Origin
Cranbury, NJ
Morning in Cranbury on Sunday
Local time
10:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cranbury, NJ to Lakewood, 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
26.5 mi
43 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 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cranbury, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Lakewood, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Cranbury to Lakewood, you are looking at a straightforward 26.5-mile journey through the Northeast. Expect to spend about 41 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You will primarily navigate via NJ 33, US Highway 9, and Applegarth Road. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, the trip is highly economical for travelers looking to move between these two New Jersey hubs. Since the entire route is located within the same state, you won't need to worry about complex regional transitions or overnight stays.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 33 | 10.3 mi | 14m |
| US Highway 9 | 9.6 mi | 14m |
| Applegarth Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Station Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Madison Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Cranbury Station Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| US 130 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Plainsboro Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 33
— 10.3 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cranbury, NJ and Lakewood, NJ.
1
Start on CR 535
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Plainsboro Road
2
At end of road, turn left onto CR 535
236 ft
·
6 sec
·
Maplewood Avenue
3
Turn right onto CR 535
287 ft
·
12 sec
·
Half Acre Road
4
Turn right onto US 130
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 130
5
Turn left onto CR 615
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Station Road
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on CR 615
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Cranbury Station Road
7
Turn right onto CR 619
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Applegarth Road
8
Turn left onto NJ 33
10 mi
·
14 min
·
NJ 33
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward US 9 South: Lakewood
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto US 9
9.6 mi
·
14 min
·
US Highway 9
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on US 9
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Madison Avenue
12
Turn left onto 8th Street
46 ft
·
2 sec
·
8th Street
Use the left lane.
13
Arrive at destination
8th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 26.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 535 / Maplewood Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto CR 535 / Maplewood Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CR 615 / Station Road
Turn left onto CR 615 / Station Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
15.7 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward US 9 South: Lakewood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 9 South: Lakewood
5
15.9 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
US 9 / US Highway 9
Merge onto US 9 / US Highway 9
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
26.5 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
8th Street
Turn left onto 8th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.39 one way
$8.79 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.81 | $9.62 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.14 | $10.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.85 | $11.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
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 | 7.9 | 0 | $2.78 | $1.27 |
| Efficient EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.32 | $1.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.71 | $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
Lakewood, NJ
Morning in Lakewood on Sunday
Local time
10:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
NW 5 mph
17% chance
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
6 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
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This highway-focused drive keeps you moving efficiently, with 78% of the route consisting of highway travel. The road's personality is defined by consistent momentum rather than winding backroads or technical turns. You will find your longest uninterrupted stretch on NJ 33, which spans 10.3 miles of the total distance. As you transition between the various segments, the feel of the road remains steady, providing a predictable experience for drivers. It is a functional, no-nonsense commute that favors speed over scenic detours.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.3 mi on NJ 33.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 33 and US Highway 9. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CR 535 / Maplewood Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 26.5 miles you will encounter 8 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 (CR 535 / Maplewood Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (CR 615 / Station Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Lakewood, NJ
Full guide →Lakewood is a town in Ocean 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: 26.5 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 (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.3 miles on NJ 33. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (CR 535 / Maplewood Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (CR 615 / Station Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Gateway National Recreation Area. 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 Lakewood, 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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