Best Time to Drive from Midtown Manhattan to Staten Island

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 19-mile drive from Midtown Manhattan to Staten Island (via I-278 West and I-278 South) usually takes as little as 47 minutes and up to 120 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 83 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 6:30 pm on Saturdays (81 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Staten Island to Midtown Manhattan

Freeway, about 12 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 7 miles: 33 to 67 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 Midtown Manhattan (6th Avenue) to central Staten Island (Willow Road East) 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 Midtown Manhattan to Staten Island 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	50	60	74	87	88	89	76	70	72	78	88	94	91	77	59	59	53
Tue	49	56	78	89	89	90	79	78	80	88	91	99	101	85	70	60	73
Wed	47	56	73	88	89	89	77	78	79	93	99	113	103	91	68	66	73
Thu	48	59	78	88	88	89	78	79	85	106	108	117	107	92	77	71	66
Fri	49	62	79	85	86	86	82	87	97	115	120	120	103	84	75	75	66
Sat	49	46	47	50	55	58	68	78	72	71	71	73	80	73	80	66	65
Sun	47	45	48	48	52	52	61	62	64	64	72	75	79	77	70	65	63

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 Midtown Manhattan to Staten Island?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am. The drive usually takes about 47 minutes then, versus up to 120 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Midtown Manhattan to Staten Island?

The 19-mile drive usually takes 47 to 120 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 83 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Midtown Manhattan to Staten Island?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 120 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Staten Island to Midtown Manhattan (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	60	74	87	88	89	76	70	72	78	88	94	91	77	59	59	53
Tue	49	56	78	89	89	90	79	78	80	88	91	99	101	85	70	60	73
Wed	47	56	73	88	89	89	77	78	79	93	99	113	103	91	68	66	73
Thu	48	59	78	88	88	89	78	79	85	106	108	117	107	92	77	71	66
Fri	49	62	79	85	86	86	82	87	97	115	120	120	103	84	75	75	66
Sat	49	46	47	50	55	58	68	78	72	71	71	73	80	73	80	66	65
Sun	47	45	48	48	52	52	61	62	64	64	72	75	79	77	70	65	63

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	60	74	87	88	89	76	70	72	78	88	94	91	77	59	59	53
Tue	49	56	78	89	89	90	79	78	80	88	91	99	101	85	70	60	73
Wed	47	56	73	88	89	89	77	78	79	93	99	113	103	91	68	66	73
Thu	48	59	78	88	88	89	78	79	85	106	108	117	107	92	77	71	66
Fri	49	62	79	85	86	86	82	87	97	115	120	120	103	84	75	75	66
Sat	49	46	47	50	55	58	68	78	72	71	71	73	80	73	80	66	65
Sun	47	45	48	48	52	52	61	62	64	64	72	75	79	77	70	65	63

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	60	74	87	88	89	76	70	72	78	88	94	91	77	59	59	53
Tue	49	56	78	89	89	90	79	78	80	88	91	99	101	85	70	60	73
Wed	47	56	73	88	89	89	77	78	79	93	99	113	103	91	68	66	73
Thu	48	59	78	88	88	89	78	79	85	106	108	117	107	92	77	71	66
Fri	49	62	79	85	86	86	82	87	97	115	120	120	103	84	75	75	66
Sat	49	46	47	50	55	58	68	78	72	71	71	73	80	73	80	66	65
Sun	47	45	48	48	52	52	61	62	64	64	72	75	79	77	70	65	63