Origin
Uniondale, NY
Late night in Uniondale on Saturday
Local time
1:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Uniondale, NY to Elmhurst, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
17.5 mi
28 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Uniondale, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Elmhurst, NY
Mel Audelo
Trip Overview
The drive from Uniondale, NY to Elmhurst, NY covers 17.5 miles and takes about 30m 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, Tulip Avenue, Hempstead Turnpike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 4.8 miles on Long Island Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.88 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 17.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Uniondale, NY to Elmhurst, NY covers 17.5 miles and takes about 30m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 19 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 4.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.6 miles in near I 295 / Clearview Expressway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 17.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.6 miles (I 295 / Clearview Expressway): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
9.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 295 / Clearview Expressway
Turn right onto I 295 / Clearview Expressway toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck Bridge
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Throu...
8
11 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
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 4E-W
Toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan...
10
11.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, Manhattan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 4W
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West,...
8
16.3 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward NY 25: Woodhaven Boulevard, Rockaways, 69th Street, Grand Avenue
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 19
Toward NY 25: Woodhaven Boulevard, Rockaways, 6...
7
16.7 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NY 25: Queens Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NY 25: Queens Boulevard
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Uniondale, NY and Elmhurst, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan, Eastern Long Island and Rockaways.
Manhattan
11 mi in
|
~19m
Eastern Long Island
11 mi in
|
~19m
Rockaways
16.3 mi in
|
~27m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island Expressway | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| Tulip Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| Hempstead Turnpike | 2 mi | 3m |
| Clearview Expressway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Jerusalem Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Braddock Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Front Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Jamaica Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Long Island Expressway
— 4.8 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Uniondale, NY and Elmhurst, NY.
1
Start on this road
41 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Jerusalem Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Jerusalem Avenue
3
Turn right onto Greenwich Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Greenwich Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto NY 102
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Front Street
Use the left lane.
5
Turn slight left onto NY 24
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Hempstead Turnpike
6
Turn right onto New Hyde Park Road
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
New Hyde Park Road
7
Turn left onto Tulip Avenue
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Tulip Avenue
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left onto NY 25
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Jamaica Avenue
9
Turn slight right onto NY 25
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Braddock Avenue
10
Turn left onto NY 25
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hillside Avenue
11
Turn right onto I 295
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Clearview Expressway
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck Bridge
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 4E-W
Toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 4W
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, Manhattan
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 495
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 19
Toward NY 25: Woodhaven Boulevard, Rockaways, 69th Street, Grand Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
Toward NY 25: Queens Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn right onto Queens Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Queens Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
18
Turn left onto Grand Avenue
137 ft
·
8 sec
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
19
Arrive at destination
Grand Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.88 one way
$5.76 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.11 | $6.23 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.39 | $6.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.86 | $7.73 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.14
Hempstead Turnpike
(2 mi)
$0.14
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.84 | $0.84 |
| Efficient EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.53 | $0.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7 | 0 | $2.45 | $1.12 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Elmhurst, NY
Late night in Elmhurst on Saturday
Local time
1:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 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
30m 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 Uniondale, NY to Elmhurst, NY covers 17.5 miles and takes about 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Long Island Expressway, Tulip Avenue, Hempstead Turnpike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.7 miles from Uniondale, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.88 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 17.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.6 miles (I 295 / Clearview Expressway): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Uniondale, NY and Elmhurst, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan, Eastern Long Island and Rockaways.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Stonewall National Monument, African Burial Ground National Monument and Federal Hall National Memorial. 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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