Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
11.2 mi
18 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brooklyn, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Jamaica, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Traveling the 11.2 miles from Brooklyn to Jamaica is a quick, straightforward trip that typically takes about 20 minutes. Because of the short distance, this is an ideal one-day excursion that doesn't require any overnight planning or multiple stops. You can expect to spend roughly $2 on fuel, making it an incredibly budget-friendly commute within the Northeast. Navigating this route involves a mix of local arteries like Church Avenue and Linden Boulevard, paired with the Nassau Expressway. Since both the origin and destination are located within New York, you will remain in the Northeast region throughout the entire journey. It is a practical, no-fuss drive that serves as an efficient way to transition between these two boroughs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Linden Boulevard | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| Nassau Expressway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Church Avenue | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Van Wyck Expressway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| South Conduit Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Inwood Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Liberty Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 31st Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Brooklyn, NY and Jamaica, NY.
Start on Nostrand Avenue
Turn left onto Snyder Avenue
Turn left onto East 31st Street
Turn right onto Church Avenue
Turn right onto Linden Boulevard
Take the ramp
Merge onto NY 27
Continue on NY 27
Continue on NY 27
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 878
Take the exit
Merge onto I 678
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on I 678
Take the exit
Continue on Van Wyck Expressway East
Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
Turn right onto Inwood Street
Turn right onto Tuskegee Airmen Way
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 6.8 and 10.8 — 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 NY 878 / Nassau Expressway toward NY 878 East: Nassau Expressway, Van Wyck Expressway, Kennedy Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 678 North: Bronx, Whitestone Bridge, Van Wyck Expressway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward Rockaway Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Liberty Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$1.84 one way
$3.69 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $1.99 | $3.99 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.17 | $4.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.47 | $4.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.18 | $0.54 |
| Efficient EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.98 | $0.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.57 | $0.72 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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 Brooklyn on Sunday
Local time
10:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Scattered Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Morning in Jamaica on Sunday
Local time
10:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Scattered Rain Showers then Partly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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.
Expect a mixed driving experience that balances busy city streets with faster expressway sections. With a 34% highway share, you will transition from local navigation onto more fluid stretches as you move toward Jamaica. You will find that the longest uninterrupted segment occurs on Linden Boulevard, covering 3.8 miles. The road’s personality shifts from the dense, stop-and-go environment of Brooklyn's local roads to the more open feel of the Nassau Expressway. Staying alert is key, as the route requires you to adapt quickly to changing traffic patterns and road types throughout the brief 20-minute journey.
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 6.8 miles in near NY 878 / Nassau Expressway.
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 16 decision points packed into just 11.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 20m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.8 miles (NY 878 / Nassau Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Brooklyn, NY to Jamaica, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Kennedy Airport along the way.
Kennedy Airport
Founded 1634
Brooklyn, the "Borough of Homes and Churches," is one of the five boroughs of New York City. It used to be a separate city, and still feels much like one. It has about 2.5 million inhabitants. If separated from the rest of New York City, Brooklyn would be the 4th most populous American city. Brooklyn is on the westernmost point of Long Island and shares a land boundary with Queens, which partially encircles Brooklyn to the north, east and south; Manhattan lies across the East River to the west and north of Brooklyn, and Staten Island is across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the southwest. Brooklyn is enjoying a period of growth and affluence not seen since before World War II. The Brooklyn Academy of Music boasts world-class theater performances, and the nearby Barclays Center is the home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.
Top landmarks
Jamaica is an expansive neighborhood located in eastern Queens. Historically consisting of predominantly black communities, Jamaica now is home to an extremely diverse array of peoples and cultures.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 11.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). 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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