Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
48.5 mi
78 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Shrewsbury, NJ
MINEIA MARTINS
Clifton, NJ to Shrewsbury, NJ is 48.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via Garden State Parkway Southbound, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within New Jersey, covering a relatively short distance that's ideal for a single-day trip. You'll primarily be on the Garden State Parkway, so expect a straightforward, highway-focused experience. Given the short duration, this trip is perfect for a quick getaway or an efficient commute between these two points in the Northeast region. Plan for a smooth journey with minimal complexity.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 37.6 mi | 48m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Newman Springs Road | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Broad Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 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 |
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, NJ and Shrewsbury, NJ.
Start on Holly Street
Turn left onto Donna Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
Turn right onto Hutton Road
Turn left onto Olga B Terrace
Turn left onto NJ 161
At end of road, turn right onto CR 602
Take the ramp
Merge onto NJ 3
Take the exit
Merge onto GSP
Continue on Garden State Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
Take the exit
Turn left onto CR 520
Continue on CR 520
Turn right onto NJ 35
Turn left onto White Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 24.2 miles from Clifton, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 45.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
At end of road, turn right onto CR 602 / Allwood Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward GSP South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CR 520: Red Bank, Lincroft
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$8.04 one way
$16.08 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.81 | $17.61 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.41 | $18.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.71 | $21.42 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.62
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$3
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.09 | $2.33 |
| Efficient EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.24 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.79 | $3.10 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Clifton on Sunday
Local time
6:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Shrewsbury on Sunday
Local time
6:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This is a highway-focused drive with 90% of the journey on major roadways, specifically the Garden State Parkway Southbound. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 37.6 miles on the Parkway, making for a consistent driving pace. The profile of this route is predominantly highway, meaning you'll encounter limited-access roads designed for higher speeds. As you progress, the character remains largely the same, offering a predictable and efficient path from Clifton to Shrewsbury without significant changes in road type or complexity.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. 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.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.5 miles you will encounter 16 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: 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.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Clifton, NJ and Shrewsbury, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 520: Red Bank and Lincroft.
Cr 520: Red Bank
Lincroft
Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 48.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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