Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
14 mi
23 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
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
Parkchester, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Queens, NY to Parkchester, NY is 14 miles and takes about 26 minutes via Van Wyck Expressway, Liberty Avenue, and Whitestone Expressway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, highway-focused drive within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its brief distance and duration, it's ideal for a quick trip or an easy addition to a longer journey. You'll primarily be on expressways, so expect a straightforward commute rather than a scenic tour. Plan for minimal time on the road and a low fuel cost.
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 26m. Total distance: 14 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 66% of it utilizing expressways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.7 miles on the Van Wyck Expressway. You can anticipate a smooth, high-speed experience for a significant portion of the journey. While much of the drive is on major roadways, you will transition onto local roads like Liberty Avenue, offering a brief change of pace before rejoining the expressway system. Overall, the character is that of an efficient, urban transit corridor.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Van Wyck Expressway and Whitestone Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near Van Wyck Expressway East.
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 15 decision points packed into just 14 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (Van Wyck Expressway East): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left onto Van Wyck Expressway East
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 95 South, I 278 West, I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, Manhattan, New Haven Connecticut
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South, I 278 West: George Washington Bridge, Manhattan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward White Plains Road, Westchester Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
At end of road, turn left onto Westchester Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Queens, NY and Parkchester, NY, road signs point toward Bronx, Manhattan and New Haven Connecticut.
Bronx
Manhattan
New Haven Connecticut
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Van Wyck Expressway | 5.7 mi | 7m |
| Whitestone Expressway | 2 mi | 2m |
| Liberty Avenue | 1.5 mi | 4m |
| Bronx-Whitestone Bridge | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Hutchinson River Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| I 95 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Metropolitan Avenue | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Cross Bronx Expressway Service Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Queens, NY and Parkchester, NY.
Start on 104th Street
Turn left onto 107th Avenue
Turn left onto 105th Street
Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
Turn left onto Van Wyck Expressway East
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 678
Merge onto I 678
Continue on I 678
Continue on I 678
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Cross Bronx Expressway Service Road
At end of road, turn left onto Westchester Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Metropolitan Avenue
Continue on Metropolitan Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Unionport Road
Continue on Unionport Road
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$2.30 one way
$4.61 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.49 | $4.98 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.71 | $5.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.09 | $6.18 |
Estimated Tolls: $6.55
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$7
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.47 | $0.67 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.96 | $0.90 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Late night in Queens on Saturday
Local time
2:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Parkchester on Saturday
Local time
2:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Queens, NY or browse trips ending in Parkchester, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.
