Cost of Driving From Barnstable, MA to Buffalo, NY: A Guide Based on Current Gas Prices

Are you planning a trip from Barnstable, Massachusetts to Buffalo, New York? Whether it's for business, pleasure, or just exploring the country, it's important to know the cost of the trip ahead of time. Gas prices can fluctuate, as can toll prices, so it's important to have a complete understanding of the different routes you can take, the distance of each route, and the total cost of each route.

Route 1: I-90 W

The first route to consider is taking I-90 W all the way to Buffalo, New York. According to Google Maps, this route is approximately 476 miles and will take about 7 hours and 37 minutes to complete.

To get an estimate of the cost, we need to consider gas prices and toll prices. Gas prices as of August 2021 in Barnstable, Massachusetts are around $3.12 per gallon, while gas prices in Buffalo, New York are around $3.05 per gallon. Let's say you have a vehicle that gets around 23 miles per gallon, you would need around 20.7 gallons of gas for the trip, which amounts to $64.54 in gas expenses. Additionally, there are several tolls along the way, with the main one being the Massachusetts Turnpike, which costs around $24.30 each way. This amounts to a total of $48.60 in toll expenses.

Total cost: $113.14

Route 2: I-84 W and I-81 S

Another option is to take I-84 W and then switch to I-81 S to get to Buffalo, New York. This route is slightly longer, at around 477 miles, but only takes around 8 hours and 16 minutes to complete.

Using the same gas and toll prices as before, we can estimate that in this route, you would need around 20.9 gallons of gas, which amounts to $65.23 in gas expenses. There are also several tolls along the way, with the main one being the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which costs around $40. The total toll expense for this route would be $80.

Total cost: $145.23

Route 3: I-90 W and NY-33 W

The final route we'll discuss is taking I-90 W and then switching to NY-33 W. This route is similar in length to Route 1, at around 484 miles, but takes around 7 hours and 55 minutes to complete.

The gas expense is the same as in Route 1, rounding off at $64.54. The toll expense is also similar, with the total toll expense for this route being around $70.

Total cost: $134.54

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a few routes to consider when driving from Barnstable, Massachusetts to Buffalo, New York. While Route 1 may be the shortest and cheapest in terms of total cost, it does have tolls that can add up. Route 2 is slightly more expensive due to the extra tolls, but may be a good option if you prefer a more scenic route. Route 3 is a good balance between the two, with a similar gas expense as Route 1 but with a slightly higher toll expense.

Regardless of which route you take, it's important to budget for gas and toll expenses. Safe travels!