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Trip from Chatham, NY to Queens, NY

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

3h 7m

Distance

137 mi

221 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 35 min
4 AM
2h 56m ★
6 AM
3h 8m
8 AM
3h 31m
10 AM
3h 16m
12 PM
3h 14m
3 PM
3h 17m
5 PM
3h 30m
8 PM
3h 1m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Chatham, NY, NY

Chatham, NY

Peter Olexa

borough in New York City, New York, United States

Queens, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Chatham to Queens is 137 miles and takes about 3h 7m via Taconic State Parkway and I-684, with a fuel budget near $23 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, traversing the Northeast region from a more rural start to the bustling city. It's a straightforward, primarily highway route that makes for a convenient one-day drive if you're looking to get from point A to B efficiently. Plan for a solid chunk of time on parkways and interstates, so pack some snacks and a good playlist.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

68.5 miles from Chatham, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 34m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Taconic State Parkway 62.3 mi 1h 24m
I 684 26.8 mi 31m
Hutchinson River Parkway 15.9 mi 23m
I 84 15.5 mi 18m
Van Wyck Expressway 4.3 mi 6m
Whitestone Expressway 2.3 mi 3m
Liberty Avenue 1.5 mi 4m
Bronx-Whitestone Bridge 1.3 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Taconic State Parkway — 62.3 mi, about 1h 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chatham, NY and Queens, NY.

1

Start on Austerlitz Street

34 ft · 1 sec · Austerlitz Street
2

Enter roundabout onto NY 66

111 ft · 1 sec · Main Street
3

Continue on NY 66

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Main Street
4

Continue on NY 66

0.5 mi · 1 min · Hudson Avenue
5

Turn left onto NY 203

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Coleman Street
6

Continue on NY 203

1.0 mi · 1 min · State Highway 203
7

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 1 min
8

Merge onto Taconic State Parkway

62 mi · 1 hr 24 min · Taconic State Parkway
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 47 sec
Toward I 84 East: Danbury
10

Merge onto I 84

15 mi · 18 min · I 84
11

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 68A Toward I 684 South: White Plains Use the right lane.
12

Merge onto I 684

27 mi · 31 min · I 684
13

Keep slight left at fork

1.5 mi · 2 min
Exit 1 Toward Hutchinson River Parkway, New York City Use the straight lane.
14

Merge onto Hutchinson River Parkway

7.7 mi · 10 min · Hutchinson River Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight right at fork onto Hutchinson River Parkway

8.2 mi · 12 min · Hutchinson River Parkway
Toward Whitestone Bridge Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Continue on I 678

1.2 mi · 1 min · Hutchinson River Expressway
17

Continue on I 678

1.3 mi · 2 min · Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
18

Continue on I 678

2.3 mi · 3 min · Whitestone Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
19

Keep slight left at fork onto I 678

4.3 mi · 6 min · Van Wyck Expressway
Toward I 678 South: Kennedy Airport Use the slight left lane.
20

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Exit 6 Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlantic Avenue Use the right lane.
21

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 13 sec
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue Use the slight right lane.
22

Turn straight onto Van Wyck Expressway West

0.9 mi · 2 min · Van Wyck Expressway West
Use the straight / right lanes.
23

Turn right onto Liberty Avenue

1.5 mi · 4 min · Liberty Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
24

Turn left onto 104th Street

205 ft · 9 sec · 104th Street
25

Arrive at destination

104th Street

Trip Plan

For this 3-hour drive, leaving in the morning or early afternoon is ideal to avoid the heaviest traffic. Since it’s a single-day trip at 137 miles, you can easily complete it without an overnight stay. You'll have one recommended stop, so consider breaking up the 62.3-mile stretch on the Taconic State Parkway. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the $23 estimated cost suggests filling up before you leave Chatham or shortly after starting will be sufficient for the entire journey.

