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Trip from Medford, NY to Elmhurst, 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 16 min
4 AM
1h 4m ★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 6m

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

Downtown Medford, NY, NY

Medford, NY

Renan Tagliaferro

Downtown Elmhurst, NY, NY

Elmhurst, NY

Mel Audelo

Trip Overview

The drive from Medford, NY to Elmhurst, 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, Route 112, Queens Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 47 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%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 9m highway drive covering 49.2 miles, with most of the trip on Long Island Expressway and Route 112. The longest continuous stretch is about 47 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 10 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 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Route 112. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Express Drive North.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.2 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Express Drive North): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles (I 495 / Long Island Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

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

6
0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in | Express Drive North

Turn left onto Express Drive North

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
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.
8
48.1 mi into trip | ~1h 5m in

Take the exit toward NY 25: Woodhaven Boulevard, Rockaways, 69th Street, Grand 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 19 Toward NY 25: Woodhaven Boulevard, Rockaways, 6...
7
48.4 mi into trip | ~1h 6m in

Keep slight right at fork toward NY 25: Queens Boulevard

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward NY 25: Queens Boulevard
6
49.2 mi into trip | ~1h 8m in | Grand Avenue

Turn left onto Grand Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Long Island Expressway 47 mi 1h 3m
Route 112 0.5 mi 1m
Queens Boulevard 0.5 mi 1m
Express Drive North 0.3 mi <1m
Grand Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Long Island Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Long Island Expressway — 47 mi, about 1h 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Long Island Avenue

84 ft · 9 sec · Long Island Avenue
2

Turn left onto NY 112

0.5 mi · 1 min · Route 112
3

Turn left onto Express Drive North

0.3 mi · 25 sec · Express Drive North
Use the left lane.
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward I 495 WEST: New York
5

Merge onto I 495

47 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Exit 19 Toward NY 25: Woodhaven Boulevard, Rockaways, 69th Street, Grand Avenue Use the slight right lane.
7

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 47 sec
Toward NY 25: Queens Boulevard Use the slight right lane.
8

Turn right onto Queens Boulevard

0.5 mi · 1 min · Queens Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
9

Turn left onto Grand Avenue

137 ft · 8 sec · Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
10

Arrive at destination

Grand Avenue

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 24.6 mi from Medford, NY · 33m 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

Melville, 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 Medford, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Elmhurst, NY

The final approach into Elmhurst, 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

Medford, NY

Late night in Medford on Friday

Local time

1:22 AM

EDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Elmhurst, NY

Late night in Elmhurst on Friday

Local time

1:22 AM

EDT

Current temp

59°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 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 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 Medford, NY to Elmhurst, 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, Route 112, Queens Boulevard. 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 Medford, 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.2 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Express Drive North): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles (I 495 / Long Island Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Medford, NY to Elmhurst, 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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Explore More

Return Trip

Elmhurst, NY to Medford, NY

Plan the drive back the other way.

49.2 mi 1h 9m

Explore more options from Medford, NY or browse trips ending in Elmhurst, NY.

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