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Trip from Elmhurst, NY to Medford, NY

Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology

Drive Time

1h 9m

Distance

49.2 mi

79 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 4m ★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m

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

Downtown Elmhurst, NY, NY

Elmhurst, NY

Mel Audelo

Downtown Medford, NY, NY

Medford, NY

Renan Tagliaferro

Trip Overview

The drive from Elmhurst, NY to Medford, NY covers 49.2 miles and takes about 1h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Long Island Expressway, Queens Boulevard, Route 112 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 47.4 miles on Long Island Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.10 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 49.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 9m highway drive covering 49.2 miles, with most of the trip on Long Island Expressway and Queens Boulevard. The longest continuous stretch is about 47.4 miles on Long Island Expressway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 9 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 47.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Queens Boulevard. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Queens Boulevard.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 9m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Queens Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles (I 495 / Long Island Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 5 key points

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

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Queens Boulevard

Turn right onto Queens Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp toward I 495 East: Long Island Expressway, Eastern Long Island

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Toward I 495 East: Long Island Expressway, East...
5
1 mi into trip | ~2m in | I 495 / Long Island Expressway

Merge onto I 495 / Long Island Expressway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
48.3 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in

Take the exit toward NY 112: Port Jefferson, Patchogue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 64 Toward NY 112: Port Jefferson, Patchogue
3
49.2 mi into trip | ~1h 9m in | Long Island Avenue

Turn right onto Long Island Avenue

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Long Island Expressway 47.4 mi 1h 5m
Queens Boulevard 0.5 mi 1m
Route 112 0.4 mi <1m
Express Drive South 0.2 mi <1m
Long Island Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Grand Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Long Island Expressway — 47.4 mi, about 1h 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elmhurst, NY and Medford, NY.

1

Start on Grand Avenue

42 ft · 4 sec · Grand Avenue
2

Turn right onto Queens Boulevard

0.5 mi · 1 min · Queens Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 58 sec
Toward I 495 East: Long Island Expressway, Eastern Long Island Use the right lane.
4

Merge onto I 495

47 mi · 1 hr 5 min · Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Exit 64 Toward NY 112: Port Jefferson, Patchogue
6

Turn straight onto Express Drive South

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Express Drive South
7

Turn right onto NY 112

0.4 mi · 56 sec · Route 112
8

Turn right onto Long Island Avenue

84 ft · 1 sec · Long Island Avenue
9

Arrive at destination

Long Island Avenue

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 24.6 mi from Elmhurst, NY · 35m into the drive

village in Nassau County, New York, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Westbury, NY

25 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

Hempstead, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Westbury, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.6 miles from Elmhurst, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Medford, NY

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

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.10 one way

$16.20 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $8.76 $17.51
premium $4.92 $9.54 $19.07
diesel $5.61 $10.86 $21.73

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.8 0 $5.17 $2.36
Efficient EV 12.3 0 $4.31 $1.97
EV Truck/SUV 19.7 0 $6.89 $3.15

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Elmhurst, NY

Late night in Elmhurst on Friday

Local time

1:23 AM

EDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Medford, NY

Late night in Medford on Friday

Local time

1:23 AM

EDT

Current temp

43°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

16 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

1h 9m 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 Elmhurst, NY to Medford, NY covers 49.2 miles and takes about 1h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Long Island Expressway, Queens Boulevard, Route 112. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.6 miles from Elmhurst, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.10 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 straightforward 1h 9m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Queens Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles (I 495 / Long Island Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Elmhurst, NY to Medford, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Stonewall National Monument, African Burial Ground National Monument and Federal Hall National Memorial. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.

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