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Trip from Congers, NY to Jamaica, NY

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 1m

Distance

40.4 mi

65 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Fair

3 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 57m ★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 59m

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

census-designated place in Rockland County, New York, United States

Congers, NY

Wikimedia Commons

neighborhood of Queens, New York City, United States

Jamaica, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Congers, NY to Jamaica, NY is 40.4 miles and takes about 1h 1m via Palisades Interstate Parkway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within New York, making it a straightforward trip between two points in the Northeast region. Given the relatively short distance and direct path, this is a good option for a single-day excursion. You'll find it to be a mostly highway drive, so expect consistent travel times unless traffic is a major factor. Plan for a quick transit rather than an extended scenic adventure.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Palisades Interstate Parkway 13.7 mi 19m
NY 303 4.9 mi 7m
Cross Bronx Expressway 4.4 mi 5m
Van Wyck Expressway 4.3 mi 6m
State Highway 303 South 3.3 mi 3m
Whitestone Expressway 2.3 mi 3m
Bronx-Whitestone Bridge 1.3 mi 2m
Van Wyck Expressway West 0.9 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Palisades Interstate Parkway — 13.7 mi, about 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Congers, NY and Jamaica, NY.

1

Start on this road

137 ft · 16 sec · this road
2

Turn left

62 ft · 7 sec
3

Turn right onto CR 80

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Congers Road
4

Continue on CR 80

0.5 mi · 1 min · Lake Road
5

Turn right onto NY 303

3.3 mi · 3 min · State Highway 303 South
Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Turn right onto NY 303

4.9 mi · 7 min · NY 303
Use the straight / left lanes.
7

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward Palisades Interstate Parkway South
8

Merge onto Palisades Interstate Parkway

14 mi · 19 min · Palisades Interstate Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR

0.5 mi · 52 sec · I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
10

Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9

0.6 mi · 1 min · George Washington Bridge (upper level)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 95; US 1

0.7 mi · 1 min · Trans-Manhattan Expressway
12

Continue on I 95; US 1

4.4 mi · 5 min · Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 2 min
Exit 6A Toward I 678 South: Whitestone Bridge, Queens Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Merge onto I 678

0.8 mi · 1 min · Hutchinson River Expressway
15

Continue on I 678

1.3 mi · 2 min · Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
16

Continue on I 678

2.3 mi · 3 min · Whitestone Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
17

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.
18

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Exit 6 Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlantic Avenue Use the right lane.
19

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 13 sec
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue Use the slight right lane.
20

Turn straight onto Van Wyck Expressway West

0.9 mi · 2 min · Van Wyck Expressway West
Use the straight / right lanes.
21

Turn left onto Liberty Avenue

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Liberty Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
22

Turn right onto Inwood Street

0.2 mi · 44 sec · Inwood Street
23

Turn right onto Tuskegee Airmen Way

56 ft · 2 sec · Tuskegee Airmen Way
24

Arrive at destination

Tuskegee Airmen Way

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Washington Heights, NY, NY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Washington Heights, NY

20 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

Richmond Hill, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Washington Heights, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.2 miles from Congers, 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 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 38.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in

Turn left

Navigation decision point

8
29.1 mi into trip | ~42m in

Take the exit toward I 678 South: Whitestone Bridge, Queens

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 6A Toward I 678 South: Whitestone Bridge, Queens
7
34.4 mi into trip | ~51m in | I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway toward I 678 South: Kennedy Airport

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 678 South: Kennedy Airport
8
38.7 mi into trip | ~57m 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
38.9 mi into trip | ~58m 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

$6.57 one way

$13.13 round trip

$4.13/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.47 $7.11 $14.21
premium $4.87 $7.74 $15.48
diesel $5.40 $8.59 $17.19

Estimated Tolls: $22.55

George Washington Bridge $16.00
Whitestone Bridge $6.55

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Tolls

$23

Total

$29

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.1 0 $4.24 $1.94
Efficient EV 10.1 0 $3.53 $1.62
EV Truck/SUV 16.2 0 $5.66 $2.59

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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 25, 2026

Origin

Congers, NY

Evening in Congers on Sunday

Local time

7:07 PM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Jamaica, NY

Evening in Jamaica on Sunday

Local time

7:07 PM

EDT

Current temp

42°F

Rain Showers

E 12 mph 97% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 1:03PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

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

7 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 1m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is 89% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on high-speed parkways and expressways. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 13.7 miles on the Palisades Interstate Parkway. You’ll transition to surface roads for the remaining portion of the trip, likely encountering more frequent intersections and local traffic as you approach your destination. Expect a dense pattern of exits as you navigate through more developed areas.

89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.7 mi on Palisades Interstate Parkway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Palisades Interstate Parkway and NY 303. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 40.4 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 29.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.4 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): 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.

Between Congers, NY and Jamaica, NY, road signs point toward Palisades Interstate Parkway South and Queens.

Palisades Interstate Parkway South

8.9 mi in | ~13m

Queens

29.1 mi in | ~42m

About the Cities

Starting in Congers, NY

Full guide →

Arriving in Jamaica, NY

Full guide →

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).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 40.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 13.7 miles on Palisades Interstate Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $22.55 in tolls one way, starting with George Washington 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.

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 Jamaica, 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 29.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.4 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and African Burial Ground 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 Jamaica, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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