft · 23 sec

  32. 32

    Turn left onto Sonyea Road

    4.3 mi · 7 min · Sonyea Road

  33. 33

    Continue on Main Street

    1.8 mi · 5 min · Main Street

  34. 34

    Continue on Mount Morris Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Mount Morris Road

  35. 35

    Turn left onto Perry Road

    2.3 mi · 3 min · Perry Road

  36. 36

    Continue on Leicester Road

    7.4 mi · 11 min · Leicester Road

  37. 37

    Continue on East Buffalo Street

    4.6 mi · 9 min · East Buffalo Street

  38. 38

    Continue on West Buffalo Road

    1.7 mi · 2 min · West Buffalo Road

  39. 39

    Continue on Varysburg Road

    10.9 mi · 16 min · Varysburg Road

  40. 40

    Continue on Big Tree Road

    10.5 mi · 16 min · Big Tree Road

  41. 41

    Take the ramp slight right

    1249 ft · 30 sec

  42. 42

    Merge slight left onto Aurora Expressway

    3.9 mi · 4 min · Aurora Expressway

  43. 43

    Take the exit slight right toward Jamison Road, Elma

    1297 ft · 32 sec

  44. 44

    Turn right onto Jamison Road

    1070 ft · 28 sec · Jamison Road

  45. 45

    Turn left onto Bowen Road

    3.2 mi · 6 min · Bowen Road

  46. 46

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Bowen Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Hempstead and Elma.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
46 steps
14 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
3 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 86
100 mi · 26%
I 380 North
86.4 mi · 22%
Christopher Columbus Highway
68.2 mi · 18%
Genesee Expressway
32.9 mi · 9%
Keystone Shortway
17.3 mi · 4%
Varysburg Road
10.9 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

I 86

Keep slight left to continue on I 86: Corning

100 mi · 01h 57m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
08h 04m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
16h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+87.9 mi
298.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Kirkwood
04h 02m from Hempstead
Leave By
7:50 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Hempstead and Chance Rain Showers near Elma.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Hempstead to Elma?

The road trip is about 386 miles (621.2 km) and usually takes 08h 04m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Kirkwood is a useful midpoint, sitting about 192.8 miles from Hempstead and 193.2 miles from Elma.

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

The direct path is about 298.1 miles (479.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 87.9 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $54.60 one way or $109.21 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 121 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Hempstead and Chance Rain Showers near Elma.

Stop Ideas Near Kirkwood

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

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

BUS

Scranton, PA

71 mi away
23 Lackawanna Avenue
BUS

Wilkes-Barre, PA

89 mi away
47 South Washington Street
BUS

White Haven, PA

108 mi away
I-476, Exit 95/I-80, Exit 277, at Hwy 940

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Hempstead and Elma. Straight-line distance: 298.08 mi (479.72 km).

Hempstead

#1 Hempstead

Located in Nassau County, New York, this hamlet and village is a major commercial and transportation hub.

Population764,055
Coordinates40.7062100, -73.6187400
Altitude17
CountryUnited States
Elma

#2 Elma

City in New York, United States of America

Population11,752
Coordinates42.8508900, -78.6403000
Altitude217
CountryUnited States
Start: Hempstead (-73.61874, 40.70621)
End: Elma (-78.6403, 42.85089)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 621 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 51m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 43m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 30m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 48m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
13.62 gal
51.56 L · about $54.60
Round trip
$109.21
27.24 gal · 103.12 L
Estimated CO2
121 kg one way
Round trip: 242.1 kg / 534 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.01 $54.60 $109.21
Mid-grade $4.48 $61.03 $122.06
Premium $4.86 $66.21 $132.41
Diesel $4.69 $63.93 $127.86

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 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Hempstead and Elma. The current time is 10:11:44.

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.