Origin
Queens, NY
Morning in Queens on Tuesday
Local time
8:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Queens, NY to City Island, 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
32m
Distance
17.2 mi
28 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Queens, NY
Wikimedia Commons
City Island, NY
Clément Proust
Trip Overview
This straightforward 17.2-mile drive from Queens, NY, to City Island, NY, is a quick trip, estimated to take about 32 minutes. Primarily utilizing highways like the Van Wyck Expressway and the Whitestone Expressway before transitioning to the Hutchinson River Parkway, it's a journey focused on efficient travel. With a projected fuel cost of around $3, this route is ideal as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. The entire trip is contained within New York, offering a brief but direct connection between two points in the Northeast region. You'll find this drive to be a practical option for getting from point A to point B.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Van Wyck Expressway | 5.7 mi | 7m |
| Whitestone Expressway | 2 mi | 2m |
| Hutchinson River Parkway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Liberty Avenue | 1.5 mi | 4m |
| Bronx-Whitestone Bridge | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| City Island Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Hutchinson River Expressway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Shore Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Van Wyck Expressway
— 5.7 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Queens, NY and City Island, NY.
1
Start on 104th Street
300 ft
·
18 sec
·
104th Street
2
Turn left onto 107th Avenue
266 ft
·
16 sec
·
107th Avenue
3
Turn left onto 105th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
105th Street
4
Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
1.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Liberty Avenue
5
Turn left onto Van Wyck Expressway East
77 ft
·
1 sec
·
Van Wyck Expressway East
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whitestone Bridge, Bronx
7
Merge onto I 678
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 678
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Whitestone Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 678
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
10
Continue on I 678
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Hutchinson River Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on HR
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Hutchinson River Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit
477 ft
·
14 sec
Exit 1C
Toward Pelham Parkway East, Co-Op City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on Hutchinson River Parkway East
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
Hutchinson River Parkway East
14
Turn slight left
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
Toward To I 95
15
Turn straight onto Pe
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Pelham Parkway
16
Continue on Shore Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Shore Road
17
Turn right onto City Island Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
City Island Road
18
Enter roundabout onto City Island Road
418 ft
·
7 sec
·
City Island Road
19
Continue on City Island Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
City Island Road
20
Continue on City Island Bridge
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
City Island Bridge
21
Continue on City Island Avenue
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
City Island Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
City Island Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 13.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
107th Avenue
Turn left onto 107th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
105th Street
Turn left onto 105th Street
Navigation decision point
6
1.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Van Wyck Expressway East
Turn left onto Van Wyck Expressway East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whitestone Bridge, Bronx
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whites...
8
13.7 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward Pelham Parkway East, Co-Op City
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 1C
Toward Pelham Parkway East, Co-Op City
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.83 one way
$5.66 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.06 | $6.12 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.33 | $6.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.80 | $7.60 |
Estimated Tolls: $6.55
Whitestone Bridge
$6.55
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$7
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.81 | $0.83 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.41 | $1.10 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Destination
City Island, NY
Morning in City Island on Tuesday
Local time
8:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
1 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
32m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience on this 17.2-mile journey, with 63% of the drive taking place on expressways and parkways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.7 miles along the Van Wyck Expressway, offering a consistent pace. The transition to the Hutchinson River Parkway may introduce a slightly different feel, but the overall character remains geared towards steady movement. This isn't a route for leisurely sightseeing; it's designed for efficient transit, with a clear emphasis on maintaining speed and covering ground.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.7 mi on Van Wyck Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Van Wyck Expressway and Whitestone Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 107th Avenue.
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 10 decision points packed into just 17.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (107th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (105th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (Van Wyck Expressway East): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Queens, NY and City Island, NY, road signs point toward Bronx, Pelham Parkway East, Co-Op City and To I 95.
Bronx
1.8 mi in
|
~5m
Pelham Parkway East
13.7 mi in
|
~23m
Co-Op City
13.7 mi in
|
~23m
To I 95
14.1 mi in
|
~24m
About the Cities
Starting in Queens, NY
Full guide →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
- • Queensboro Bridge — bridge in New York City
- • Unisphere — Steel structure in Queens, New York
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 32m. Total distance: 17.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.7 miles on Van Wyck Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $6.55 in tolls one way, starting with Whitestone Bridge. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 City Island, 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: at 0.1 miles (107th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (105th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (Van Wyck Expressway East): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at City Island, 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.
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