Origin
Kew Gardens, NY
Morning in Kew Gardens on Sunday
Local time
6:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kew Gardens, 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
25m
Distance
13 mi
21 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kew Gardens, NY
Wikimedia Commons
New York City, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Kew Gardens, NY to New York City, NY is 13 miles and takes about 25m via Long Island Expressway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its brief length and the mixed driving profile, this route is best suited for a quick transit rather than an extended exploration. You'll likely encounter urban traffic, so factor that into your timing. It's a straightforward journey, ideal for those needing to get from point A to point B efficiently within the city's orbit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island Expressway | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 2 mi | 3m |
| Williamsburg Bridge | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| Van Wyck Expressway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Delancey Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Broadway | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Union Turnpike | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Kenmare Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Long Island Expressway
— 3.4 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kew Gardens, NY and New York City, 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
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 12B
Toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel
Use the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto I 495
3.4 mi
·
5 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 12.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 12B
Toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel
7
6.2 mi into trip
|
~9m 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
7.3 mi into trip
|
~11m 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
9.6 mi into trip
|
~15m 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
7
12.2 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
Lafayette Street
At end of road, turn left onto Lafayette Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.14 one way
$4.28 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.31 | $4.63 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.52 | $5.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.87 | $5.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.14 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
New York City, NY
Morning in New York City on Sunday
Local time
6:41 AM
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
25m 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 route offers a mixed drive, with 56% of it on highways, including stretches of the Long Island Expressway and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll experience is approximately 3.4 miles on the Long Island Expressway, providing a chance for consistent speed. As you get closer to the city, expect the road character to shift, likely involving more local streets and traffic signals, especially as you approach and cross the Williamsburg Bridge. The transition from suburban parkway to bustling urban artery is the defining feature of this short commute.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.4 mi on Long Island Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 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 13 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles: 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.
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 Kew Gardens, NY to New York City, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Manhattan along the way.
Manhattan
9.6 mi in
|
~15m
|
via Williamsburg Bridge
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 25m. Total distance: 13 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.4 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 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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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