Origin
Cranbury, NJ
Morning in Cranbury on Sunday
Local time
10:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cranbury, NJ to Toms River, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
35.1 mi
57 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cranbury, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Toms River, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Cranbury to Toms River, you are looking at a manageable 35.1-mile drive that typically takes about 56 minutes. This journey is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations. With a modest estimated fuel cost of just $6, it remains a budget-friendly way to navigate through the Northeast region of New Jersey. Since the entire route stays within the state, you can expect a familiar, consistent driving environment. It is an ideal option if you need to make the trip efficiently without the hassle of a long-haul journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lakewood Road | 4.8 mi | 7m |
| Whitesville Road | 4.3 mi | 7m |
| Cedar Swamp Road | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| NJ 33 | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| East Veterans Highway | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| Siloam Road | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Smithburg Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Applegarth Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
Lakewood Road
— 4.8 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cranbury, NJ and Toms River, 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
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
NJ 33
9
Turn right onto CR 527A
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Iron Ore Road
10
Continue on CR 527A
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
Smithburg Road
11
Continue on CR 527A
0.5 mi
·
46 sec
·
Woodville Road
12
Continue on CR 527
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Smithburg Road
13
Continue on CR 527
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Siloam Road
14
Continue on CR 527
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Cedar Swamp Road
15
Continue on CR 527; CR 528
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
East Veterans Highway
16
Turn right onto CR 527
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Whitesville Road
Use the left lane.
17
Turn left onto CR 622
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Cox Cro Road
18
Turn right onto US 9
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Lakewood Road
19
Continue on NJ 166
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Lakewood Road
20
Continue on NJ 166
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
21
Turn left
78 ft
·
5 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.6 miles from Cranbury, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 24.4 — 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
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 535 / Half Acre Road
Turn right onto CR 535 / Half Acre Road
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 130
Turn right onto US 130
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
24.4 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
CR 527 / Whitesville Road
Turn right onto CR 527 / Whitesville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.82 one way
$11.64 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.37 | $12.75 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.81 | $13.61 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.75 | $15.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.69 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.91 | $2.25 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Toms River, NJ
Morning in Toms River on Sunday
Local time
10:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
70°F
Lakewood, NJ
18 mi in
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
26 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
56m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous highway cruise. You will spend roughly 13% of your time on highways, with the remainder of the route consisting of local roads like Lakewood Road, Whitesville Road, and Cedar Swamp Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 4.8-mile segment on Lakewood Road, which dictates the pace of the trip. Because the route relies so heavily on local roads, you should stay alert for frequent turns and shifting traffic patterns. It is a technical drive that requires your full attention compared to a simple interstate commute.
Only 13% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.8 mi on Lakewood Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 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 35.1 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.2 miles (CR 535 / Half Acre Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 130): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Toms River, NJ
Full guide →Toms River is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. It is a few miles west of the beaches of the Jersey Shore Region, midway between New York and Philadelphia and a short distance from Atlantic City. Toms River is easy to get to by car as the Garden State Parkway bisects the town, and it is served by express bus service to and from New York City.
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 56m. Total distance: 35.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (13%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.8 miles on Lakewood Road. 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 0.2 miles (CR 535 / Half Acre Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 130): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Toms River, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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