Origin
Kew Gardens, NY
Morning in Kew Gardens on Sunday
Local time
7:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kew Gardens, NY to Astoria, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
17m
Distance
9.1 mi
15 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 20m
8 PM
0h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kew Gardens, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Astoria, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 9.1-mile drive from Kew Gardens, NY, to Astoria, NY, is easily manageable in just 17 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. With a minimal fuel cost of around $2, it's a budget-friendly option for a short excursion within the Northeast region. The route is primarily highway-focused, offering a straightforward journey. You'll be covering most of the distance on major parkways and expressways, so expect a relatively quick commute. Given its brevity, this trip doesn't require an overnight stay, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Central Parkway | 4.7 mi | 7m |
| Van Wyck Expressway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Astoria Boulevard South | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Horace Harding Expressway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Union Turnpike | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 30th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 21st Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| College Point Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Grand Central Parkway
— 4.7 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kew Gardens, NY and Astoria, NY.
1
Start on Union Turnpike
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Union Turnpike
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Bronx
3
Merge onto I 678
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway
4
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 12A
Toward I 495 East: College Point Boulevard, Eastern Long Island
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
6
Keep slight left at fork
161 ft
·
6 sec
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on College Point Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
College Point Boulevard
8
Turn left
167 ft
·
3 sec
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway, Midtown Tunnel, Grand Central Parkway, Manhattan
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on Horace Harding Expressway
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Horace Harding Expressway
10
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward Grand Central Parkway West, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto GCP
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Grand Central Parkway
12
Keep slight left at fork onto GCP
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Grand Central Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto GCP
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Grand Central Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 45
Toward 31st Street
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn left onto 31st Street
328 ft
·
15 sec
·
31st Street
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Astoria Boulevard South
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Astoria Boulevard South
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto 21st Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
21st Street
18
Turn right onto 30th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
30th Avenue
19
Turn sharp right onto 12th Street
386 ft
·
18 sec
·
12th Street
20
Arrive at destination
12th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 8.1 — 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 495 East: College Point Boulevard, Eastern Long Island
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 12A
Toward I 495 East: College Point Boulevard, Eas...
9
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West,...
9
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Turn left toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway, Midtown Tunnel, Grand Central Parkway, Manhattan
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway, Midt...
7
7.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward 31st Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 45
Toward 31st Street
7
8.1 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
31st Street
Turn left onto 31st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.50 one way
$3.00 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $1.62 | $3.24 |
| premium | $4.92 | $1.76 | $3.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.01 | $4.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.96 | $0.44 |
| Efficient EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.80 | $0.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.27 | $0.58 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Astoria, NY
Morning in Astoria on Sunday
Local time
7:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
SW 6 to 12 mph
18% chance
Live forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued April 14 at 7:26PM EDT until April 14 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Albany NY
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 7:25PM EDT until April 14 at 8:00PM 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
14 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
17m 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?
Expect a highway-focused drive for 71% of this 9.1-mile journey. You'll spend most of your time navigating Grand Central Parkway, Van Wyck Expressway, and Astoria Boulevard South. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.7 miles on Grand Central Parkway, allowing for a consistent pace. This route is characterized by its efficient, high-speed travel, designed for moving quickly between points in New York. It’s less about scenic detours and more about direct transit.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.7 mi on Grand Central Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Grand Central Parkway and Van Wyck Expressway. 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 16 decision points packed into just 9.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 17m.
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 2.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles: 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 Kew Gardens, NY and Astoria, NY, road signs point toward Eastern Long Island, Usta Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Manhattan and Grand Central Parkway West.
Eastern Long Island
1.8 mi in
|
~3m
Usta Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
2.3 mi in
|
~4m
Manhattan
2.4 mi in
|
~4m
Grand Central Parkway West
2.8 mi in
|
~5m
About the Cities
Arriving in Astoria, NY
Full guide →Founded 1659
Top landmarks
- • Museum of the Moving Image — museum and archive in New York, United States
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 17m. Total distance: 9.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.7 miles on Grand Central 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 Astoria, 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 2.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles: 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 Astoria, 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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