Origin
Chatham, NJ
Morning in Chatham on Sunday
Local time
6:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chatham, NJ to Union City, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
23.7 mi
38 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chatham, NJ
Aisling Kerr
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 23.7-mile drive from Chatham to Union City, New Jersey, is a quick one, typically taking about 35 minutes. It's a straightforward trip primarily using NJ 24 East and I-78 East, with a short section on the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. Given the short distance and duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip with no need for an overnight stay. Expect a modest fuel cost of around $4 for this journey. The overall feel is that of a typical urban and suburban commute within the Northeast region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 9 mi | 10m |
| New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| NJ 24 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| NJ 495 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| NJ 124 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 30th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
— 9 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chatham, NJ and Union City, NJ.
1
Start on NJ 124
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
2
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 124
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
NJ 124
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward NJ 24 East
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
4
Merge onto NJ 24
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
NJ 24
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City, Newark
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 78
9.0 mi
·
10 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95/NJTP North Tolls
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
I 95/NJTP North Tolls
9
Keep straight at fork
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North
10
Continue on this road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
this road
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 95, I 80, NJ 3: Lincoln Tunnel
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 16E
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on NJ 495
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
·
NJ 495
15
Take the exit
263 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
16
Continue on 30th Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
30th Street
17
Turn left onto CR 501
296 ft
·
16 sec
·
John F Kennedy Boulevard
18
Continue on CR 501
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
19
Turn right onto 47th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
47th Street
20
At end of road, turn right onto Bergenline Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bergenline Avenue
21
Turn right onto 45th Street
64 ft
·
2 sec
·
45th Street
22
Arrive at destination
45th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 20.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NJ 124
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 124
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
7
13.3 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep straight at fork toward I 95 North, NJTP North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North
8
14.7 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95, I 80, NJ 3: Lincoln Tunnel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95, I 80, NJ 3: Lincoln Tunnel
7
20.8 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 16E
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.93 one way
$7.86 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.30 | $8.61 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.60 | $9.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.23 | $10.47 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.79
New Jersey Turnpike
(5.6 mi)
$0.79
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Union City, NJ
Morning in Union City on Sunday
Local time
6:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
2 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
34m 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 route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with 0% highway share, meaning you'll be navigating city streets and local roads for the entire 23.7 miles. There isn't a longest uninterrupted stretch to speak of, as you'll be encountering frequent intersections and traffic signals. Expect a dynamic driving experience that requires constant attention to turns and road signs as you make your way through various New Jersey communities.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9 mi on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near NJ 124.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 23.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (NJ 124): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Chatham, NJ and Union City, NJ, road signs point toward New York City, Newark and Njtp North.
New York City
3.6 mi in
|
~5m
Newark
3.6 mi in
|
~5m
Njtp North
13.3 mi in
|
~17m
About the Cities
Arriving in Union City, NJ
Full guide →Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey. Union City is a small city, roughly 1.283 square miles. It is bordered by Weehawken to the east, Jersey City to the south, North Bergen to the west and north, and West New York to the north.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 23.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9 miles on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.79 in tolls one way, starting with New Jersey Turnpike. 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 Union City, 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: at 0.8 miles (NJ 124): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park 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 Union City, 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.
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