Origin
Thornwood, NY
Afternoon in Thornwood on Sunday
Local time
12:20 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Thornwood, NY to New York City, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
33.9 mi
55 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Thornwood, NY
Wikimedia Commons
New York City, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to head from Thornwood into the heart of New York City, you are looking at a manageable 33.9-mile journey. Under typical traffic conditions, expect the drive to take about 57 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as the distance is short enough that you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations. With a fuel budget of approximately $5, it remains an economical way to reach the city from the Northeast region. While the trip is straightforward, keep in mind that you are transitioning from the quieter suburbs of Westchester County directly into the dense urban environment of Manhattan.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Saw Mill River Parkway | 17.3 mi | 23m |
| Henry Hudson Parkway | 10.9 mi | 16m |
| 12th Avenue | 1.8 mi | 5m |
| West Street | 1.8 mi | 5m |
| West Side Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 11th Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Chambers Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Kensico Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Saw Mill River Parkway
— 17.3 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Thornwood, NY and New York City, NY.
1
Start on Kensico Road
139 ft
·
7 sec
·
Kensico Road
2
Continue on Kensico Road
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Kensico Road
3
Continue on Marble Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Marble Avenue
4
Turn left
246 ft
·
8 sec
5
At end of road, turn left onto Saw Mill River Parkway
17 mi
·
23 min
·
Saw Mill River Parkway
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on HH
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Henry Hudson Parkway
7
Keep slight right at fork onto HH
11 mi
·
16 min
·
Henry Hudson Parkway
Toward Henry Hudson Parkway South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on NY 9A
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Side Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on NY 9A
1.8 mi
·
5 min
·
12th Avenue
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on NY 9A
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
11th Avenue
11
Continue on NY 9A
1.8 mi
·
5 min
·
West Street
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn left onto Chambers Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Chambers Street
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto Church Street
458 ft
·
25 sec
·
Church Street
14
Turn right onto Duane Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Duane Street
15
Turn right onto Broadway
379 ft
·
18 sec
·
Broadway
16
Arrive at destination
Broadway
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 33.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17 miles from Thornwood, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 33.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Saw Mill River Parkway
At end of road, turn left onto Saw Mill River Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
18 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
HH / Henry Hudson Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto HH / Henry Hudson Parkway toward Henry Hudson Parkway South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Henry Hudson Parkway South
5
33.3 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
Chambers Street
Turn left onto Chambers Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
33.7 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
Duane Street
Turn right onto Duane Street
Navigation decision point
5
33.8 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
Broadway
Turn right onto Broadway
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.58 one way
$11.16 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $6.03 | $12.07 |
| premium | $4.92 | $6.57 | $13.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.48 | $14.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.56 | $1.63 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.75 | $2.17 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
New York City, NY
Afternoon in New York City on Sunday
Local time
12:20 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny
E 6 to 14 mph
0% chance
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
10 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
57m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 83% of the journey spent on high-speed roads. You will primarily navigate via the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Henry Hudson Parkway before transitioning onto 12th Avenue for the final leg of your arrival. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 17.3-mile segment on the Saw Mill River Parkway, which provides the most consistent pace of the drive. As you approach the city, the character of the road shifts from the parkway environment to the more congested, stop-and-go nature of urban street driving. Expect a blend of fast-moving highway travel that eventually gives way to the typical pace of city traffic.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.3 mi on Saw Mill River Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Saw Mill River Parkway and Henry Hudson Parkway. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Saw Mill River Parkway.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 33.9 miles you will encounter 7 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Saw Mill River Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 18 miles (HH / Henry Hudson Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.3 miles (Chambers Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
410 ft
6 ft
Total Climb
478 ft
Total Descent
711 ft
Highest Point
410 ft
~5.7 mi in
Elevation Range
403 ft
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.
On the drive from Thornwood, NY to New York City, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Henry Hudson Parkway South along the way.
Henry Hudson Parkway South
18 mi in
|
~25m
|
via HH
About the Cities
Starting in Thornwood, NY
Full guide →Arriving 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 a perfect same-day round trip; the 33.9 miles and 57 minutes each way mean you won't spend your whole weekend driving.
Family Friendly
With only 57 minutes each way and mostly flat terrain, this drive is short enough to keep kids happy, though the 6/10 complexity might require a co-pilot for navigation.
Solo Traveler
This 57-minute, 33.9-mile drive is a comfortable distance for a solo traveler, allowing you to focus on the highway without feeling overwhelmed.
EV Driver
At 33.9 miles, this trip is easily doable on a single charge for most EVs, and the fuel cost of $5.58 is minimal.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.3 miles on Saw Mill River Parkway. 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 New York 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: at 0.4 miles (Saw Mill River Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 18 miles (HH / Henry Hudson Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.3 miles (Chambers Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — African Burial Ground National Monument, General Grant 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 New York 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, 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
Continue From New York City, NY
More trips to New York City, NY
Explore more options from Thornwood, NY or browse trips ending in New York City, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.