Driving from Astoria to Queens Hospital Area (transfer, neighborhood)

[florida_boy]

I'm wondering how the drive would be from Astoria to the Queens Hospital Area in Jamaica? And if there are tolls involved.

I originally thought that when I move next year that I wanted to live in Forest Hills, but I'm now thinking about Astoria. There just seems to be more stuff in Astoria and the closeness to Manhattan is a plus. I might have to work 1 day a week in FiDi, but I'm not 100% sure yet. I also wouldn't have to drive to Jamaica everyday, maybe just two or three.

When I googled subway directions from Astoria to Jamaica, the route said it would take about an hour going from R to E and then to the Q46 bus. This just seems like a long time, with a lot of transfers and walking. I like to walk, but I'm really not into an hour commute.

The car directions said about 15 minutes with no traffic and 35 minutes with traffic. I'm just wondering if these times are realistic. And if it's going to cost toll money.

I was hoping to keep my commute to about 1/2 in either direction (Jamaica and FiDi) and was how I came up with Forest Hills, beside the fact that it sounds like a nice place.

But now I'm seconded guessing all my original thoughts. If I'm going to keep a car to go from Astoria to Jamaica, maybe I should consider Brooklyn. I originally ruled out Brooklyn because I was hoping to stay within the 1/2 hour commute and use public transportation.

And all I can come up with to get in the Queens Hospital Area is the Q46 bus. I could take the E/F train and walk from Parsons, but that walk would be about a mile and wouldn't really save anytime.

[babadi]

I live in Forest Hills, but used to live in Astoria (and I miss it there). I would suggest Forest Hills for your situation.

- If I were going to be commuting to Jamaica most of the time, I would want to optimize my commute for that. As you've found, taking public transit from Astoria to Jamaica isn't a pleasant option.
- Driving and parking in Astoria are absolutely miserable. I've ranted about this on other threads before, but sometimes it can take 15 minutes or more just to get out of Astoria onto the Grand Central, and good luck finding parking on alternate side days or with snow on the ground. (To answer your question about tolls, no, there aren't any.)
- Note that neither Forest Hills nor Astoria is especially convenient to the Financial District. Forest Hills is further geographically than Astoria, but since the W train got cut, I would guess that it would take about an hour from either neighborhood by subway. Forest Hills also has the option of the express bus, which still takes about an hour but is a more pleasant experience than the subway.
- I like Astoria better than Forest Hills as a neighborhood, but Forest Hills has all the "must-have" staples and it has great transit options (bus, subway, railroad) to get anywhere you want to go, including Astoria.

[florida_boy]

Thanks babadi, this info is very helpful!

Sounds like driving from Astoria to Jamaica is probably about the same amount of time as public transportation. And since most of my work days will be in Jamaica, Forest Hills is probably the logical choice.

It's just that Astoria looks much more fun and convenient to other things besides work than Forest Hills.

As far as the one day I might have to go to FiDi. I may not have to do that right away and I guess if I live in Queens that's just going to be an hour no matter where I live. I can do an hour, as long as it's only once a week.

Thanks again!