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Trip from Manhattan, NY to Hamden, NY

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

3h 6m

Distance

140 mi

225 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min
4 AM
2h 55m ★
6 AM
3h 6m
8 AM
3h 29m
10 AM
3h 14m
12 PM
3h 12m
3 PM
3h 15m
5 PM
3h 28m
8 PM
2h 59m

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

borough of New York City, New York, United States

Manhattan, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Hamden, NY, NY

Hamden, NY

Renan Tagliaferro

Trip Overview

Manhattan, NY to Hamden, NY is 140 miles and takes about 3h 6m via NY 17 and NJ 17, with a fuel budget near $23 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, starting in the bustling Northeast region and heading towards its more rural parts. The majority of this drive is on well-maintained highways, making for a straightforward transit. With only one recommended stop and a short overall duration, it's an easy single-day excursion.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

70 miles from Manhattan, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 32m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
NY 17 83.4 mi 1h 39m
NJ 17 14.7 mi 18m
Hawleys-Downsville Road 7.5 mi 10m
NJ 4 6.7 mi 9m
State Highway 206 4.8 mi 8m
Cat Hollow Road 4.6 mi 8m
Henry Hudson Parkway 3.5 mi 5m
State Highway 30 2.8 mi 4m
Longest stretch: NY 17 — 83.4 mi, about 1h 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Manhattan, NY and Hamden, NY.

1

Start on 86th Street Transverse

0.2 mi · 38 sec · 86th Street Transverse
2

Continue on West 86th Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · West 86th Street
Use the straight lane.
3

Turn right onto Amsterdam Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Amsterdam Avenue
4

Turn left onto West 96th Street

0.3 mi · 36 sec · West 96th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Take the ramp

448 ft · 11 sec
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway
6

Merge onto HH; NY 9A

3.5 mi · 5 min · Henry Hudson Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 42 sec
Exit 14 Toward I 95: George Washington Brigde Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Turn straight

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 95 South: George Washington Bridge, New Jersey
9

Merge onto I 95; US 1; US 9

0.4 mi · 43 sec · George Washington Bridge (upper level)
10

Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR

0.5 mi · 48 sec · I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR

0.6 mi · 39 sec · I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP

0.1 mi · 8 sec · I 95 EXPR; NJTP
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 72A Toward NJ 4 West: Paramus Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15

Merge onto NJ 4

6.7 mi · 9 min · NJ 4
Use the slight right lane.
16

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward GSP South, NJ 17 South, GSP North, NJ 17 North: Grand State Plaza, Newark, Mahwah Use the straight lane.
17

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 36 sec
Toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Merge onto NJ 17

3.3 mi · 4 min · NJ 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Continue on NJ 17

7.3 mi · 9 min · NJ 17
Use the straight / right lanes.
20

Continue on NJ 17

0.7 mi · 50 sec · NJ 17
21

Continue on NJ 17

3.3 mi · 4 min · NJ 17
22

Continue on I 287; NY 17

0.2 mi · 10 sec · I 287; NY 17
23

Keep slight left at fork onto NY 17

14 mi · 16 min · NY 17
Toward I 87 North, NY 17 North, New York State Thruway North: Albany
24

Take the exit

1.5 mi · 3 min
Exit 16 Toward US 6, NY 17: Harriman Use the slight right lane.
25

Continue on this road

152 ft · 3 sec · this road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 30 sec
Toward NY 17 West: Binghamton Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27

Continue on NY 17

69 mi · 1 hr 22 min · NY 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 27 sec
Exit 94 Toward NY 206: Roscoe, Walton
29

