Skip to main content

Trip from New York City, NY to Sunnyside, NY

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

16m

Distance

7.6 mi

12 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$1

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 15m ★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 15m ★

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

most populous city in the United States

New York City, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Sunnyside, NY, NY

Sunnyside, NY

Renan Tagliaferro

Trip Overview

This short 7.6-mile drive from New York City, NY to Sunnyside, NY is easily manageable in about 16 minutes, making it perfect for a single-day trip. The route primarily utilizes major roads like the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and Prospect Street, with a significant 59% highway share. You can expect a fuel cost of around $1 for this journey. Given its brevity and the urban setting, no overnight stays are necessary. This is a straightforward commute within the Northeast region, offering a practical way to navigate between two points in New York.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway 4.4 mi 7m
Brooklyn Bridge 1.1 mi 2m
Prospect Street 0.2 mi <1m
Long Island Expressway 0.2 mi <1m
Chambers Street 0.1 mi <1m
31st Place 0.1 mi <1m
Centre Street 0.1 mi <1m
Borden Avenue 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway — 4.4 mi, about 7m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between New York City, NY and Sunnyside, 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 right at fork onto I 278

0.8 mi · 1 min · Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 15 sec
Exit 35A-B Toward I 495: Midtown Tunnel, Eastern Long Island, 48th Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Continue on this road

0.1 mi · 18 sec · this road
Exit 35 Toward I 495: Midtown Tunnel, Eastern Long Island, 48 Street
17

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 55 sec
Exit 35A Toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel, Manhattan Use the straight / slight left lanes.
18

Merge onto I 495

0.2 mi · 16 sec · Long Island Expressway
19

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Exit 15 Toward Van Dam Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Continue on Borden Avenue

0.1 mi · 20 sec · Borden Avenue
21

Turn right onto 31st Place

0.1 mi · 23 sec · 31st Place
Use the straight / right lanes.
22

Arrive at destination

31st Place

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 18

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 7.2 — 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.
8
6.3 mi into trip | ~13m in

Take the exit toward I 495: Midtown Tunnel, Eastern Long Island, 48th Street

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 35A-B Toward I 495: Midtown Tunnel, Eastern Long Isla...
9
6.5 mi into trip | ~13m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel, Manhattan

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Exit 35A Toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel, Manhattan
8
7.2 mi into trip | ~14m in

Take the exit toward Van Dam Street

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 15 Toward Van Dam Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.25 one way

$2.50 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 3 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $1.35 $2.71
premium $4.92 $1.47 $2.95
diesel $5.61 $1.68 $3.36

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$1

Estimated CO2 emission: 2.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 2.3 0 $0.80 $0.36
Efficient EV 1.9 0 $0.66 $0.30
EV Truck/SUV 3 0 $1.06 $0.49

Gas CO2

3 kg

EV CO2

1 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 15, 2026

Origin

New York City, NY

Morning in New York City on Sunday

Local time

11:12 AM

EDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Sunnyside, NY

Morning in Sunnyside on Sunday

Local time

11:12 AM

EDT

Current temp

69°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

19 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

16m 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?

The drive presents a mixed profile, combining stretches of highway driving with local road navigation. With 59% of the route on highways, you'll experience some faster-paced travel, particularly on the longest uninterrupted segment of 4.4 miles along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The journey will likely involve transitions between these different road types, requiring you to adjust your driving style as you move from faster thoroughfares to more localized streets. Expect a dynamic driving experience as the road character shifts throughout this short trip.

59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.4 mi on Brooklyn-Queens 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 early in the drive near Chambers Street.

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 18 decision points packed into just 7.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 16m.

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 6.3 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.

Between New York City, NY and Sunnyside, NY, road signs point toward Cadman Plaza West, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East, Eastern Long Island and Manhattan.

Cadman Plaza West

1.3 mi in | ~3m

Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East

1.4 mi in | ~4m

Eastern Long Island

6.3 mi in | ~13m

Manhattan

6.5 mi in | ~13m

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 16m. Total distance: 7.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

16m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 4.4 miles on Brooklyn-Queens 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 Sunnyside, 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 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sunnyside, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from New York City, NY or browse trips ending in Sunnyside, NY.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.