Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
24.3 mi
39 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
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.
Yonkers, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Brooklyn, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Traveling from Yonkers to Brooklyn covers 24.3 miles, a quick journey that typically takes about 44 minutes depending on traffic. Because of the relatively short distance, this trip is easily manageable as a one-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You will primarily utilize the Major Deegan Expressway and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West, with some local navigation on South Broadway. Budgeting roughly $4 for fuel should be sufficient for the trip, making this an economical transit between these two New York locations. Since both points are located within the Northeast, you will remain in a familiar regional environment throughout the entire drive. This route is a straightforward practical connection rather than a scenic getaway, perfect for those needing to cross the city efficiently.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Major Deegan Expressway | 6.2 mi | 9m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West | 5.7 mi | 9m |
| South Broadway | 3.1 mi | 6m |
| Washington Avenue | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Flatbush Avenue | 0.7 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Yonkers, NY and Brooklyn, NY.
Start on US 9; NY 9A
Turn slight left
Turn left onto Van Cortlandt Park South
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 87
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on I 278
Continue on I 278; GCP
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Williamsburg Street West
Turn right onto Flushing Avenue
Turn left onto Washington Avenue
Turn right onto Empire Boulevard
Turn left onto Flatbush Avenue
Turn left onto NY 27
Continue on NY 27
Turn right onto Nostrand Avenue
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.2 and 19.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Van Cortlandt Park South
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward I 278 West: RFK Bridge, Manhattan, Queens
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, Staten Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway toward I 278 West: Staten Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Wythe Avenue, Kent Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$4.00 one way
$8.00 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $4.33 | $8.65 |
| premium | $4.92 | $4.71 | $9.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.37 | $10.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.55 | $1.17 |
| Efficient EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.13 | $0.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.40 | $1.56 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Yonkers on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Scattered Rain Showers then Partly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Brooklyn on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Scattered Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy
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 mixed driving experience that transitions from local streets to major urban expressways. With 56% of the route consisting of highway travel, you will spend a significant portion of your time navigating high-capacity lanes. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on the Major Deegan Expressway, spanning 6.2 miles of the total distance. As you move from the northern reaches of Yonkers toward the dense environment of Brooklyn, the road's personality shifts from surface-level transit to complex expressway interchanges. Be prepared for the constant changes in pace that come with driving through this dense urban corridor.
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 around 3.2 miles in near Van Cortlandt Park South.
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 15 decision points packed into just 24.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.2 miles (Van Cortlandt Park South): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.2 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
127 ft
Total Descent
164 ft
Highest Point
102 ft
~22.5 mi in
Elevation Range
93 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Yonkers, NY and Brooklyn, NY, road signs point toward Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island.
Queens
Manhattan
Staten Island
Founded 1646
Yonkers is a city of 211,569 people (2020) in Westchester County. The third most populous city in New York state, Yonkers is a suburb of New York City and borders the Borough of the Bronx. Yonkers is known as the "City of Seven Hills," which are Park, Nodine, Ridge, Cross, Locust, Glen, and Church hills.
Top landmarks
Founded 1634
Brooklyn, the "Borough of Homes and Churches," is one of the five boroughs of New York City. It used to be a separate city, and still feels much like one. It has about 2.5 million inhabitants. If separated from the rest of New York City, Brooklyn would be the 4th most populous American city. Brooklyn is on the westernmost point of Long Island and shares a land boundary with Queens, which partially encircles Brooklyn to the north, east and south; Manhattan lies across the East River to the west and north of Brooklyn, and Staten Island is across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the southwest. Brooklyn is enjoying a period of growth and affluence not seen since before World War II. The Brooklyn Academy of Music boasts world-class theater performances, and the nearby Barclays Center is the home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 24.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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.
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