Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
11.9 mi
19 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Queens, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Astoria, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Spanning just 12.1 miles, this short trek from Queens to Astoria is a straightforward local trip that you can easily complete in about 29 minutes. Because the route is entirely local and avoids highways, you won't need to worry about long-distance planning or overnight stays. With a fuel budget of only $2, it is an incredibly economical drive for a single day. You will navigate through the heart of the Northeast, moving between two distinct neighborhoods within New York. This trip is best viewed as a simple, practical commute rather than a scenic getaway. Since there are no planned stops, you should be prepared for a direct, turn-heavy experience through the city streets.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Central Parkway | 6.9 mi | 10m |
| Liberty Avenue | 1.5 mi | 4m |
| Van Wyck Expressway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Astoria Boulevard South | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 30th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 21st Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 105th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 12th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Queens, NY and Astoria, NY.
Start on 104th Street
Turn left onto 107th Avenue
Turn left onto 105th Street
Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
Turn left onto Van Wyck Expressway East
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 678
Take the exit
Merge onto GCP
Keep slight left at fork onto GCP
Keep slight left at fork onto GCP
Take the exit
Turn left onto 31st Street
Turn right onto Astoria Boulevard South
Turn left onto 21st Street
Turn right onto 30th Avenue
Turn sharp right onto 12th Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 10.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Van Wyck Expressway East
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Grand Central Parkway, La Guardia Airport, RFK Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto GCP / Grand Central Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward 31st Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto 31st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$1.96 one way
$3.92 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.12 | $4.24 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.31 | $4.61 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.63 | $5.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.25 | $0.57 |
| Efficient EV | 3 | 0 | $1.04 | $0.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.67 | $0.76 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Queens on Sunday
Local time
3:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°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
Late night in Astoria on Sunday
Local time
3:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°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.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Since your highway share is 0%, you won't encounter any high-speed stretches or monotonous interstate cruising. You will navigate via 107th Avenue, 106th Street, and Liberty Avenue, which requires your full attention as you transition between residential and commercial blocks. Without any long, uninterrupted stretches, the road demands constant awareness of your surroundings and frequent adjustments to your speed. This route offers a purely urban driving experience, characterized by the stop-and-go pace typical of navigating local NYC roadways.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Grand Central Parkway and Liberty Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near Van Wyck Expressway East.
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 11.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (Van Wyck Expressway East): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles (GCP / Grand Central Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Queens, NY and Astoria, NY, road signs point toward Bronx and La Guardia Airport.
Bronx
La Guardia Airport
Founded 1683
Queens is a crescent-shaped (with a tail) borough traversing the north-to-south width of Long Island and including two of the major New York City area airports, LaGuardia (LGA IATA) and John F. Kennedy International (JFK IATA). It also carries the largest ethnic diversity in its area of any region in the world, with many small enclaves. Jackson Heights, for example, includes a huge Indian area, followed by a Colombian area, and then a Mexican area. Each offers a wide array of authentic shops, native-style cuisine, and festivals modified only slightly by the generally colder New York City experience.
Top landmarks
Founded 1659
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 11.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m 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.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Queens, NY or browse trips ending in Astoria, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.
