How far is Horseheads, NY from Albany, NY?

The driving distance from Horseheads, NY to Albany, NY is about 198.7 miles (319.8 km), with a travel time of about 03h 09m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 159.9 miles (257.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 18m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
198.72 mi
03h 09m
Flight
159.87 mi
257.29 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Horseheads.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
159.87 mi
Kilometers
257.29 km
Flight Time
00h 19m

Driving Distance

Road route
198.72 mi
Kilometers
319.81 km
Drive Time
03h 09m

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 03h 09m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Albany
Sun, Apr 19, 7:32 AM EDT
Return by in Horseheads
Sun, Apr 19, 10:42 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Horseheads
2026-04-19T04:23
Arrive Albany
Sun, Apr 19, 7:32 AM EDT
Route Timing
03h 09m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:09 AM to 11:09 AM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
10:42 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Horseheads
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

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
Unadilla
NY

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

From Horseheads
98.7 mi
01h 34m
To Albany
100 mi
01h 34m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
57°F
Sunday

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 12 mph W
Destination
46°F
Sunday

Light Rain Likely then Chance Rain And Snow Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
13 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Horseheads and Albany.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Horseheads and Albany.

  1. 1

    Start on South Main Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · South Main Street

  2. 2

    Take the ramp left

    1153 ft · 28 sec

  3. 3

    Merge slight left onto Southern Tier Expressway

    58.5 mi · 1 hr 9 min · Southern Tier Expressway

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight left toward I 81 North: Syracuse, Albany

    1 mi · 2 min

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on I 88 East: Albany

    117.5 mi · 2 hr 17 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on I 90 East: Albany

    2339 ft · 44 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway

    9.6 mi · 11 min · New York State Thruway

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 87 North, I 90 East: Albany, Montreal

    1.2 mi · 2 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left

    4.9 mi · 7 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward US 9: Loudonville, Arbor Hill

    1529 ft · 29 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on US 9 South: Arbor Hill, Henry Johnson Boulevard

    1488 ft · 28 sec

  13. 13

    Turn straight onto US 9

    1444 ft · 22 sec · US 9

  14. 14

    Continue on Henry Johnson Boulevard

    2809 ft · 1 min · Henry Johnson Boulevard

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Central Avenue

    155 m · 17 sec · Central Avenue

  16. 16

    Turn slight left onto Washington Avenue

    2658 ft · 1 min · Washington Avenue

  17. 17

    Turn right

    9 m · 2 sec

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Horseheads and Albany.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
18 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 88 East
118 mi · 59%
Southern Tier Expressway
58.5 mi · 29%
New York State Thruway
9.58 mi · 5%
I 87 North
6.05 mi · 3%
I 81 North
2.5 mi · 1%
South Main Street
1.1 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 88 East

Keep slight right to continue on I 88 East: Albany

118 mi · 02h 17m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 09m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+38.8 mi
159.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Unadilla
01h 34m from Horseheads
Leave By
10:42 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Rain Showers Likely leaving Horseheads and Light Rain Likely then Chance Rain And Snow Showers near Albany.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Horseheads to Albany?

The road trip is about 198.7 miles (319.8 km) and usually takes 03h 09m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Unadilla is a useful midpoint, sitting about 98.7 miles from Horseheads and 100 miles from Albany.

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

The direct path is about 159.9 miles (257.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 38.8 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:42 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $28.10 one way or $56.21 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 62.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers Likely around Horseheads and Light Rain Likely then Chance Rain And Snow Showers near Albany.

Stop Ideas Near Unadilla

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

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

RAIL

Union Station

87 mi away
321 Main St.
RAIL

Rome station

98 mi away
6599 Martin Street
BUS

Scranton, PA

106 mi away
23 Lackawanna Avenue
RAIL

William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center

109 mi away
131 Alliance Bank Parkway

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Horseheads and Albany. Straight-line distance: 159.87 mi (257.29 km).

Horseheads

#1 Horseheads

Village in New York, USA

Population6,244
Coordinates42.1670200, -76.8205100
Altitude273
CountryUnited States
Albany

#2 Albany

The capital of New York State.

Population95,429
Coordinates42.6525800, -73.7562300
Altitude45
CountryUnited States
Start: South Main Street (-76.820473, 42.167029)
End: Washington Avenue (-73.756162, 42.652644)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 320 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 37m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 58m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 58m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 50m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 28m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.01 gal
26.54 L · about $28.10
Round trip
$56.21
14.02 gal · 53.08 L
Estimated CO2
62.3 kg one way
Round trip: 124.6 kg / 275 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.01 $28.10 $56.21
Mid-grade $4.48 $31.41 $62.82
Premium $4.86 $34.08 $68.15
Diesel $4.69 $32.90 $65.81

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Horseheads and Albany. The current time is 04:23:36.

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.