Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
20.5 mi
33 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
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
Thomaston, NY
Wikimedia Commons
New York City, NY to Thomaston, NY is 20.5 miles and takes about 36m via Long Island Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, making it a convenient option for a quick getaway or an errand run. You'll primarily be on well-traveled expressways, so expect consistent traffic, especially during peak hours. Given its short distance, this route is ideal for a single-day trip, allowing ample time for your destination in Thomaston.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island Expressway | 10.7 mi | 15m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| Brooklyn Bridge | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Lakeville Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Northern Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Prospect Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Spruce Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Susquehanna Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between New York City, NY and Thomaston, NY.
Start on Broadway
Turn left onto Chambers Street
Turn right onto Centre Street
Continue on Brooklyn Bridge
Take the exit
Turn right
Turn right onto Cadman Plaza West
Turn slight right
Turn slight right onto Prospect Street
Turn right onto Jay Street
At end of road, turn left onto Sands Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 278
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Turn straight onto South Service Road
Turn left onto Lakeville Road
Turn right onto NY 25A
Turn left onto Susquehanna Avenue
Turn right onto Spruce Street
Turn right onto Schenck Avenue
Turn slight right onto Linden Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 18.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Chambers Street
Lane positioning matters here
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
Keep slight right at fork toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhead, 48th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhead
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Lakeville Road, Community Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$3.37 one way
$6.75 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.65 | $7.30 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.97 | $7.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.53 | $9.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.15 | $0.98 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.79 | $0.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.87 | $1.31 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in New York City on Sunday
Local time
12:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Cloudy
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 18 at 2:37AM EDT until April 19 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Burlington VT
Destination
Afternoon in Thomaston on Sunday
Local time
12:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This drive is heavily focused on highway travel, with 73% of the journey on expressways. You'll encounter the Long Island Expressway for a significant portion, including a stretch of 10.7 miles without interruption. Expect a consistent, fast-paced experience similar to navigating other major urban arteries like the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The landscape is likely to be urban and suburban, with the road character remaining predominantly highway-oriented throughout the 20.5-mile trip.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. 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.
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 24 decision points packed into just 20.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Chambers 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; at 6.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between New York City, NY and Thomaston, NY, road signs point toward Cadman Plaza West, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East, Eastern Long Island and Riverhead.
Cadman Plaza West
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East
Eastern Long Island
Riverhead
“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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 20.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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