Origin
Tappan, NY
Morning in Tappan on Saturday
Local time
8:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tappan, NY to Jamaica, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
32.4 mi
52 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tappan, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Jamaica, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Tappan, NY to Jamaica, NY covers 32.4 miles and takes about 50m 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 13.7 miles on Palisades Interstate Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Arriving in Jamaica, NY
Full guide →Jamaica is an expansive neighborhood located in eastern Queens. Historically consisting of predominantly black communities, Jamaica now is home to an extremely diverse array of peoples and cultures.
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 50m. Total distance: 32.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 50m highway drive covering 32.4 miles, with most of the trip on Palisades Interstate Parkway and Cross Bronx Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 13.7 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 21 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 13.7 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 around 1.2 miles in near Palisades Interstate Parkway.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 14 decision points packed into just 32.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (Palisades Interstate Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.4 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Palisades Interstate Parkway
Merge onto Palisades Interstate Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
21.1 mi into trip
|
~30m 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
26.4 mi into trip
|
~39m 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
30.7 mi into trip
|
~46m 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
31 mi into trip
|
~46m 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 Tappan, NY to Jamaica, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Queens along the way.
Queens
21.1 mi in
|
~30m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Palisades Interstate Parkway | 13.7 mi | 19m |
| 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
— 13.7 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tappan, NY and Jamaica, NY.
1
Start on CR 8
118 ft
·
2 sec
·
Washington Street
2
Turn right onto Kings Highway
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Kings Highway
3
Turn left onto NY 303
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
NY 303
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward Palisades Interstate Parkway South
5
Merge onto Palisades Interstate Parkway
14 mi
·
19 min
·
Palisades Interstate Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
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
7
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Trans-Manhattan Expressway
9
Continue on I 95; US 1
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
2 min
Exit 6A
Toward I 678 South: Whitestone Bridge, Queens
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 678
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Hutchinson River Expressway
12
Continue on I 678
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
13
Continue on I 678
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Whitestone Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
14
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.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 6
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlantic Avenue
Use the right lane.
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn straight onto Van Wyck Expressway West
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway West
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Turn left onto Liberty Avenue
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Liberty Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
19
Turn right onto Inwood Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Inwood Street
20
Turn right onto Tuskegee Airmen Way
56 ft
·
2 sec
·
Tuskegee Airmen Way
21
Arrive at destination
Tuskegee Airmen Way
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.2 mi from Tappan, NY · 23m 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.2 miles from Tappan, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Jamaica, NY
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Jamaica, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.33 one way
$10.67 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $5.77 | $11.53 |
| premium | $4.92 | $6.28 | $12.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.15 | $14.31 |
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
$5
Tolls
$23
Total
$28
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 | $3.40 | $1.56 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13 | 0 | $4.54 | $2.07 |
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
Jamaica, NY
Morning in Jamaica on Saturday
Local time
8:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Clear
W 6 to 15 mph
15% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:26AM EDT until April 15 at 8:00AM 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
13 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
50m 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 Tappan, NY to Jamaica, NY covers 32.4 miles and takes about 50m 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 16.2 miles from Tappan, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.33 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 is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 32.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (Palisades Interstate Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.4 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Tappan, 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.
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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