Origin
New York City, NY
Late night in New York City on Sunday
Local time
5:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New York City, NY to East Elmhurst, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
11.4 mi
18 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New York City, NY
Wikimedia Commons
East Elmhurst, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
New York City, NY to East Elmhurst, NY is 11.4 miles and takes about 21m via Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Primarily a highway-focused trip, it's a straightforward journey ideal for a quick transit. Consider this route if you need to get from Manhattan or surrounding areas to Queens without a lengthy commitment. It's a practical option for local travel within the city.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 7.1 mi | 11m |
| Astoria Boulevard South | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Brooklyn Bridge | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Prospect Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Chambers Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Centre Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Jay Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
— 7.1 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New York City, NY and East Elmhurst, NY.
1
Start on Broadway
79 ft
·
10 sec
·
Broadway
2
Turn left onto Chambers Street
0.1 mi
·
36 sec
·
Chambers Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Turn right onto Centre Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Centre Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Continue on Brooklyn Bridge
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Brooklyn Bridge
5
Take the exit
343 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 278: Brooklyn Queens Expressway, Cadman Plaza West
Use the right lane.
6
Turn right
254 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 278: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
7
Turn right onto Cadman Plaza West
31 ft
·
1 sec
·
Cadman Plaza West
8
Turn slight right
223 ft
·
8 sec
Toward Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East
9
Turn slight right onto Prospect Street
0.2 mi
·
52 sec
·
Prospect Street
Use the right lane.
10
Turn right onto Jay Street
276 ft
·
17 sec
·
Jay Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
At end of road, turn left onto Sands Street
56 ft
·
2 sec
·
Sands Street
Use the left lane.
12
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 278
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East
Exit 42
Toward La Guardia Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 5
Toward Terminal A, Wait Area B
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn straight onto Boody Street
218 ft
·
3 sec
·
Boody Street
18
Turn straight onto Astoria Boulevard South
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Astoria Boulevard South
Use the straight lane.
19
Arrive at destination
Astoria Boulevard
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 9.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Chambers Street
Turn left onto Chambers Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Centre Street
Turn right onto Centre Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 278: Brooklyn Queens Expressway, Cadman Plaza West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 278: Brooklyn Queens Expressway, Cadma...
8
9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East
Keep slight right at fork onto Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East toward La Guardia Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 42
Toward La Guardia Airport
8
9.7 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward Terminal A, Wait Area B
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 Terminal A, Wait Area B
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.85 one way
$3.71 round trip
$4.13/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $2.01 | $4.01 |
| premium | $4.87 | $2.18 | $4.37 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $2.42 | $4.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.20 | $0.55 |
| Efficient EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.00 | $0.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
East Elmhurst, NY
Late night in East Elmhurst on Sunday
Local time
5:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Partly Sunny
NE 8 mph
2% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 11:36AM 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
16 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
21m 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 route is heavily highway-focused, with 69% of the drive taking place on expressways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 7.1 miles on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, offering a consistent, high-speed experience. The journey begins on roads like the Brooklyn Bridge before transitioning to the faster pace of the expressway. Expect a driving profile that prioritizes efficiency over scenic detours. Astoria Boulevard South offers a slight shift in pace as you near your destination.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.1 mi on Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and Astoria Boulevard South. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Chambers Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 11.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 21m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Chambers Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (Centre Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 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 New York City, NY and East Elmhurst, NY, road signs point toward Cadman Plaza West, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East, La Guardia Airport, Terminal A and Wait Area B.
Cadman Plaza West
1.3 mi in
|
~3m
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East
1.4 mi in
|
~4m
La Guardia Airport
9 mi in
|
~17m
|
via Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East
Terminal A
9.7 mi in
|
~18m
Wait Area B
9.7 mi in
|
~18m
About the Cities
Starting 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 21m. Total distance: 11.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.1 miles on Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 East Elmhurst, 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: near the start (Chambers Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (Centre Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — African Burial Ground National Monument, Federal Hall National Memorial and Castle Clinton 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 East Elmhurst, 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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