Origin
Tappan, NY
Late night in Tappan on Saturday
Local time
5:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
34.8 mi
56 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tappan, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Brooklyn, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Traveling from Tappan to Brooklyn covers a distance of 33.5 miles, typically taking about 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete. Because this journey stays within the Northeast region of New York, it is perfectly suited for a quick day trip rather than an overnight excursion. You can expect to spend roughly $5 on fuel for this transit, making it a very economical commute. Since the drive is short, you won't need to worry about planning for major stops or complex itineraries. It is a straightforward trip that links the suburban environment of Tappan to the urban landscape of Brooklyn, providing an efficient way to navigate between these two points.
Founded 1634
Brooklyn, the "Borough of Homes and Churches," is one of the five boroughs of New York City. It used to be a separate city, and still feels much like one. It has about 2.5 million inhabitants. If separated from the rest of New York City, Brooklyn would be the 4th most populous American city. Brooklyn is on the westernmost point of Long Island and shares a land boundary with Queens, which partially encircles Brooklyn to the north, east and south; Manhattan lies across the East River to the west and north of Brooklyn, and Staten Island is across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the southwest. Brooklyn is enjoying a period of growth and affluence not seen since before World War II. The Brooklyn Academy of Music boasts world-class theater performances, and the nearby Barclays Center is the home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 34.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive as you make your way toward your destination. With 0% of the trip spent on major highways, your focus will be entirely on navigating local roads for the duration of the 1 hour and 10 minute journey. The route lacks long, uninterrupted stretches, requiring you to stay alert and ready for frequent turns. This technical, stop-and-go nature means the character of the road remains consistent from start to finish. You should prepare for a drive that demands your full attention rather than one where you can settle into a long, monotonous highway cruise.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
679 ft
Total Descent
672 ft
Highest Point
520 ft
~5 mi in
Elevation Range
526 ft
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Palisades Interstate Parkway and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 16.7 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 19 decision points packed into just 34.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 16.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.2 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.
Take the exit toward I 87 South, I 87 North: Queens, Albany, Yankee Stadium
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 87 South: Queens
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward I 278 West: RFK Bridge, Manhattan, Queens
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, Staten Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Wythe Avenue, Kent Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Tappan, NY and Brooklyn, NY, road signs point toward Albany, Yankee Stadium, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island.
Albany
Yankee Stadium
Manhattan
Queens
Staten Island
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Palisades Interstate Parkway | 13.7 mi | 19m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West | 5.7 mi | 9m |
| Major Deegan Expressway | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Washington Avenue | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Trans-Manhattan Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Tappan, NY and Brooklyn, NY.
Start on CR 8
Turn right onto Kings Highway
Turn left onto NY 303
Take the ramp
Merge onto Palisades Interstate Parkway
Merge onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
Continue on I 95; US 1
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 87
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on I 278
Continue on I 278; GCP
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Williamsburg Street West
Turn right onto Flushing Avenue
Turn left onto Washington Avenue
Turn right onto Empire Boulevard
Turn left onto Flatbush Avenue
Turn left onto NY 27
Continue on NY 27
Turn right onto Nostrand Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.4 mi from Tappan, NY · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 17.4 miles from Tappan, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Brooklyn, 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
$5.73 one way
$11.46 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $6.19 | $12.39 |
| premium | $4.92 | $6.74 | $13.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.68 | $15.37 |
Estimated Tolls: $16.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$16
Total
$22
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.65 | $1.67 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.87 | $2.23 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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 Tappan on Saturday
Local time
5:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Brooklyn on Saturday
Local time
5:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Cloudy
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 18 at 2:37AM EDT until April 19 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Burlington VT
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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