Skip to main content

Trip from Bayonne, NJ to Mercerville, NJ

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 13m

Distance

50.1 mi

81 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 7m ★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 10m

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

city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States

Bayonne, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Mercerville, NJ, NJ

Mercerville, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Bayonne, NJ to Mercerville, NJ is 50.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 13 minutes via New Jersey Turnpike and Old Trenton Road, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive, largely focused on efficient travel between these two locations. Consider this route if you need a quick, no-fuss journey within the state, prioritizing speed over extensive sightseeing.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
New Jersey Turnpike 24.5 mi 28m
Old Trenton Road 8.5 mi 15m
NJ 440 3.5 mi 5m
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway 2.4 mi 3m
Edinburg Road 1.9 mi 3m
South River Road 1.8 mi 3m
Goethals Bridge 1.4 mi 2m
US 130 1.3 mi 1m
Longest stretch: New Jersey Turnpike — 24.5 mi, about 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bayonne, NJ and Mercerville, NJ.

1

Start on Broadway

205 ft · 9 sec · Broadway
2

Turn right onto East 30th Street

0.3 mi · 56 sec · East 30th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3

Turn slight right onto NJ 440

3.5 mi · 5 min · NJ 440
4

Continue on NY 440

2.4 mi · 3 min · Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway
5

Keep slight left at fork onto Staten Island Expressway

1.1 mi · 1 min · Staten Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on I 278

1.4 mi · 2 min · Goethals Bridge
7

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 3A Toward I 95 Toll: New Jersey Turnpike Use the slight left lane.
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 11 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 37 sec
Use the slight left lane.
10

Merge onto I 95; NJTP

25 mi · 28 min · New Jersey Turnpike
11

Take the exit onto Exit 8A

0.8 mi · 1 min · Exit 8A
Exit 8A Toward NJ 32: Jamesburg, Cranbury Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 1 min
Toward CR 535: Cranbury, South Brunswick Use the slight right lane.
13

Turn left onto CR 535

0.8 mi · 1 min · Cranbury-South River Road
Use the left lane.
14

Continue on CR 535

1.8 mi · 3 min · South River Road
Use the straight lane.
15

Turn slight right onto CR 535

377 ft · 9 sec · CR 535
16

Turn left onto US 130; CR 535

1.2 mi · 1 min · US 130; CR 535
Use the left / right lanes.
17

Continue on US 130

252 ft · 8 sec · US 130
18

Turn right onto CR 685

8.5 mi · 15 min · Old Trenton Road
Use the right lane.
19

Continue on CR 535

1.9 mi · 3 min · Edinburg Road
20

Arrive at destination

CR 535

Where to Stop

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

city in Union County, New Jersey, United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Rahway, NJ

25 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Staten Island, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Edison, NJ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 25 miles from Bayonne, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 35.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | East 30th Street

Turn right onto East 30th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
8.7 mi into trip | ~13m in

Take the exit toward I 95 Toll: New Jersey Turnpike

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 3A Toward I 95 Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
8
9.3 mi into trip | ~15m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
8
34.4 mi into trip | ~44m in | Exit 8A

Take the exit onto Exit 8A toward NJ 32: Jamesburg, Cranbury

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 8A Toward NJ 32: Jamesburg, Cranbury
8
35.2 mi into trip | ~46m in

Keep slight right at fork toward CR 535: Cranbury, South Brunswick

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward CR 535: Cranbury, South Brunswick

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.31 one way

$16.61 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $9.10 $18.19
premium $4.93 $9.72 $19.43
diesel $5.61 $11.06 $22.12

Estimated Tolls: $19.44

Goethals Bridge $16.00
New Jersey Turnpike (24.5 mi) $3.44

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Tolls

$19

Total

$28

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 15 0 $5.26 $2.40
Efficient EV 12.5 0 $4.38 $2.00
EV Truck/SUV 20 0 $7.01 $3.21

Gas CO2

18 kg

EV CO2

6 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Bayonne, NJ

Morning in Bayonne on Sunday

Local time

10:19 AM

EDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Mercerville, NJ

Morning in Mercerville on Sunday

Local time

10:19 AM

EDT

Current temp

72°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

24 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

1h 13m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 66% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll spend a significant portion on the New Jersey Turnpike, experiencing a longest uninterrupted stretch of 24.5 miles. Expect a consistent, fast-paced environment for much of the journey. As you approach Mercerville, the drive transitions to roads like Old Trenton Road, offering a slightly different feel as you near your destination.

66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.5 mi on New Jersey Turnpike.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike and Old Trenton Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 30th Street.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50.1 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 30th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Bayonne, NJ and Mercerville, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp South: Trenton, Cranbury, Cr 535: Cranbury and Brunswick.

Njtp South: Trenton

9.3 mi in | ~15m

Cranbury

34.4 mi in | ~44m | via Exit 8A

Cr 535: Cranbury

35.2 mi in | ~46m

Brunswick

35.2 mi in | ~46m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 50.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 24.5 miles on New Jersey Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $19.44 in tolls one way, starting with Goethals Bridge. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Mercerville, NJ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 30th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Gateway National Recreation Area and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Mercerville, NJ before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Bayonne, NJ or browse trips ending in Mercerville, NJ.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.