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Trip from Selden, NY to Astoria, NY

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 18m

Distance

54.5 mi

88 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 12m ★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m

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

census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States

Selden, NY

Wikimedia Commons

neighborhood in Queens, New York City, United States

Astoria, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Selden, NY to Astoria, NY covers 54.5 miles and takes about 1h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Long Island Expressway, Grand Central Parkway, Nicolls Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 42.8 miles on Long Island Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.97 one way before food or hotel costs.

About the Cities

Starting in Selden, NY

Full guide →

Arriving in Astoria, NY

Full guide →

Founded 1659

Top landmarks

  • Museum of the Moving Image — museum and archive in New York, United States

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 1h 18m. Total distance: 54.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 18m highway drive covering 54.5 miles, with most of the trip on Long Island Expressway and Grand Central Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 42.8 miles on Long Island Expressway.

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.
Long Island Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 42.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Grand Central Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.5 miles you will encounter 17 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: at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 17 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
4.5 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the exit toward I 495 West: New York

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward I 495 West: New York
8
48 mi into trip | ~1h 5m in

Take the exit toward Grand Central Parkway, 108th Street, Citi Field

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 22A Toward Grand Central Parkway, 108th Street, Cit...
6
48.2 mi into trip | ~1h 6m in

Take the ramp toward Grand Central Parkway West, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Grand Central Parkway West, Robert F. Ke...
7
53.3 mi into trip | ~1h 14m in

Take the exit toward 31st Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 45 Toward 31st Street
7
53.5 mi into trip | ~1h 14m in | 31st Street

Turn left onto 31st Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Selden, NY and Astoria, NY, road signs point toward Citi Field and Grand Central Parkway West.

Citi Field

48 mi in | ~1h 5m

Grand Central Parkway West

48.2 mi in | ~1h 6m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Long Island Expressway 42.8 mi 57m
Grand Central Parkway 4.7 mi 7m
Nicolls Road 2.5 mi 3m
Middle Country Road 1.8 mi 2m
Astoria Boulevard South 0.4 mi 1m
30th Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
21st Street 0.2 mi <1m
Express Drive North 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Long Island Expressway — 42.8 mi, about 57m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Selden, NY and Astoria, NY.

1

Start on NY 25

1.8 mi · 2 min · Middle Country Road
Use the left lane.
2

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 32 sec
Toward CR 97 south: Blue Point Use the left lane.
3

Merge onto CR 97

2.5 mi · 3 min · Nicolls Road
4

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 49 sec
Toward I 495 West: New York Use the right lane.
5

Turn straight onto Express Drive North

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Express Drive North
6

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward I-495 west: New York
7

Merge onto I 495

43 mi · 57 min · Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 16 sec
Exit 22A Toward Grand Central Parkway, 108th Street, Citi Field Use the slight right lane.
9

Turn straight onto Horace Harding Expressway

328 ft · 6 sec · Horace Harding Expressway
10

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward Grand Central Parkway West, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto GCP

0.2 mi · 13 sec · Grand Central Parkway
12

Keep slight left at fork onto GCP

3.3 mi · 4 min · Grand Central Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork onto GCP

1.2 mi · 2 min · Grand Central Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Exit 45 Toward 31st Street Use the slight right lane.
15

Turn left onto 31st Street

328 ft · 15 sec · 31st Street
Use the left lane.
16

Turn right onto Astoria Boulevard South

0.4 mi · 1 min · Astoria Boulevard South
Use the right lane.
17

Turn left onto 21st Street

0.2 mi · 27 sec · 21st Street
18

Turn right onto 30th Avenue

0.2 mi · 40 sec · 30th Avenue
19

Turn sharp right onto 12th Street

386 ft · 18 sec · 12th Street
20

Arrive at destination

12th Street

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 27.2 mi from Selden, NY · 37m into the drive

Downtown North Hills, NY, NY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

North Hills, NY

27 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.

Popular next leg

North Hills, NY to Astoria, NY

16.6 mi · 26m

Pacing Suggestions

Commack, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Westbury, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.2 miles from Selden, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Astoria, NY

The final approach into Astoria, 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

$8.97 one way

$17.94 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $9.70 $19.40
premium $4.92 $10.56 $21.13
diesel $5.61 $12.03 $24.07

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.3 0 $5.72 $2.62
Efficient EV 13.6 0 $4.77 $2.18
EV Truck/SUV 21.8 0 $7.63 $3.49

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Selden, NY

Morning in Selden on Saturday

Local time

11:21 AM

EDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Astoria, NY

Morning in Astoria on Saturday

Local time

11:21 AM

EDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

46°F

North Hills, NY

27 mi in

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

5 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 18m 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 Selden, NY to Astoria, NY covers 54.5 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Long Island Expressway, Grand Central Parkway, Nicolls 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 27.2 miles from Selden, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.97 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 54.5 miles you will encounter 17 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: at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Selden, NY and Astoria, NY, road signs point toward Citi Field and Grand Central Parkway West.

Yes. Nearby national parks include General Grant National Memorial, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.

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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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