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Trip from Douglaston, NY to New York City, NY

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

30m

Distance

17 mi

27 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 28m ★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m

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

neighborhood of Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Douglaston, NY

Wikimedia Commons

most populous city in the United States

New York City, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This quick 17-mile drive from Douglaston, NY, to New York City, NY, is easily manageable as a day trip, taking around 30 minutes to complete. With a modest fuel cost of about $3, it's an efficient way to get from the Northeast region to its urban heart. The route primarily utilizes major highways, including the Long Island Expressway and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, before crossing into Manhattan via the Williamsburg Bridge. Expect a straightforward journey that gets you into the city without much fuss. It's a practical choice for a short hop between two points within New York State.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Long Island Expressway 8.8 mi 12m
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway 2 mi 3m
Williamsburg Bridge 1.9 mi 4m
Douglaston Parkway 0.9 mi 1m
Delancey Street 0.5 mi 1m
Broadway 0.5 mi 1m
Kenmare Street 0.2 mi <1m
Lafayette Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Long Island Expressway — 8.8 mi, about 12m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Douglaston, NY and New York City, NY.

1

Start on Poplar Street

174 ft · 14 sec · Poplar Street
2

Turn left onto Douglaston Parkway

0.9 mi · 1 min · Douglaston Parkway
3

Take the ramp

523 ft · 12 sec
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway, West Manhattan Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward I 495 West: Manhattan Use the straight lane.
5

Merge onto I 495

8.8 mi · 12 min · Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

1.0 mi · 1 min
Exit 17W Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 10 sec
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, 48th Street
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 278

2.0 mi · 3 min · Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
10

Keep slight left at fork onto Williamsburg Bridge

0.7 mi · 1 min · Williamsburg Bridge
Exit 32A Toward Williamsburg Bridge, Manhattan Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto Williamsburg Bridge

1.2 mi · 2 min · Williamsburg Bridge
Use the slight left lane.
12

Continue on Delancey Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Delancey Street
Use the straight lane.
13

Continue on Kenmare Street

0.2 mi · 57 sec · Kenmare Street
14

At end of road, turn left onto Lafayette Street

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Lafayette Street
Use the left lane.
15

Turn right onto Howard Street

510 ft · 24 sec · Howard Street
16

Turn left onto Broadway

0.5 mi · 1 min · Broadway
Use the straight lane.
17

Arrive at destination

Broadway

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 13.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.9 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the ramp toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway, West Manhattan

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / right lanes. Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway, West...
8
1 mi into trip | ~2m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 West: Manhattan

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane. Toward I 495 West: Manhattan
7
10.2 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the exit toward I 278 West: Brooklyn

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 17W Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn
7
11.3 mi into trip | ~17m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 278 West: Brooklyn

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn
9
13.6 mi into trip | ~20m in | Williamsburg Bridge

Keep slight left at fork onto Williamsburg Bridge toward Williamsburg Bridge, Manhattan

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

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 32A Toward Williamsburg Bridge, Manhattan

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.80 one way

$5.60 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $3.03 $6.05
premium $4.92 $3.29 $6.59
diesel $5.61 $3.75 $7.51

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.9 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 5.1 0 $1.78 $0.82
Efficient EV 4.3 0 $1.49 $0.68
EV Truck/SUV 6.8 0 $2.38 $1.09

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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Douglaston, NY

Afternoon in Douglaston on Sunday

Local time

12:34 PM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

New York City, NY

Afternoon in New York City on Sunday

Local time

12:34 PM

EDT

Current temp

50°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

1 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

30m 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?

This is a predominantly highway-focused drive, with 69% of the journey on high-speed roads. You'll spend the majority of your time on the Long Island Expressway, which features an uninterrupted stretch of 8.8 miles. The drive transitions onto the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, continuing the fast-paced highway feel before culminating in the crossing of the Williamsburg Bridge. The character remains consistent – a direct, efficient path designed for covering ground quickly.

69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.8 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 Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 13 decision points packed into just 17 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Douglaston, NY to New York City, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Manhattan along the way.

Manhattan

0.9 mi in | ~2m

About the Cities

Arriving in New York City, NY

Full guide →

“The City That Never Sleeps” · Founded 1624

New York (known as "The Big Apple", "NYC," and often called "New York City") is a global center for media, entertainment, art, fashion, research, finance, and trade. The bustling, cosmopolitan heart of the 4th largest metropolis in the world and by far the most populous city in the United States, New York has long been a key entry point and a defining city for the nation. From the Statue of Liberty in the harbor to the Empire State Building towering over the Manhattan skyline, from the tunnels of the subway to the riches of Wall Street, from the bright signs of Times Square to the naturalistic beauty of Central Park, and from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx to Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York's landmarks are quintessential American landmarks. The city's neighborhoods and streets are so iconic they have become ingrained into the American consciousness.

Top landmarks

  • Statue of Liberty — American icon in New York, United States
  • National September 11 Memorial & Museum — memorial & museum in New York City commemorating the September 11, 2001 attacks
  • Plaza Hotel — hotel in Midtown Manhattan, New York City

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 30m. Total distance: 17 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

30m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 8.8 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 New York City, 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 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — African Burial Ground National Monument, Castle Clinton National Monument and Federal Hall National Memorial (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 New York City, 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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