Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
32.2 mi
52 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Queens, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Charleston, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
This quick 32.2-mile drive from Queens, NY to Charleston, NY takes approximately 53 minutes and is a perfect option for a day trip. With an 82% highway share, you'll spend most of your time on the Belt Parkway, Staten Island Expressway, and West Shore Expressway. The estimated fuel cost for this short journey is around $5, making it an economical choice. Given its short duration, you won't need to worry about overnight stays, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. This route stays within the Northeast region, keeping you in familiar territory for this quick hop.
Queens is a crescent-shaped (with a tail) borough traversing the north-to-south width of Long Island and including two of the major New York City area airports, LaGuardia (LGA IATA) and John F. Kennedy International (JFK IATA). It also carries the largest ethnic diversity in its area of any region in the world, with many small enclaves. Jackson Heights, for example, includes a huge Indian area, followed by a Colombian area, and then a Mexican area. Each offers a wide array of authentic shops, native-style cuisine, and festivals modified only slightly by the generally colder New York City experience.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 32.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of this drive, with 82% of the route utilizing major expressways. You'll encounter the Belt Parkway, Staten Island Expressway, and West Shore Expressway, offering a consistent, fast-paced journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll navigate is 13.8 miles on the Belt Parkway, providing a good opportunity to settle in. While primarily highway, the transition between these major arteries is generally smooth, keeping the driving experience straightforward and efficient throughout its relatively short distance.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Belt Parkway and Staten Island Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.6 miles in.
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 13 decision points packed into just 32.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.4 miles (NY 440 / West Shore Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Take the exit toward I 278 West: Verrazano Bridge, Staten Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge Lower Level
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 440 / West Shore Expressway toward NY 440 South: Outerbridge Crossing
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Bloomingdale Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn sharp right onto Bloomingdale Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Queens, NY and Charleston, NY, road signs point toward Belt Parkway West, Staten Island and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge Lower Level.
Belt Parkway West
Staten Island
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge Lower Level
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Belt Parkway | 13.8 mi | 20m |
| Staten Island Expressway | 6.3 mi | 9m |
| West Shore Expressway | 6 mi | 9m |
| Arthur Kill Road | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Cross Bay Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Rockaway Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 104th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Queens, NY and Charleston, NY.
Start on 104th Street
Turn sharp right onto Rockaway Boulevard
Turn left onto Cross Bay Boulevard
Turn slight right onto Shore Parkway
Take the ramp
Merge onto BP
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 278
Continue on I 278
Continue on I 278
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 440
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Veterans Road West
Turn sharp right onto Bloomingdale Road
Turn sharp left onto Arthur Kill Road
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.1 mi from Queens, NY · 26m 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.
A short stop after about 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 16.1 miles from Queens, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Charleston, NY if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$5.30 one way
$10.60 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $5.73 | $11.46 |
| premium | $4.92 | $6.24 | $12.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.11 | $14.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.38 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.82 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.51 | $2.06 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Queens on Friday
Local time
8:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Evening in Charleston on Friday
Local time
8:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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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