Origin
Clifton, NJ
Morning in Clifton on Sunday
Local time
6:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clifton, NJ to Metuchen, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
26.6 mi
43 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Metuchen, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick commute or visit within the Northeast, the 26.6-mile trip from Clifton to Metuchen is an ideal day trip. You can expect to spend about 41 minutes behind the wheel, making this a very manageable drive that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, it is an economical choice for travelers navigating New Jersey. The route primarily relies on the Garden State Parkway, Lincoln Highway, and Middlesex Avenue to connect these two points. Because the entire journey takes place within the same state, you will experience a consistent regional feel as you transition between these northern New Jersey hubs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 22.1 mi | 30m |
| Lincoln Highway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Middlesex Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Allwood Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Donna Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Olga B Terrace | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Holly Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 22.1 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, NJ and Metuchen, NJ.
1
Start on Holly Street
516 ft
·
26 sec
·
Holly Street
2
Turn left onto Donna Drive
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
Donna Drive
3
At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
441 ft
·
21 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
4
Turn right onto Hutton Road
39 ft
·
7 sec
·
Hutton Road
5
Turn left onto Olga B Terrace
174 ft
·
13 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
6
Turn left onto NJ 161
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Clifton Avenue
7
At end of road, turn right onto CR 602
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Allwood Road
Use the right lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
9
Merge onto NJ 3
304 ft
·
4 sec
·
State Route 3
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward GSP South
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto GSP
22 mi
·
30 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 132
Toward NJ 27: Iselin, Metuchen
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto NJ 27
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Lincoln Highway
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on NJ 27
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Middlesex Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
NJ 27
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 23.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Olga B Terrace
At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CR 602 / Allwood Road
At end of road, turn right onto CR 602 / Allwood Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
6
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward GSP South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward GSP South
8
23.8 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward NJ 27: Iselin, Metuchen
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 132
Toward NJ 27: Iselin, Metuchen
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.41 one way
$8.82 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.83 | $9.66 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.16 | $10.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.87 | $11.75 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.33
Garden State Parkway
(22.1 mi)
$1.33
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
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8 | 0 | $2.79 | $1.28 |
| Efficient EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.33 | $1.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.72 | $1.70 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Metuchen, NJ
Morning in Metuchen on Sunday
Local time
6:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
23 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
41m 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 trip is a highway-focused drive, with 83% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will face a significant stretch of 22.1 miles on the Garden State Parkway, which defines the bulk of the experience. Expect a fast-paced environment where you can maintain steady speeds for most of the duration. As you exit the parkway and transition onto the Lincoln Highway and Middlesex Avenue, the character shifts from a high-speed interstate flow to more localized suburban roads. It is a straightforward, functional drive designed for efficiency rather than leisure.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.1 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Lincoln Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Olga B Terrace.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 26.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Olga B Terrace): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.9 miles (CR 602 / Allwood Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Clifton, NJ
Full guide →Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey.
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 41m. Total distance: 26.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.1 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.33 in tolls one way, starting with Garden State Parkway. 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 Metuchen, 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 0.2 miles (Olga B Terrace): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.9 miles (CR 602 / Allwood Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Morristown 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 Metuchen, 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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