Skip to main content

Trip from Thomaston, NY to Queens, NY

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

25m

Distance

12.3 mi

20 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 6 min
4 AM
0h 23m ★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 24m

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

village in Nassau County, New York, United States

Thomaston, NY

Wikimedia Commons

borough in New York City, New York, United States

Queens, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning to travel from Thomaston to Queens, you are looking at a short, 12.9-mile journey that typically takes about 33 minutes. Because of the quick duration, this is easily completed as a day trip, requiring no overnight stays or complex logistics. You can expect to spend about $2 on fuel for the entire excursion, making it an extremely budget-friendly commute. Since the trip takes place entirely within the Northeast region of New York, you will remain in familiar territory throughout the drive. This route is best viewed as a simple local connection rather than a traditional road trip, offering a straightforward way to reach your destination.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.

Midpoint

6.2 miles from Thomaston, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 10m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive as you make your way from Thomaston to Queens. This route contains no highway driving, meaning you will be navigating surface streets for the entirety of the 33-minute trip. Because the highway share is 0%, you should prepare for frequent stops, traffic signals, and the steady pace of residential or commercial corridors. The road’s personality is defined by its technical, localized nature rather than high-speed cruising. Stay alert behind the wheel, as the lack of long, uninterrupted stretches requires your full attention on navigating turns and local intersections.

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 4.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Liberty Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near Horace Harding Boulevard.

Route Complexity 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 12.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (Horace Harding Boulevard): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (Fairway Drive): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

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

7
1.4 mi into trip | ~3m in | Horace Harding Boulevard

Turn sharp right onto Horace Harding Boulevard

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
8
1.6 mi into trip | ~3m in | Fairway Drive

Keep slight left at fork onto Fairway Drive toward I 495 West: New York

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane. Toward I 495 West: New York
8
6.2 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit toward Utopia Parkway, 164th Street

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 25 Toward Utopia Parkway, 164th Street
8
9.7 mi into trip | ~17m 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
6
10.8 mi into trip | ~20m in | Liberty Avenue

Turn right onto Liberty Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Long Island Expressway 4.3 mi 6m
Liberty Avenue 1.5 mi 4m
Union Turnpike 1.4 mi 2m
Utopia Parkway 1 mi 2m
Van Wyck Expressway West 0.9 mi 2m
Lakeville Road 0.9 mi 1m
Main Street 0.4 mi 1m
Northern Boulevard 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Long Island Expressway — 4.3 mi, about 6m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Thomaston, NY and Queens, NY.

1

Start on Linden Street

151 ft · 6 sec · Linden Street
2

Keep slight right at fork onto Linden Street

456 ft · 26 sec · Linden Street
3

Turn left onto Susquehanna Avenue

520 ft · 21 sec · Susquehanna Avenue
4

Turn right onto NY 25A

0.3 mi · 32 sec · Northern Boulevard
5

Turn left onto Lakeville Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · Lakeville Road
Use the left lane.
6

Turn sharp right onto Horace Harding Boulevard

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Horace Harding Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto Fairway Drive

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Fairway Drive
Toward I 495 West: New York Use the straight lane.
8

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 16 sec
Toward I 495 West
9

Merge onto I 495

4.3 mi · 6 min · Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 17 sec
Exit 25 Toward Utopia Parkway, 164th Street Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn straight onto Horace Harding Expressway

459 ft · 9 sec · Horace Harding Expressway
12

Turn left onto Utopia Parkway

1.0 mi · 2 min · Utopia Parkway
13

Turn right onto Union Turnpike

1.4 mi · 2 min · Union Turnpike
14

Turn left onto Main Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Main Street
Use the left lane.
15

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 678 South: Van Wyck Expressway, Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue
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 right onto Liberty Avenue

1.5 mi · 4 min · Liberty Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
19

Turn left onto 104th Street

205 ft · 9 sec · 104th Street
20

Arrive at destination

104th Street

Trip Plan

Since this is a short 12.9-mile jaunt, you have the advantage of total flexibility in your departure time. You won't need to worry about planning for rest stops, as the duration is brief enough to drive through without a break. To make the most of your trip, try to time your departure to avoid peak local traffic, which can easily extend that 33-minute estimate. Keep your $2 fuel budget in mind, but ensure your vehicle is ready for a stop-and-go environment rather than sustained highway speeds. A practical tip for this specific route is to keep a reliable GPS app open, as the turn-heavy nature of local streets can be easy to navigate incorrectly without guidance.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 6.2 miles from Thomaston, NY, or about 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 4.3 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 12 miles or 23m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 6.2 miles or 10m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 19m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Queens, NY than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Have your navigation ready before leaving Thomaston, NY.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Thomaston, NY

This is one driving day of about 12.3 miles and 25m.

At 12.3 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Long Island Expressway for about 4.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 6.2 mi from Thomaston, NY · 10m into the drive

Pacing Suggestions

Richmond Hill, NY

Fuel and coffee

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

Jamaica, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 6.2 miles from Thomaston, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Queens, NY

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Queens, 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

$2.02 one way

$4.05 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 4 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $2.19 $4.38
premium $4.92 $2.38 $4.77
diesel $5.61 $2.72 $5.43

Estimated Tolls: $0.10

Union Turnpike (1.4 mi) $0.10

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$2

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$27–$52

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 3.7 0 $1.29 $0.59
Efficient EV 3.1 0 $1.08 $0.49
EV Truck/SUV 4.9 0 $1.72 $0.79

Gas CO2

4 kg

EV CO2

1 kg (75% 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 14, 2026

Origin

Thomaston, NY

Late night in Thomaston on Thursday

Local time

12:20 AM

EDT

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Queens, NY

Late night in Queens on Thursday

Local time

12:20 AM

EDT

Current temp

78°F

Mostly Sunny

S 5 to 13 mph 9% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 8:44AM EDT until April 14 at 9:30AM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:13PM EDT until April 16 at 2:00PM 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

21 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

25m 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 Thomaston, NY to Queens, NY covers 12.3 miles and takes about 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Long Island Expressway, Liberty Avenue, Union Turnpike. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.2 miles from Thomaston, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.02 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 16 decision points packed into just 12.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (Horace Harding Boulevard): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (Fairway Drive): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Thomaston, NY to Queens, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Thomaston, NY or browse trips ending in Queens, NY.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.

Explore maps for Thomaston, NY or Queens, NY on MapSof.net.