Origin
Inwood, NY
Late night in Inwood on Saturday
Local time
1:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Inwood, NY to Brooklyn, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
20 mi
32 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Inwood, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Brooklyn, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 20-mile drive from Inwood, NY, to Brooklyn, NY, typically takes around 37 minutes and is easily manageable as a single-day trip. With a modest fuel cost of about $3, it's an economical option for getting between these two New York locations. The route primarily utilizes major expressways, making it a straightforward journey. You'll be navigating through the bustling Northeast region, staying within New York State for the entire trip. This drive is perfect for a quick hop, offering convenience without a significant time commitment.
About the Cities
Starting in Inwood, NY
Full guide →Arriving in Brooklyn, NY
Full guide →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
- • Brooklyn Bridge — bridge in New York City, crossing the East River
- • Brooklyn Museum — art museum in Brooklyn, New York
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 37m. Total distance: 20 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a mixed driving experience on this route, with 58% of it being on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.7 miles on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West, offering a period of consistent travel. You'll transition between sections of fast-paced expressway driving and potentially some more local road segments as you approach your destination. This blend means you'll need to stay alert for changes in speed limits and traffic patterns throughout the approximately 37-minute journey.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West is the longest continuous segment at about 5.7 miles.
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.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 14 decision points packed into just 20 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.9 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 87 South: Major Deegan Expressway, Triborough Bridge, Queens
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 87 South: Major Deegan Expressway, Tri...
8
5.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
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
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 278 West: RFK Bridge, Manhattan, Queen...
8
8.9 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
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
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, Staten Island
7
14.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
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
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 278 West: Staten Island
8
15.4 mi into trip
|
~26m in
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
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 31
Toward Wythe Avenue, Kent Avenue
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Inwood, NY and Brooklyn, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island.
Manhattan
5.4 mi in
|
~9m
Queens
5.4 mi in
|
~9m
Staten Island
8.9 mi in
|
~15m
|
via I 278
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West | 5.7 mi | 9m |
| Major Deegan Expressway | 4.3 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 |
| West 207th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
— 5.7 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Inwood, NY and Brooklyn, NY.
1
Start on US 9
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Broadway
2
Turn right onto West 207th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West 207th Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Continue on University Heights Bridge
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
University Heights Bridge
4
Continue on West Fordham Road
369 ft
·
16 sec
·
West Fordham Road
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 87 South: Major Deegan Expressway, Triborough Bridge, Queens
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 87
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Major Deegan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 278 West: RFK Bridge, Manhattan, Queens
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 278
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 278; GCP
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Central Parkway
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
5.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, Staten Island
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Toward I 278 West: Staten Island
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 31
Toward Wythe Avenue, Kent Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn straight onto Williamsburg Street West
0.3 mi
·
58 sec
·
Williamsburg Street West
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
14
Turn right onto Flushing Avenue
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Flushing Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto Washington Avenue
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Washington Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto Empire Boulevard
413 ft
·
18 sec
·
Empire Boulevard
17
Turn left onto Flatbush Avenue
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Flatbush Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
18
Turn left onto NY 27
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Caton Avenue
19
Continue on NY 27
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
·
Linden Boulevard
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto Nostrand Avenue
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Nostrand Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
Nostrand Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.29 one way
$6.58 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.56 | $7.12 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.88 | $7.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.42 | $8.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6 | 0 | $2.10 | $0.96 |
| Efficient EV | 5 | 0 | $1.75 | $0.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Brooklyn, NY
Late night in Brooklyn on Saturday
Local time
1:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
37m 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 Inwood, NY to Brooklyn, NY covers 20 miles and takes about 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West, Major Deegan Expressway, Washington Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10 miles from Inwood, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.29 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 14 decision points packed into just 20 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.9 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Inwood, NY and Brooklyn, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Hamilton Grange National Memorial, African Burial Ground National Monument and General Grant National Memorial. 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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