Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
18.1 mi
29 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Astoria, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Far Rockaway, NY
Julian Bracero
Astoria, NY to Far Rockaway, NY is 18.1 miles and takes about 32 minutes via Grand Central Parkway and Rockaway Boulevard, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive entirely within New York, connecting two points within the Northeast region. Expect a mixed driving experience as you transition from parkways to city streets. It's a short trip, making it ideal for a quick excursion or an easy leg of a longer journey.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Central Parkway | 6.6 mi | 9m |
| Rockaway Boulevard | 4.5 mi | 9m |
| Van Wyck Expressway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Sheridan Boulevard | 1 mi | 1m |
| Astoria Boulevard | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| Nassau Expressway | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Beach Channel Drive | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Burnside Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Astoria, NY and Far Rockaway, NY.
Start on 12th Street
Turn right onto Astoria Boulevard
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 278; GCP
Keep slight left at fork onto GCP
Take the exit
Merge onto I 678
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Van Wyck Expressway
Turn left onto Rockaway Boulevard
Turn left onto NY 878
Continue on Rockaway Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto Nassau Expressway
Turn right onto Burnside Avenue
Continue on Sheridan Boulevard
Continue on Sheridan Boulevard
Continue on Beach Channel Drive
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 15.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork onto GCP / Grand Central Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 678 South: Van Wyck Expressway, Kennedy Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Rockaway Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Rockaway Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto Nassau Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$2.98 one way
$5.96 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.22 | $6.44 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.51 | $7.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.00 | $7.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.90 | $0.87 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.53 | $1.16 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Astoria on Sunday
Local time
6:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 15 at 11:57PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Morning in Far Rockaway on Sunday
Local time
6:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route offers a mixed drive profile, with 56% of the journey on highways. You'll begin on the Grand Central Parkway, where you can enjoy a stretch of 6.6 miles without interruption. As you proceed, the drive transitions, incorporating Rockaway Boulevard and the Van Wyck Expressway. The character of the road shifts from parkway to more urban thoroughfares, requiring attention to local traffic and changing speed limits. It's a dynamic route that reflects the varied infrastructure of the New York metropolitan area.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near GCP / Grand Central Parkway.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 18.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (GCP / Grand Central Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Astoria, NY to Far Rockaway, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Kennedy Airport along the way.
Kennedy Airport
Founded 1659
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 18.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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