Origin
Plainview, NY
Evening in Plainview on Thursday
Local time
5:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plainview, NY to Brookhaven, NY
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
45m
Distance
31.9 mi
51 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
24 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plainview, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Plainview to Brookhaven, you are looking at a straightforward 31.9-mile journey that typically takes about 45 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as it is short enough to complete without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily utilize the Long Island Expressway to navigate between these two Northeast locations. Budgeting roughly $5 for fuel should cover your needs for the entire trip. Because the route is efficient and direct, it serves as a practical connection for those looking to reach their destination quickly rather than focusing on a multi-day sightseeing adventure.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 31.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
24 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: excellent.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 77 percent of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will spend a significant portion of your trip on the Long Island Expressway, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 24.4 miles. Expect a consistent pace during this high-speed segment before transitioning onto local roads like Horseblock Road and Old Country Road. The personality of this drive is functional and utilitarian, prioritizing speed over scenic detours. You should anticipate a transition from the busier highway environment into the more localized road network as you approach your final destination.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 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 24.4 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
159 ft
9 ft
Total Climb
45 ft
Total Descent
185 ft
Highest Point
159 ft
~2.3 mi in
Elevation Range
150 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Horseblock Road. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Old Country Road.
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 31.9 miles you will encounter 9 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 (Old Country Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (South Service Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 495 / Long Island Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Old Country Road
Turn sharp left onto Old Country Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
South Service Road
Turn right onto South Service Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m 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
26.1 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward CR 16: Horse Block Road, Centereach, Shirley
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 65
Toward CR 16: Horse Block Road, Centereach, Shi...
6
30.7 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
CR 80 / Montauk Highway
At end of road, turn right onto CR 80 / Montauk Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Plainview, NY and Brookhaven, NY, road signs point toward Centereach, Shirley, Cr 101: Yaphank and Riverhead.
Centereach
26.1 mi in
|
~36m
Shirley
26.1 mi in
|
~36m
Cr 101: Yaphank
26.4 mi in
|
~36m
|
via Express Drive South
Riverhead
26.4 mi in
|
~36m
|
via Express Drive South
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island Expressway | 24.4 mi | 32m |
| Horseblock Road | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| Old Country Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Montauk Highway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Country Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Round Swamp Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Express Drive South | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Service Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Long Island Expressway
— 24.4 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plainview, NY and Brookhaven, NY.
1
Start on this road
73 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn sharp left onto Old Country Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Old Country Road
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on Round Swamp Road
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Round Swamp Road
4
Turn right onto South Service Road
185 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Service Road
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 495 East: Riverhead
6
Merge onto I 495
24 mi
·
32 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 65
Toward CR 16: Horse Block Road, Centereach, Shirley
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto Express Drive South
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Express Drive South
Toward I 495, CR 101: Yaphank, Riverhead
9
Turn slight right onto CR 16
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Horseblock Road
Use the right lane.
10
At end of road, turn right onto CR 80
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Montauk Highway
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto CR 36
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
South Country Road
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
CR 36
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 15.9 mi from Plainview, NY · 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.9 miles from Plainview, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Brookhaven, NY
The final approach into Brookhaven, 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 Brookhaven, NY.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.25 one way
$10.50 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $5.68 | $11.36 |
| premium | $4.92 | $6.18 | $12.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.04 | $14.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
24 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
RED E Charging Station
Huntington Station, New York
Other
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Syosset, New York
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Plainview, New York
Tesla
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Woodbury, New York
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Jericho, New York
Tesla
1 DCFC
EV Connect Charging Station
Hicksville, NY
EV Connect
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Hicksville, New York
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Plainview, New York
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 12
Other: 6
Tesla: 3
EV Connect: 2
Shell Recharge: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.79 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.47 | $2.04 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Brookhaven, NY
Evening in Brookhaven on Thursday
Local time
5:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°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
2 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
45m 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 Plainview, NY to Brookhaven, NY covers 31.9 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Long Island Expressway, Horseblock Road, Old Country Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.9 miles from Plainview, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.25 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 31.9 miles you will encounter 9 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 (Old Country Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (South Service Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 495 / Long Island Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Plainview, NY and Brookhaven, NY, road signs point toward Centereach, Shirley, Cr 101: Yaphank and Riverhead.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 9 ft to 159 ft elevation with about 45 ft of total climbing.
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