Origin
New York City, NY
Afternoon in New York City on Tuesday
Local time
2:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New York City, NY to Long Island City, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
15m
Distance
6.3 mi
10 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 15m
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
Long Island City, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Trip Overview
New York City, NY to Long Island City, NY is 6.3 miles and takes about 15m via FDR Drive, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a local drive with numerous turns, making it feel more like navigating city streets than a highway cruise. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a same-day trip with minimal planning needed.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| FDR Drive | 3.1 mi | 6m |
| I 495 | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Frankfort Street | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| 21st Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 34th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Chambers Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Park Row | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Tunnel Approach Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
FDR Drive
— 3.1 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New York City, NY and Long Island City, 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
329 ft
·
15 sec
·
Centre Street
4
Turn straight
261 ft
·
11 sec
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Turn straight onto Park Row
120 ft
·
12 sec
·
Park Row
6
Continue on Park Row
436 ft
·
24 sec
·
Park Row
Toward FDR Drive
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on Frankfort Street
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Frankfort Street
Toward FDR Drive
8
Turn left onto Pearl Street
51 ft
·
4 sec
·
Pearl Street
Use the left lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward FDR Drive North
10
Merge onto FDR
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
FDR Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
344 ft
·
8 sec
Exit 8
Toward I 495: East 34th Street, Midtown Tunnel, Heliport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn straight onto FDR Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
FDR Drive
13
Turn left onto East 34th Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
East 34th Street
14
Turn right onto Tunnel Approach Street
527 ft
·
23 sec
·
Tunnel Approach Street
Toward Queens-Midtown Tunnel
Use the right lane.
15
Take the ramp
336 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 495 East: Queens Midtown Tunnel
16
Continue on I 495
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
I 495
Use the straight lane.
17
Take the exit
455 ft
·
13 sec
Exit 14
Toward NY 25A East: 21st Street, Long Island City
Use the slight right lane.
18
Continue on NY 25A
385 ft
·
13 sec
·
NY 25A
Exit 14
19
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25A
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
21st Street
Toward NY 25A East: 21st Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
20
Turn sharp left onto Jackson Avenue
55 ft
·
1 sec
·
Jackson Avenue
21
Turn right onto 47th Avenue
37 ft
·
1 sec
·
47th Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
47th Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 6.1 — 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
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Pearl Street
Turn left onto Pearl Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
3.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 495: East 34th Street, Midtown Tunnel, Heliport
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 8
Toward I 495: East 34th Street, Midtown Tunnel,...
8
5.9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward NY 25A East: 21st Street, Long Island City
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 14
Toward NY 25A East: 21st Street, Long Island Ci...
8
6.1 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
NY 25A / 21st Street
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25A / 21st Street toward NY 25A East: 21st Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward NY 25A East: 21st Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.02 one way
$2.05 round trip
$4.13/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $1.11 | $2.22 |
| premium | $4.87 | $1.21 | $2.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.39 | $2.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 1.9 | 0 | $0.66 | $0.30 |
| Efficient EV | 1.6 | 0 | $0.55 | $0.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.88 | $0.40 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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
Long Island City, NY
Afternoon in Long Island City on Tuesday
Local time
2:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
6 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
15m 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 characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only 21% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a dynamic road personality, shifting between city streets and stretches of FDR Drive. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 3.1 miles on FDR Drive, offering a brief period of more consistent speed before you re-enter more complex local road segments. Be prepared for frequent adjustments in direction and speed throughout the 6.3-mile trip.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.1 mi on FDR Drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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
7/10
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 6.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 15m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Chambers Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (Pearl Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 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 Long Island City, NY, road signs point toward Fdr Drive North and Heliport.
Fdr Drive North
0.6 mi in
|
~2m
Heliport
3.8 mi in
|
~9m
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
This is an easy same-day round trip, clocking in at just 6.3 miles and 15 minutes. You'll be back before you know it.
Family Friendly
With a complexity of 7/10 and a turn-heavy local drive, this 6.3-mile route might be a bit much for young kids, even though it's only 15 minutes.
Solo Traveler
At 6.3 miles and 15 minutes, this drive is too short to be particularly engaging for a solo traveler. It's more of a quick hop than a scenic journey.
EV Driver
This 6.3-mile trip is definitely short enough for a single charge, making it a breeze for EV drivers. No need to worry about finding chargers on this quick run.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.1 miles on FDR Drive. 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 Long Island 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: near the start (Chambers Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (Pearl Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 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 Long Island 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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