Origin
Chelsea, NY
Late night in Chelsea on Saturday
Local time
1:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chelsea, NY to Queens, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
23 mi
37 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
5 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chelsea, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Queens, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Crossing from Chelsea to Queens is a straightforward 26.6-mile journey across the Northeast that typically takes about 57 minutes under normal conditions. Because this is a short, local trip, you can easily complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. With a fuel budget of just $4, it is an economical route that requires minimal planning. You are traveling entirely within New York, moving from one borough to another through a densely populated urban environment. Expect a practical, no-frills transit that serves as a direct connection between these two neighborhoods.
About the Cities
Arriving in Queens, NY
Full guide →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.
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 44m. Total distance: 23 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 (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you navigate city streets. Since the highway share is 0%, you won't be dealing with high-speed interstate cruising; instead, you will be managing frequent intersections and urban traffic patterns. The route lacks any long, uninterrupted stretches, keeping you engaged with constant maneuvering through the dense local infrastructure. This personality makes the trip feel more like a series of connected neighborhood segments rather than a traditional open-road experience. You should prepare for a steady pace that reflects the realities of driving within the city limits.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Staten Island Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.4 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
204 ft
7 ft
Total Climb
296 ft
Total Descent
267 ft
Highest Point
204 ft
~4.9 mi in
Elevation Range
197 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 0.9 miles in near NY 440 / West Shore Expressway.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 18 decision points packed into just 23 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 0.9 miles (NY 440 / West Shore Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (I 278 / Staten Island Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles (I 278 / Staten Island Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NY 440 / West Shore Expressway
Merge onto NY 440 / West Shore Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
3.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 278 / Staten Island Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278 / Staten Island Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
7.9 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 278 / Staten Island Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278 / Staten Island Expressway toward Upper Level
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Upper Level
7
10.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward I 278 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 18
Toward I 278 East
8
11.1 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Fort Hamilton Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Fort Hamilton Parkway
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 Chelsea, NY to Queens, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Upper Level along the way.
Upper Level
7.9 mi in
|
~13m
|
via I 278
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Staten Island Expressway | 6.4 mi | 9m |
| Linden Boulevard | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| Church Avenue | 3.5 mi | 8m |
| Fort Hamilton Parkway | 2 mi | 4m |
| West Shore Expressway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Gowanus Expressway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Cross Bay Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Staten Island Expressway
— 6.4 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chelsea, NY and Queens, NY.
1
Start on Meredith Avenue
43 ft
·
3 sec
·
Meredith Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward NY 440 North: West Shore Expressway
4
Merge onto NY 440
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
West Shore Expressway
Use the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto I 278; NY 440
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Staten Island Expressway
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Staten Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Staten Island Expressway
Toward Upper Level
8
Continue on I 278
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
9
Continue on I 278
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Gowanus Expressway
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 18
Toward I 278 East
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward Fort Hamilton Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn right
145 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Fort Hamilton Parkway
13
Turn straight onto Fort Hamilton Parkway
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Fort Hamilton Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn right onto 39th Street
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
39th Street
15
Turn left onto 14th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
14th Avenue
16
Continue on Church Avenue
3.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Church Avenue
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn right onto Linden Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Linden Boulevard
18
Take the ramp
165 ft
·
5 sec
19
Merge onto NY 27
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Linden Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
20
Continue on NY 27
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
South Conduit Avenue
21
Continue on NY 27
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
South Conduit Avenue
Toward Cross Bay Boulevard
22
At end of road, turn left onto Cross Bay Boulevard
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Cross Bay Boulevard
Use the left / right lanes.
23
Continue on Cross Bay Boulevard
385 ft
·
18 sec
·
Cross Bay Boulevard
24
Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Liberty Avenue
25
Turn right onto 104th Street
205 ft
·
9 sec
·
104th Street
26
Arrive at destination
104th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.79 one way
$7.57 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $4.09 | $8.19 |
| premium | $4.92 | $4.46 | $8.92 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.08 | $10.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.41 | $1.10 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.01 | $0.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.22 | $1.47 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Queens, NY
Late night in Queens on Saturday
Local time
1:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
44m 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 Chelsea, NY to Queens, NY covers 23 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Staten Island Expressway, Linden Boulevard, Church Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.5 miles from Chelsea, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.79 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 short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 23 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (NY 440 / West Shore Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (I 278 / Staten Island Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles (I 278 / Staten Island Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Chelsea, NY to Queens, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Upper Level along the way.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 7 ft to 204 ft elevation with about 296 ft of total climbing.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Governors Island National Monument, Statue Of Liberty National Monument and African Burial Ground National Monument. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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