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Trip from New Hempstead, NY to Jamaica, NY

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

Drive Time

1h 1m

Distance

41.2 mi

66 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Fair

3 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 57m ★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 59m

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

Downtown New Hempstead, NY, NY

New Hempstead, NY

Renan Tagliaferro

neighborhood of Queens, New York City, United States

Jamaica, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from New Hempstead, NY to Jamaica, NY covers 41.2 miles and takes about 1h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Palisades Interstate Parkway, Cross Bronx Expressway, Van Wyck Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.1 miles on Palisades Interstate Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.78 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 41.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 1m highway drive covering 41.2 miles, with most of the trip on Palisades Interstate Parkway and Cross Bronx Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 23.1 miles on Palisades Interstate Parkway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Palisades Interstate Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 23.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Palisades Interstate Parkway and Cross Bronx Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 80 / New Hempstead Road.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 41.2 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start (CR 80 / New Hempstead Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 30 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35.3 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 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 | CR 80 / New Hempstead Road

Turn left onto CR 80 / New Hempstead Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
8
30 mi into trip | ~42m 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
7
35.3 mi into trip | ~51m in | I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway toward I 678 South: Kennedy Airport

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 678 South: Kennedy Airport
8
39.6 mi into trip | ~57m in

Take the exit toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlantic Avenue

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

Use the right lane. Exit 6 Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlanti...
9
39.8 mi into trip | ~58m 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.

On the drive from New Hempstead, NY to Jamaica, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Queens along the way.

Queens

30 mi in | ~42m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Palisades Interstate Parkway 23.1 mi 31m
Cross Bronx Expressway 4.4 mi 5m
Van Wyck Expressway 4.3 mi 6m
Whitestone Expressway 2.3 mi 3m
Bronx-Whitestone Bridge 1.3 mi 2m
Van Wyck Expressway West 0.9 mi 2m
Hutchinson River Expressway 0.8 mi 1m
Trans-Manhattan Expressway 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Palisades Interstate Parkway — 23.1 mi, about 31m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between New Hempstead, NY and Jamaica, NY.

1

Start on NY 45

83 ft · 8 sec · State Highway 45
2

Turn left onto CR 80

0.4 mi · 1 min · New Hempstead Road
Use the left lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 27 sec
4

Merge onto Palisades Interstate Parkway

23 mi · 31 min · Palisades Interstate Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Merge onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR

0.5 mi · 52 sec · I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
6

Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9

0.6 mi · 1 min · George Washington Bridge (upper level)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on I 95; US 1

0.7 mi · 1 min · Trans-Manhattan Expressway
8

Continue on I 95; US 1

4.4 mi · 5 min · Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 2 min
Exit 6A Toward I 678 South: Whitestone Bridge, Queens Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Merge onto I 678

0.8 mi · 1 min · Hutchinson River Expressway
11

Continue on I 678

1.3 mi · 2 min · Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
12

Continue on I 678

2.3 mi · 3 min · Whitestone Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13

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.
14

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Exit 6 Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlantic Avenue Use the right lane.
15

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 13 sec
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue Use the slight right lane.
16

Turn straight onto Van Wyck Expressway West

0.9 mi · 2 min · Van Wyck Expressway West
Use the straight / right lanes.
17

Turn left onto Liberty Avenue

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Liberty Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
18

Turn right onto Inwood Street

0.2 mi · 44 sec · Inwood Street
19

Turn right onto Tuskegee Airmen Way

56 ft · 2 sec · Tuskegee Airmen Way
20

Arrive at destination

Tuskegee Airmen Way

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 20.6 mi from New Hempstead, NY · 29m into the drive

city in Westchester County, New York, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Yonkers, NY

21 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

Richmond Hill, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Yonkers, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.6 miles from New Hempstead, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

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.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.78 one way

$13.56 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $7.33 $14.67
premium $4.92 $7.99 $15.97
diesel $5.61 $9.10 $18.19

Estimated Tolls: $22.55

George Washington Bridge $16.00
Whitestone Bridge $6.55

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Tolls

$23

Total

$29

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.4 0 $4.33 $1.98
Efficient EV 10.3 0 $3.61 $1.65
EV Truck/SUV 16.5 0 $5.77 $2.64

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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 16, 2026

Origin

New Hempstead, NY

Late night in New Hempstead on Friday

Local time

2:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

58°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Jamaica, NY

Late night in Jamaica on Friday

Local time

2:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

85°F

Mostly Sunny

SW 6 to 12 mph 3% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 15 at 11:57PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

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

27 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 1m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from New Hempstead, NY to Jamaica, NY covers 41.2 miles and takes about 1h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Palisades Interstate Parkway, Cross Bronx Expressway, Van Wyck Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.6 miles from New Hempstead, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.78 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 41.2 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start (CR 80 / New Hempstead Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 30 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35.3 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from New Hempstead, NY to Jamaica, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Queens along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and African Burial Ground National Monument. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.

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