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Trip from Manhattan, NY to Thornwood, 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

45m

Distance

28.8 mi

46 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 42m ★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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borough of New York City, New York, United States

Manhattan, NY

Wikimedia Commons

census-designated place in Westchester County, New York, United States

Thornwood, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Manhattan, NY to Thornwood, NY is 28.8 miles and takes about 45m via Sprain Brook Parkway/Major Deegan Expressway/Henry Hudson Parkway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a relatively short hop, mostly on parkways and expressways, making it a straightforward option for a quick relocation or a visit. You'll be on the road for less than an hour, so planning for extensive stops isn't necessary, but being aware of potential traffic is key.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Sprain Brook Parkway 11.5 mi 15m
Major Deegan Expressway 4.5 mi 6m
Henry Hudson Parkway 3.5 mi 5m
New York State Thruway 2.3 mi 3m
Saw Mill River Parkway 1.1 mi 1m
Central Park Avenue 1 mi 1m
Trans-Manhattan Expressway 0.7 mi 1m
Amsterdam Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Sprain Brook Parkway — 11.5 mi, about 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Manhattan, NY and Thornwood, 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

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 14 Toward I 95: George Washington Brigde Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward I 95 North: Cross Bronx Expressway Use the slight left lane.
9

Merge onto I 95; US 1

0.7 mi · 1 min · Trans-Manhattan Expressway
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Exit 1C-D Toward I 87 South, I 87 North: Queens, Albany, Yankee Stadium Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 1C Toward I 87 North: Albany Use the slight right lane.
12

Merge onto I 87

4.5 mi · 6 min · Major Deegan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on I 87

2.3 mi · 3 min · New York State Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 21 sec
Exit 5 Toward NY 100: Central Park Avenue, White Plains Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Turn straight onto NY 100

1.0 mi · 1 min · Central Park Avenue
16

Turn left

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward Sprain Brook Parkway North Use the left lane.
17

Merge onto Sprain Brook Parkway

12 mi · 15 min · Sprain Brook Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Continue on Taconic State Parkway

0.3 mi · 28 sec · Taconic State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Merge onto Saw Mill River Parkway

1.1 mi · 1 min · Saw Mill River Parkway
21

Take the exit

350 ft · 10 sec
Exit 27 Toward Marlble Ave, Thronewood Use the right lane.
22

Turn slight right

144 ft · 8 sec
23

Turn straight onto Marble Avenue

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Marble Avenue
24

Continue on Kensico Road

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Kensico Road
25

Arrive at destination

Kensico Road

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 4.9 and 28.5 — 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
6.3 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the exit toward I 87 South, I 87 North: Queens, Albany, Yankee Stadium

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 1C-D Toward I 87 South, I 87 North: Queens, Albany,...
8
6.5 mi into trip | ~12m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 87 North: Albany

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 1C Toward I 87 North: Albany
8
13.8 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the exit toward NY 100: Central Park Avenue, White Plains

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 5 Toward NY 100: Central Park Avenue, White Plain...
8
28.5 mi into trip | ~44m in

Take the exit toward Marlble Ave, Thronewood

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Exit 27 Toward Marlble Ave, Thronewood

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.74 one way

$9.48 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $5.13 $10.25
premium $4.92 $5.58 $11.16
diesel $5.61 $6.36 $12.72

Estimated Tolls: $0.11

New York State Thruway (2.3 mi) $0.11

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Tolls

$0

Total

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.6 0 $3.02 $1.38
Efficient EV 7.2 0 $2.52 $1.15
EV Truck/SUV 11.5 0 $4.03 $1.84

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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 13, 2026

Origin

Manhattan, NY

Morning in Manhattan on Tuesday

Local time

6:23 AM

EDT

Current temp

50°F

Mostly Cloudy

S 7 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 13 at 12:55AM EDT until April 13 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Burlington VT

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 12:22AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

Destination

Thornwood, NY

Morning in Thornwood on Tuesday

Local time

6:23 AM

EDT

Current temp

44°F

Mostly Cloudy

S 8 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 13 at 12:55AM EDT until April 13 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Burlington VT

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 12:22AM 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

6 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

45m 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?

This drive is mostly highway, with 75% of the 28.8 miles on parkways and expressways. You'll encounter your longest stretch of continuous driving on the Sprain Brook Parkway for 11.5 miles. Expect a significant amount of merging and traffic, especially as you navigate the Major Deegan Expressway and Henry Hudson Parkway in and around the city. The route transitions from urban expressways to parkway cruising as you head north.

75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.5 mi on Sprain Brook Parkway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Sprain Brook Parkway and Major Deegan Expressway. 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

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 28.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.

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 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

400 ft 12 ft

Total Climb

544 ft

Total Descent

383 ft

Highest Point

400 ft

~24.7 mi in

Elevation Range

388 ft

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 Thornwood, NY, road signs point toward Albany, Yankee Stadium, White Plains and Sprain Brook Parkway North.

Albany

6.3 mi in | ~11m

Yankee Stadium

6.3 mi in | ~11m

White Plains

13.8 mi in | ~23m

Sprain Brook Parkway North

15 mi in | ~25m

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

Arriving in Thornwood, 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 45m. Total distance: 28.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

45m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 11.5 miles on Sprain Brook Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.11 in tolls one way, starting with New York State Thruway. 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 Thornwood, 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 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — General Grant National Memorial, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument (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 Thornwood, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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