Origin
Elmhurst, NY
Late night in Elmhurst on Sunday
Local time
3:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elmhurst, NY to Babylon, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
36 mi
58 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
6 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elmhurst, NY
Mel Audelo
Babylon, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Elmhurst to Babylon, expect a 40.1-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 9 minutes. This route is best suited as a quick day trip, as it is short enough to complete in a single outing without the need for an overnight stay. You will primarily utilize Queens Boulevard, I-495 East, and the Long Island Expressway to reach your destination. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $7, this drive is a very affordable way to traverse the Northeast region. It is a straightforward trip, though you should be prepared for the typical congestion associated with metropolitan travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southern State Parkway | 18.2 mi | 22m |
| Belt Parkway | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Van Wyck Expressway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Farmingdale Road | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Little East Neck Road North | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Long Island Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Queens Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Southern State Parkway
— 18.2 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elmhurst, NY and Babylon, NY.
1
Start on Grand Avenue
42 ft
·
4 sec
·
Grand Avenue
2
Turn right onto Queens Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Queens Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 495 East: Long Island Expressway, Eastern Long Island
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 495
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Long Island Expressway
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 22A-E
Toward I 678: Grand Central Parkway, Van Wyck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 22A
Toward Grand Central Parkway East
7
Merge onto GCP
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Central Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 13
Toward I 678 South: Van Wyck Expressway, Kennedy Airport
9
Merge onto I 678
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
274 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Terminals 7 8
11
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
this road
Exit 1E
Toward NY 27 East, NY 878 East: South Conduit Avenue, Belt Parkway East, Eastern Long Island, Nassau Expressway
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 1E
Toward NY 27 East: Eastern Long Island, Belt Parkway East, South Conduit Avenue
Use the slight left lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward Belt Parkway East, Eastern Long Island
Use the slight left lane.
14
Merge onto BP
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto SO
18 mi
·
22 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Exit 25A
Toward Southern State Parkway, Eastern Long Island
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 33
Toward NY 109 East: Babylon
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn slight right onto NY 109
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Farmingdale Road
Use the left lane.
18
Continue on NY 109
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Little East Neck Road North
19
Turn left onto NY 27A
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
West Main Street
20
Turn right onto South Carll Avenue
68 ft
·
2 sec
·
South Carll Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
South Carll Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18 miles from Elmhurst, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 30.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 678: Grand Central Parkway, Van Wyck Expressway
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 22A-E
Toward I 678: Grand Central Parkway, Van Wyck E...
10
8.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NY 27 East: Eastern Long Island, Belt Parkway East, South Conduit Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 1E
Toward NY 27 East: Eastern Long Island, Belt Pa...
9
8.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Belt Parkway East, Eastern Long Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Belt Parkway East, Eastern Long Island
9
12.7 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
SO / Southern State Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto SO / Southern State Parkway toward Southern State Parkway, Eastern Long Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 25A
Toward Southern State Parkway, Eastern Long Isl...
7
30.9 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward NY 109 East: Babylon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 33
Toward NY 109 East: Babylon
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.93 one way
$11.85 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $6.41 | $12.82 |
| premium | $4.92 | $6.98 | $13.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.95 | $15.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.78 | $1.73 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.04 | $2.30 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Babylon, NY
Late night in Babylon on Sunday
Local time
3:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°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
15 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
50m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Unlike a long-haul interstate cruise, this route features a 0% highway share, meaning you will spend your time navigating through local infrastructure rather than maintaining high speeds on open roads. The experience is defined by frequent maneuvers rather than long, uninterrupted stretches of driving. As you move away from the dense streets of Elmhurst and head toward Babylon, the road layout remains technical and requires steady navigation. You will find that the personality of this drive is practical and functional, focusing on connectivity rather than highway cruising.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.2 mi on Southern State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern State Parkway and Belt Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 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 18 decision points packed into just 36 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Elmhurst, NY and Babylon, NY, road signs point toward Grand Central Parkway East, Kennedy Airport, Terminals 7 8, Belt Parkway East and Eastern Long Island.
Grand Central Parkway East
2 mi in
|
~4m
Kennedy Airport
3.6 mi in
|
~6m
Terminals 7 8
7.8 mi in
|
~12m
Belt Parkway East
7.9 mi in
|
~12m
Eastern Long Island
7.9 mi in
|
~12m
About the Cities
Arriving in Babylon, 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 50m. Total distance: 36 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.2 miles on Southern State Parkway. 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 Babylon, 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 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Babylon, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Babylon, NY
More trips to Babylon, NY
Explore more options from Elmhurst, NY or browse trips ending in Babylon, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.