Origin
Nelson, NY
Morning in Nelson on Saturday
Local time
8:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Nelson, NY to Jamaica, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 21m
Distance
246.6 mi
397 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 8m
★
6 AM
5h 22m
8 AM
5h 49m
10 AM
5h 31m
12 PM
5h 29m
3 PM
5h 33m
5 PM
5h 47m
8 PM
5h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nelson, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Jamaica, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 246.6-mile drive from Nelson, NY, to Jamaica, NY, is a solid day trip, clocking in at about 5 hours and 21 minutes of pure driving time. The route primarily uses NY 17 and NJ 17, making it an 86% highway-focused experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $41, it's an economical journey. This trip is best suited for a single day, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. You'll navigate through the Northeast region, staying within New York for the most part, before entering the bustling area of Jamaica.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
123.3 miles from Nelson, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 38m into the drive .
About the Cities
Arriving in Jamaica, NY
Full guide →Jamaica is an expansive neighborhood located in eastern Queens. Historically consisting of predominantly black communities, Jamaica now is home to an extremely diverse array of peoples and cultures.
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 5h 21m. Total distance: 246.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this 246.6-mile journey, with 86% of it on major roads like NY 17 and NJ 17. You'll encounter a substantial uninterrupted stretch of 106 miles on NY 17, offering a consistent pace. While primarily highway, the route transitions through different sections of New York and briefly into New Jersey, providing some variation in the surrounding landscape. This drive is designed for efficient travel, minimizing slower local roads.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 47 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NY 17 is the longest continuous segment at about 106 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NY 17 and State Highway 8. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 189.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 246.6 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 189.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 205.2 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 206.6 miles (NJ 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 24 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
189.9 mi into trip
|
~4h 2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 87, NYST: Albany, New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 87, NYST: Albany, New York City
9
205.2 mi into trip
|
~4h 20m in
|
NY 17
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17 toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 15
Toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
8
206.6 mi into trip
|
~4h 22m in
|
NJ 17
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17 toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 66
Toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
8
235.4 mi into trip
|
~5h 2m in
Take the exit toward I 678 South: Whitestone Bridge, Queens
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 6A
Toward I 678 South: Whitestone Bridge, Queens
9
245.2 mi into trip
|
~5h 18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Nelson, NY and Jamaica, NY, road signs point toward Nyst: Albany, New York City, Gsp South: Paterson, Fort Lee and New York.
Nyst: Albany
189.9 mi in
|
~4h 2m
New York City
189.9 mi in
|
~4h 2m
Gsp South: Paterson
220.6 mi in
|
~4h 41m
Fort Lee
220.6 mi in
|
~4h 41m
New York
220.6 mi in
|
~4h 41m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NY 17 | 106 mi | 2h 12m |
| State Highway 8 | 36.8 mi | 41m |
| NJ 17 | 14.1 mi | 18m |
| New York State Thruway | 13.7 mi | 15m |
| US 20 | 10.8 mi | 15m |
| State Highway 12 | 10.2 mi | 15m |
| Rexford Street | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| NJ 4 | 6.7 mi | 9m |
Longest stretch:
NY 17
— 106 mi, about 2h 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nelson, NY and Jamaica, NY.
1
Start on US 20
11 mi
·
15 min
·
US 20
2
Continue on NY 46
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 46
3
Continue on NY 12B
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
State Route 12B
4
Continue on NY 12B
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Utica Street
5
Turn slight right onto NY 12B
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Broad Street
6
Continue on NY 12B
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
State Route 12B
7
Continue on NY 12B
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
8
Continue on NY 12B
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
State Highway 12B
9
Continue on NY 12B
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
10
Continue on NY 12
10 mi
·
15 min
·
State Highway 12
11
Continue on NY 12
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Broad Street
12
Turn left onto NY 23
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Rexford Street
13
Turn right onto NY 8
18 mi
·
20 min
·
State Highway 8
14
Continue on NY 8
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
Airport Road
15
Continue on NY 8
19 mi
·
21 min
·
State Highway 8
16
Continue on NY 8; NY 10
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
Oak Street
17
Continue on NY 8; NY 10
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
State Highway 10
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward NY 17 East
19
Merge onto NY 17
105 mi
·
2 hr 11 min
·
NY 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
59 sec
Toward I 87, NYST: Albany, New York City
Use the slight right lane.