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 68.5 miles from Chatham, NY, or about 1h 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 62.3 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 30 miles or 42m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 68.5 miles or 1h 34m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 27m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Queens, NY than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Chatham, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Chatham, NY

This is one driving day of about 137 miles and 3h 7m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Chatham, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Taconic State Parkway for about 62.3 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

town in Dutchess County, New York, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Beekman, NY

69 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.

Popular next leg

Beekman, NY to Queens, NY

80 mi · 1h 49m

Pacing Suggestions

Clermont, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Beekman, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 68.5 miles from Chatham, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Taconic State Parkway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 62.3 miles.

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 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 80.3 and 134.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
80.3 mi into trip | ~1h 48m in

Take the exit toward I 684 South: White Plains

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 68A Toward I 684 South: White Plains
9
107.7 mi into trip | ~2h 21m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Hutchinson River Parkway, New York City

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Exit 1 Toward Hutchinson River Parkway, New York City
7
116.9 mi into trip | ~2h 33m in | Hutchinson River Parkway

Keep slight right at fork onto Hutchinson River Parkway toward Whitestone Bridge

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Whitestone Bridge
8
134.2 mi into trip | ~3h in

Take the exit toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlantic Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Exit 6 Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlanti...
9
134.4 mi into trip | ~3h in

Keep slight right at fork toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$22.55 one way

$45.10 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 48 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $24.38 $48.77
premium $4.92 $26.55 $53.11
diesel $5.61 $30.25 $60.50

Estimated Tolls: $6.55

Whitestone Bridge $6.55

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Tolls

$7

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$54–$79

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 47.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 41.1 0 $14.39 $6.58
Efficient EV 34.3 0 $11.99 $5.48
EV Truck/SUV 54.8 0 $19.18 $8.77

Gas CO2

48 kg

EV CO2

16 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.

Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026

Origin

Chatham, NY

Afternoon in Chatham on Tuesday

Local time

12:10 PM

EDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Queens, NY

Afternoon in Queens on Tuesday

Local time

12:10 PM

EDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

4 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

3h 7m 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?

You'll spend about 95% of this 137-mile trip on highways. The longest continuous stretch without needing to exit is 62.3 miles, found on the Taconic State Parkway. After that, you'll transition onto I-684 and then the Hutchinson River Parkway, which are also highway driving. Expect a consistent cruising pace for most of the drive, with dense exits appearing as you approach your destination in Queens.

95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 62.3 mi on Taconic State Parkway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Taconic State Parkway and I 684. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 80.3 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 137 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 80.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 107.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 116.9 miles (Hutchinson River Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Chatham, NY to Queens, NY, road signs begin pointing toward New York City along the way.

New York City

107.7 mi in | ~2h 21m

About the Cities

Starting in Chatham, NY

Full guide →

Founded 1795

Top landmarks

  • Union Station — former railroad station in Chatham, New York, US
  • North Chatham Historic District — historic district in Chatham, New York, United States

Arriving in Queens, NY

Full guide →

Founded 1683

Queens is a crescent-shaped (with a tail) borough traversing the north-to-south width of Long Island and including two of the major New York City area airports, LaGuardia (LGA IATA) and John F. Kennedy International (JFK IATA). It also carries the largest ethnic diversity in its area of any region in the world, with many small enclaves. Jackson Heights, for example, includes a huge Indian area, followed by a Colombian area, and then a Mexican area. Each offers a wide array of authentic shops, native-style cuisine, and festivals modified only slightly by the generally colder New York City experience.

Top landmarks

  • Queensboro Bridge — bridge in New York City
  • Unisphere — Steel structure in Queens, New York

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 3h 7m. Total distance: 137 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 62.3 miles on Taconic State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $6.55 in tolls one way, starting with Whitestone Bridge. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

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 Queens, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 80.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 107.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 116.9 miles (Hutchinson River Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Possible but tiring. At 3.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Queens, NY, but most travelers stay overnight.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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