Turn left onto NY 206; CR 179

0.5 mi · 53 sec · Old Route 17
30

Continue on NY 206; CR 91

1.6 mi · 2 min · Rockland Road
31

Continue on NY 206; CR 7

4.7 mi · 8 min · State Highway 206
32

Continue on NY 206; CR 7

4.6 mi · 8 min · Cat Hollow Road
33

At end of road, turn left onto NY 30; NY 206

2.8 mi · 4 min · State Highway 30
34

Continue on NY 30; NY 206

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Bridge Street
35

Continue on NY 206

508 ft · 15 sec · State Highway 206
36

Turn right onto Knox Avenue

1.0 mi · 1 min · Knox Avenue
37

Continue on CR 26

6.9 mi · 9 min · Hawleys-Downsville Road
38

At end of road, turn right onto CR 26

0.7 mi · 54 sec · Hawleys-Downsville Road
39

At end of road, turn right onto NY 10

1.5 mi · 2 min · State Highway 10
40

Arrive at destination

NY 10

Trip Plan

Given this is a 1-day trip of just over 3 hours, you have a lot of flexibility. Aim to depart Manhattan mid-morning to avoid the worst of rush hour traffic, which can add significant time. The $23 fuel cost is a good estimate, but always check your current fuel prices. The longest stretch without a break is 83.4 miles on NY 17, so plan your one stop accordingly, perhaps around the halfway point. Keep an eye out for the transition from highway to surface roads as you approach Hamden.

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 70 miles from Manhattan, NY, or about 1h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 83.4 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 31 miles or 44m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 70 miles or 1h 32m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 25m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hamden, NY than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Manhattan, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Manhattan, NY

This is one driving day of about 140 miles and 3h 6m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from Manhattan, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on NY 17 for about 83.4 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Washington Heights, NY, NY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Washington Heights, NY

70 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

Ramapo, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Washington Heights, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 70 miles from Manhattan, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before NY 17 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 83.4 miles.

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 24

5 decision points cluster between mile 4.9 and 44.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
4.9 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the exit toward I 95: George Washington Brigde

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 14 Toward I 95: George Washington Brigde
8
7.5 mi into trip | ~13m in

Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack

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. Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
9
7.7 mi into trip | ~13m in

Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 4 West: Paramus

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 72A Toward NJ 4 West: Paramus
8
14.7 mi into trip | ~23m in

Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah
8
44.1 mi into trip | ~59m in

Take the exit toward US 6, NY 17: Harriman

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 16 Toward US 6, NY 17: Harriman

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$23.04 one way

$46.09 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 49 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $24.92 $49.84
premium $4.92 $27.13 $54.27
diesel $5.61 $30.91 $61.82

Estimated Tolls: $16.00

George Washington Bridge $16.00

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Tolls

$16

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$64–$89

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 49 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 42 0 $14.70 $6.72
Efficient EV 35 0 $12.25 $5.60
EV Truck/SUV 56 0 $19.60 $8.96

Gas CO2

49 kg

EV CO2

16 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 20, 2026

Origin

Manhattan, NY

Morning in Manhattan on Tuesday

Local time

9:43 AM

EDT

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Hamden, NY

Morning in Hamden on Tuesday

Local time

9:43 AM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

62°F

Washington Heights, NY

70 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

4 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

3h 6m 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 is primarily highway driving, with 85% of the 140 miles on major roads like NY 17 and NJ 17. You'll experience a significant stretch of 83.4 miles on NY 17 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a high volume of exits and merges during the highway portions, especially as you leave the immediate New York City area.

85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
40 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 83.4 mi on NY 17.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NY 17 and NJ 17. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 140 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.7 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.

Between Manhattan, NY and Hamden, NY, road signs point toward Njtp South: Hackensack, Gsp South, Gsp North, Newark, Mahwah and New York State Thruway North: Albany - among others.

Njtp South: Hackensack

7.5 mi in | ~13m

Gsp South

14.6 mi in | ~23m

Gsp North

14.6 mi in | ~23m

Newark

14.6 mi in | ~23m

Mahwah

14.6 mi in | ~23m

New York State Thruway North: Albany

29.8 mi in | ~43m | via NY 17

Walton

115.2 mi in | ~2h 26m

About the Cities

Starting 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 3h 6m. Total distance: 140 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 83.4 miles on NY 17. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $16.00 in tolls one way, starting with George Washington Bridge. 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.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

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 Hamden, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Possible but tiring. At 3.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Hamden, NY, but most travelers stay overnight.

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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Explore More

Return Trip

Hamden, NY to Manhattan, NY

Plan the drive back the other way.

140.6 mi 3h 8m

Explore more options from Manhattan, NY or browse trips ending in Hamden, NY.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.