21
Keep slight right at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 87 Toll South: New York City
Use the slight right lane.
22
Merge onto I 87
14 mi
·
15 min
·
New York State Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17
0.9 mi
·
59 sec
·
NY 17
Exit 15
Toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
Use the slight right lane.
24
Continue on I 287; NJ 17
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
·
I 287; NJ 17
25
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17
14 mi
·
18 min
·
NJ 17
Exit 66
Toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
26
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward NJ 4, GSP South: Paterson, Fort Lee, New York
27
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward NJ 4 East: Fort Lee, New York
28
Merge onto NJ 4
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
NJ 4
Use the right lane.
29
Continue on NJ 4
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
NJ 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
31
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
0.7 mi
·
54 sec
·
I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95 EXPR
33
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Trans-Manhattan Expressway
35
Continue on I 95; US 1
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
36
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
2 min
Exit 6A
Toward I 678 South: Whitestone Bridge, Queens
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
37
Merge onto I 678
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Hutchinson River Expressway
38
Continue on I 678
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
39
Continue on I 678
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Whitestone Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 678
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway
Toward I 678 South: Kennedy Airport
Use the slight left lane.
41
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 6
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlantic Avenue
Use the right lane.
42
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
43
Turn straight onto Van Wyck Expressway West
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway West
Use the straight / right lanes.
44
Turn left onto Liberty Avenue
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Liberty Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
45
Turn right onto Inwood Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Inwood Street
46
Turn right onto Tuskegee Airmen Way
56 ft
·
2 sec
·
Tuskegee Airmen Way
47
Arrive at destination
Tuskegee Airmen Way
Trip Plan
Given the 5-hour 21-minute duration, starting your 246.6-mile trip from Nelson, NY, early in the morning is advisable to maximize daylight and avoid heavier traffic closer to Jamaica, NY. Plan for one stop to stretch your legs and refuel, which should be easy to find along the primary roads like NY 17. The $41 fuel cost is manageable, but always keep an eye on your gauge, especially during the longest 106-mile stretch on NY 17. This route is well-suited for a single-day adventure, so focus on a smooth and efficient transit.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 123.3 miles from Nelson, NY, or about 2h 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 106 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 54 miles or 1h 15m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 123.3 miles or 2h 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jamaica, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Nelson, 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 Nelson, NY
This is one driving day of about 246.6 miles and 5h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 54 miles from Nelson, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on NY 17 for about 106 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 123.3 mi from Nelson, NY · 2h 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
123 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 54 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 123.3 miles from Nelson, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before NY 17 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 106 miles.
Arriving in Jamaica, NY
The final approach into Jamaica, 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 Jamaica, NY.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$40.59 one way
$81.18 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
86 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $43.89 | $87.79 |
| premium | $4.92 | $47.80 | $95.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $54.45 | $108.89 |
Estimated Tolls: $23.23
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Whitestone Bridge
$6.55
New York State Thruway
(13.7 mi)
$0.68
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Tolls
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$89–$114
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 86.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 74 | 0 | $25.89 | $11.84 |
| Efficient EV | 61.7 | 0 | $21.58 | $9.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 98.6 | 1 | $34.52 | $15.78 |
Gas CO2
86 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Jamaica, NY
Morning in Jamaica on Saturday
Local time
8:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
4 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
5h 21m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Nelson, NY to Jamaica, NY covers 246.6 miles and takes about 5h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NY 17, State Highway 8, NJ 17. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 123.3 miles from Nelson, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $40.59 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 246.6 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 189.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 205.2 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 206.6 miles (NJ 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Nelson, NY and Jamaica, NY, road signs point toward Nyst: Albany, New York City, Gsp South: Paterson, Fort Lee and New York.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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