Origin
Astoria, NY
Afternoon in Astoria on Wednesday
Local time
4:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Astoria, NY to Shirley, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
60.7 mi
98 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 21m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Astoria, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Shirley, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Astoria, NY to Shirley, NY covers 60.7 miles and takes about 1h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Long Island Expressway, Grand Central Parkway, Horseblock Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 47.2 miles on Long Island Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.18 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island Expressway | 47.2 mi | 1h 4m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| Horseblock Road | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| Montauk Highway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Astoria Boulevard | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| Horace Harding Expressway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Express Drive South | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| William Floyd Parkway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Long Island Expressway
— 47.2 mi, about 1h 4m
Traffic on I-495
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 46 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~4,638 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~791 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 74 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Astoria, NY and Shirley, NY.
1
Start on 12th Street
23 ft
·
4 sec
·
12th Street
2
Turn right onto Astoria Boulevard
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Astoria Boulevard
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Grand Central Parkway East
4
Merge onto I 278; GCP
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Grand Central Parkway
5
Keep slight left at fork onto GCP
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Grand Central Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 10W-E
Toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Eastern Long Island, Riverhead, Midtown Tunnel, Manhattan
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhead
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 10E
Toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhead
Use the right lane.
9
Turn straight onto Horace Harding Expressway
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Horace Harding Expressway
10
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 495 East: Long Island Expressway, Eastern Long Island
11
Merge onto I 495
47 mi
·
1 hr 4 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 65
Toward CR 16: Horse Block Road, Centereach, Shirley
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto Express Drive South
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Express Drive South
Toward I 495, CR 101: Yaphank, Riverhead
14
Turn slight right onto CR 16
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Horseblock Road
Use the right lane.
15
At end of road, turn left onto CR 80
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Montauk Highway
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Aletta Place
255 ft
·
9 sec
·
Aletta Place
17
Turn right
369 ft
·
28 sec
18
At end of road, turn right onto CR 46
379 ft
·
9 sec
·
William Floyd Parkway
19
Arrive at destination
CR 46
Toward I 495, NY 27: East Shoreham, Wading River
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.4 miles from Astoria, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 5.5 and 58.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
5.5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Eastern Long Island, Riverhead, Midtown Tunnel, Manhattan
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10W-E
Toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Eastern L...
7
5.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhead
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhe...
10
5.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhead
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 10E
Toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhe...
8
53.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward CR 16: Horse Block Road, Centereach, Shirley
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 65
Toward CR 16: Horse Block Road, Centereach, Shi...
7
58.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
|
CR 80 / Montauk Highway
At end of road, turn left onto CR 80 / Montauk Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.18 one way
$20.36 round trip
$4.26/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.63 | $11.06 | $22.11 |
| premium | $5.05 | $12.08 | $24.15 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $13.38 | $26.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.37 | $2.91 |
| Efficient EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.31 | $2.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.3 | 0 | $8.50 | $3.88 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Shirley, NY
Afternoon in Shirley on Wednesday
Local time
4:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
24 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 28m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
60.7 mi in 1h 28m, mostly highway — 47.2 mi of that is on Long Island Expressway.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 47.2 mi on Long Island Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Grand Central Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.7 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
203 ft
13 ft
Total Climb
274 ft
Total Descent
242 ft
Highest Point
203 ft
~26 mi in
Elevation Range
190 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Astoria, NY and Shirley, NY, road signs point toward Eastern Long Island, Riverhead, Manhattan, Centereach and Cr 101: Yaphank.
Eastern Long Island
5.5 mi in
|
~10m
Riverhead
5.5 mi in
|
~10m
Manhattan
5.5 mi in
|
~10m
Centereach
53.6 mi in
|
~1h 16m
Cr 101: Yaphank
53.9 mi in
|
~1h 17m
|
via Express Drive South
About the Cities
Starting in Astoria, NY
Full guide →Founded 1659
Top landmarks
- • Museum of the Moving Image — museum and archive in New York, United States
Arriving in Shirley, NY
Full guide →City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 60.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 47.2 miles on Long Island Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Shirley, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 5.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — General Grant National Memorial, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Shirley, NY before heading back.
How this page is built
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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