Best Time to Drive from Manhattan to Brooklyn

None of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

On weekdays the 15-mile drive from Manhattan to Brooklyn (via I-478 East and NY-9A South) usually takes as little as 27 minutes and up to 82 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 61 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (71 minutes).

Freeway, about 8 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 7 miles: 19 to 51 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Manhattan to central Brooklyn along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Manhattan to Brooklyn by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	36	45	54	56	60	62	56	58	57	58	73	80	73	58	50	37
Tue	27	43	50	59	58	60	64	60	62	58	61	72	79	78	68	57	71
Wed	28	38	51	53	59	59	63	61	60	60	62	74	82	78	68	59	68
Thu	28	37	46	56	61	62	66	65	65	65	68	76	81	76	67	61	66
Fri	46	40	45	51	54	56	64	65	61	61	68	75	74	66	58	57	56
Sat	32	28	30	40	37	45	55	60	59	59	62	62	66	66	69	61	62
Sun	28	26	27	30	36	36	46	49	52	51	56	62	67	62	60	61	58

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Manhattan to Brooklyn?

On weekdays, leave early in the morning or late in the evening. The drive usually takes about 27 minutes then, versus up to 82 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Manhattan to Brooklyn?

The 15-mile drive usually takes 27 to 82 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 61 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Manhattan to Brooklyn?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 82 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Manhattan to Staten Island · Manhattan to Newark · Manhattan to East Flatbush · Manhattan to Elizabeth · Manhattan to Bushwick · Manhattan to Gravesend · Manhattan to Fordham · Manhattan to Flatbush · Manhattan to Clifton · Manhattan to New Rochelle · Manhattan to Passaic · Manhattan to Bayside

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	36	45	54	56	60	62	56	58	57	58	73	80	73	58	50	37
Tue	27	43	50	59	58	60	64	60	62	58	61	72	79	78	68	57	71
Wed	28	38	51	53	59	59	63	61	60	60	62	74	82	78	68	59	68
Thu	28	37	46	56	61	62	66	65	65	65	68	76	81	76	67	61	66
Fri	46	40	45	51	54	56	64	65	61	61	68	75	74	66	58	57	56
Sat	32	28	30	40	37	45	55	60	59	59	62	62	66	66	69	61	62
Sun	28	26	27	30	36	36	46	49	52	51	56	62	67	62	60	61	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	36	45	54	56	60	62	56	58	57	58	73	80	73	58	50	37
Tue	27	43	50	59	58	60	64	60	62	58	61	72	79	78	68	57	71
Wed	28	38	51	53	59	59	63	61	60	60	62	74	82	78	68	59	68
Thu	28	37	46	56	61	62	66	65	65	65	68	76	81	76	67	61	66
Fri	46	40	45	51	54	56	64	65	61	61	68	75	74	66	58	57	56
Sat	32	28	30	40	37	45	55	60	59	59	62	62	66	66	69	61	62
Sun	28	26	27	30	36	36	46	49	52	51	56	62	67	62	60	61	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	36	45	54	56	60	62	56	58	57	58	73	80	73	58	50	37
Tue	27	43	50	59	58	60	64	60	62	58	61	72	79	78	68	57	71
Wed	28	38	51	53	59	59	63	61	60	60	62	74	82	78	68	59	68
Thu	28	37	46	56	61	62	66	65	65	65	68	76	81	76	67	61	66
Fri	46	40	45	51	54	56	64	65	61	61	68	75	74	66	58	57	56
Sat	32	28	30	40	37	45	55	60	59	59	62	62	66	66	69	61	62
Sun	28	26	27	30	36	36	46	49	52	51	56	62	67	62	60	61	58