Trip from Brookhaven, NY to Manhattan, NY

Drive Time

1h 33m

Distance

63 mi

101 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 22 min
4 AM
1h 26m ★
6 AM
1h 33m
8 AM
1h 48m
10 AM
1h 38m
12 PM
1h 37m
3 PM
1h 39m
5 PM
1h 47m
8 PM
1h 29m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Manhattan, NY, NY

Manhattan, NY

Renan Tagliaferro

Trip Overview

Traveling from Brookhaven to Manhattan covers 67.6 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 26 minutes behind the wheel. Because this is a relatively short distance, you can easily complete the journey in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $11 for fuel to cover the trip. Since you will be navigating local roads like South Country Road, Montauk Highway, and Horseblock Road, expect a drive that requires your full attention compared to a simple interstate commute. Both the starting point and destination are located within the Northeast region, keeping the cultural and geographic feel consistent throughout your transit.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

31.5 miles from Brookhaven, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 44m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous highway cruise, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will spend your time navigating a series of local roads, meaning there are no long, uninterrupted stretches of high-speed travel. Because the longest stretch is 0 miles on South Country Road, the trip feels more like a continuous series of turns and transitions through local corridors. Being behind the wheel here requires constant engagement, as you move away from the suburban pace of Brookhaven toward the dense urban environment of Manhattan. It is a practical, ground-level way to see the transition between these two areas.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Long Island Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 51.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Horseblock Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 57.6 miles in.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 63 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 57.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 58.1 miles (Hunters Point Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.8 miles (NY 25): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

8
57.6 mi into trip | ~1h 19m in

Take the exit toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point Avenue, Greenpoint Avenue

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 16 Toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point...
6
58.1 mi into trip | ~1h 20m in | Hunters Point Avenue

Keep slight right at fork onto Hunters Point Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
60.8 mi into trip | ~1h 26m in | NY 25

Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25 toward 60th Street West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward 60th Street West
6
61 mi into trip | ~1h 27m in | 3rd Avenue

Turn right onto 3rd Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
61.6 mi into trip | ~1h 28m in | East 72nd Street

Turn left onto East 72nd Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Long Island Expressway 51.7 mi 1h 10m
Horseblock Road 4.2 mi 6m
Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level 0.9 mi 2m
Montauk Highway 0.8 mi 1m
Queensboro Plaza 0.7 mi <1m
Madison Avenue 0.7 mi 2m
3rd Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
South Country Road 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Long Island Expressway — 51.7 mi, about 1h 10m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Brookhaven, NY and Manhattan, NY.

1

Start on CR 36

0.4 mi · 46 sec · South Country Road
2

Continue on South Country Road

354 ft · 16 sec · South Country Road
3

Turn straight onto CR 80

0.8 mi · 1 min · Montauk Highway
4

Turn left onto CR 16

4.2 mi · 6 min · Horseblock Road
Use the left lane.
5

Turn left onto Express Drive North

0.2 mi · 14 sec · Express Drive North
Use the left lane.
6

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward I 495 WEST: New York
7

Merge onto I 495

52 mi · 1 hr 10 min · Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 43 sec
Exit 16 Toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point Avenue, Greenpoint Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Turn straight onto Laurel Hill Boulevard

80 ft · 2 sec · Laurel Hill Boulevard
10

Keep slight right at fork onto Hunters Point Avenue

0.4 mi · 1 min · Hunters Point Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11

Turn right onto Van Dam Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Van Dam Street
12

Continue on Van Dam Street

113 ft · 8 sec · Van Dam Street
13

Turn left onto NY 25

0.4 mi · 35 sec · Queens Boulevard
14

Continue on NY 25

0.7 mi · 57 sec · Queensboro Plaza
15

Continue on NY 25

0.9 mi · 2 min · Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level
16

Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25

317 ft · 11 sec · NY 25
Toward 60th Street West Use the slight right lane.
17

Turn left onto East 60th Street

0.1 mi · 28 sec · East 60th Street
18

Turn right onto 3rd Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · 3rd Avenue
Use the right lane.
19

Turn left onto East 72nd Street

0.3 mi · 40 sec · East 72nd Street
Use the left lane.
20

Turn right onto Madison Avenue

0.7 mi · 2 min · Madison Avenue
21

Turn left onto East 85th Street

507 ft · 12 sec · East 85th Street
22

Continue on 86th Street Transverse

0.4 mi · 1 min · 86th Street Transverse
Toward West Side
23

Arrive at destination

86th Street Transverse

Trip Plan

Since this 1-day trip is short and flexible, you have the advantage of choosing a departure time that avoids peak congestion. With zero mandatory stops programmed, you have total freedom to pace the drive however you prefer, though keep in mind that local road travel can be unpredictable. Factor the $11 fuel cost into your budget before you head out, and ensure your vehicle is ready for frequent stops and turns. A concrete tip for this specific route is to stay alert on Horseblock Road, as the lack of highway miles means you will be navigating local traffic patterns for the duration of the 1 hour and 26 minute drive.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 31.5 miles from Brookhaven, NY, or about 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51.7 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 63 miles or 1h 33m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 31.5 miles or 44m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 14m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Manhattan, NY than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Brookhaven, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Brookhaven, NY

This is one driving day of about 63 miles and 1h 33m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Brookhaven, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Long Island Expressway for about 51.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 31.5 mi from Brookhaven, NY · 44m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hempstead, NY

32 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

New York City, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 63 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hempstead, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.5 miles from Brookhaven, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Manhattan, NY

The final approach into Manhattan, NY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Manhattan, NY.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.26 one way

$20.51 round trip

$4.14/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.48 $11.11 $22.23
premium $4.88 $12.11 $24.22
diesel $5.64 $14.00 $27.99

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$10

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$35–$60

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 22 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.9 0 $6.61 $3.02
Efficient EV 15.8 0 $5.51 $2.52
EV Truck/SUV 25.2 0 $8.82 $4.03

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (68% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Brookhaven, NY

Late night in Brookhaven on Monday

Local time

12:13 AM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Manhattan, NY

Late night in Manhattan on Monday

Local time

12:13 AM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

12 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

1h 33m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Brookhaven, NY to Manhattan, NY covers 63 miles and takes about 1h 33m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Long Island Expressway, Horseblock Road, Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 31.5 miles from Brookhaven, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.26 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 63 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 57.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 58.1 miles (Hunters Point Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.8 miles (NY 25): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Brookhaven, NY to Manhattan, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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