Origin
Glen Oaks, NY
Morning in Glen Oaks on Tuesday
Local time
11:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Glen Oaks, NY to Manhattan, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
18.1 mi
29 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Glen Oaks, NY
Brent Singleton
Manhattan, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Glen Oaks, NY to Manhattan, NY is 18.1 miles and takes about 33 minutes via Long Island Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on highways, making it a quick and efficient way to get from the outer borough into the heart of the city. You'll find it's a convenient option if you're looking for a direct route with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island Expressway | 8.4 mi | 11m |
| Union Turnpike | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Queensboro Plaza | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Madison Avenue | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| 3rd Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Hunters Point Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Van Dam Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Long Island Expressway
— 8.4 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glen Oaks, NY and Manhattan, NY.
1
Start on Union Turnpike
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Union Turnpike
2
Continue on Union Turnpike
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Union Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway North, Throgs Neck Bridge
4
Merge onto I 295
0.4 mi
·
23 sec
·
Clearview Expressway
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 4E-W
Toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 4W
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, Manhattan
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 495
8.4 mi
·
11 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 16
Toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point Avenue, Greenpoint Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto Laurel Hill Boulevard
80 ft
·
2 sec
·
Laurel Hill Boulevard
10
Keep slight right at fork onto Hunters Point Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Hunters Point Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto Van Dam Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Dam Street
12
Continue on Van Dam Street
113 ft
·
8 sec
·
Van Dam Street
13
Turn left onto NY 25
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Queens Boulevard
14
Continue on NY 25
0.7 mi
·
57 sec
·
Queensboro Plaza
15
Continue on NY 25
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level
16
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25
317 ft
·
11 sec
·
NY 25
Toward 60th Street West
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn left onto East 60th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
East 60th Street
18
Turn right onto 3rd Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
3rd Avenue
Use the right lane.
19
Turn left onto East 72nd Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
East 72nd Street
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto Madison Avenue
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Madison Avenue
21
Turn left onto East 85th Street
507 ft
·
12 sec
·
East 85th Street
22
Continue on 86th Street Transverse
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
86th Street Transverse
Toward West Side
23
Arrive at destination
86th Street Transverse
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 3.9 and 15.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
3.9 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 4E-W
Toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan...
10
4.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, 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 4W
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West,...
8
12.7 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point Avenue, Greenpoint Avenue
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 16
Toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point...
6
13.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
Hunters Point Avenue
Keep slight right at fork onto Hunters Point Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
15.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
NY 25
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25 toward 60th Street West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward 60th Street West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.98 one way
$5.96 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.22 | $6.44 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.51 | $7.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.00 | $7.99 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.22
Union Turnpike
(3.2 mi)
$0.22
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 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 | 5.4 | 0 | $1.90 | $0.87 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.53 | $1.16 |
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.
Destination
Manhattan, NY
Morning in Manhattan on Tuesday
Local time
11:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°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
3 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
33m 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 drive is mostly highway, with 67% of the 18.1 miles on expressways. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 8.4 miles on the Long Island Expressway. You'll transition from highway cruising to surface streets as you approach your destination in Manhattan. Expect dense exits and merging traffic as you get closer to the city.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.4 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 Union Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.9 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 16 decision points packed into just 18.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Glen Oaks, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward Eastern Long Island and 60Th Street West.
Eastern Long Island
3.9 mi in
|
~6m
60Th Street West
15.9 mi in
|
~26m
|
via NY 25
About the Cities
Arriving in Manhattan, NY
Full guide →Founded 1624
Wall Street. Madison Avenue. 34th Street. Broadway. Times Square. Manhattan is so well known that even the names of its streets have become iconic and understood the world over. This long, thin island is only one of New York City's five boroughs, but it's Manhattan that has the concrete canyons and the inimitable skyline; Manhattan that has the world's brightest theater district; Manhattan that has Central Park, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, and the Met; and Manhattan that includes iconic neighborhoods like Harlem, the Upper East Side, Times Square, and Greenwich Village. The rest of New York City has much to see and do, but it's Manhattan that represents the city—and sometimes the entire United States—to the world. You could spend a month on this tiny island and still not see all there is to see.
Top landmarks
- • Empire State Building — skyscraper located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, USA
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 33m. Total distance: 18.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.4 miles on Long Island Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.22 in tolls one way, starting with Union Turnpike. 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 Manhattan, 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 3.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Manhattan, 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.
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