Origin
Edison, NJ
Late night in Edison on Tuesday
Local time
4:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Edison, NJ to Toms River, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
53.6 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Edison, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Toms River, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick getaway from Edison to Toms River, you are looking at a straightforward 53.6-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 8 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination in the Northeast region without the need for an overnight stay. Expect to spend approximately $9 on fuel for the trip, making it a budget-friendly option for a weekend excursion. You will primarily navigate via the Garden State Parkway, I-287, and Lincoln Highway. Because the trip is relatively short, it offers great flexibility for your schedule, whether you are heading out for a morning start or a late afternoon departure.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 45.4 mi | 53m |
| I 287 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Lincoln Highway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| NJ 440 | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| North Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Plainfield Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Route 37 West | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Reed Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 45.4 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Edison, NJ and Toms River, NJ.
1
Start on this road
175 ft
·
12 sec
·
this road
2
Continue on Reed Street
348 ft
·
20 sec
·
Reed Street
3
Turn left onto Central Avenue
345 ft
·
18 sec
·
Central Avenue
4
Turn right onto CR 529
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Plainfield Avenue
5
Turn left onto NJ 27
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Lincoln Highway
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 287 South, NJTP, GSP
7
Merge onto I 287
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
I 287
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on NJ 440
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
NJ 440
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward GSP South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto GSP
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
·
Garden State Parkway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
43 mi
·
50 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 82
Toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beach State Park
Use the right lane.
14
Merge onto NJ 37
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Route 37 West
15
Turn right onto NJ 166
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left
78 ft
·
5 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.8 miles from Edison, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 2.7 and 52.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 287
Merge onto I 287
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
6.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward GSP South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward GSP South
5
6.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
9.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
52.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beach State Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 82
Toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beac...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.89 one way
$17.77 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.73 | $19.46 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.40 | $20.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.83 | $23.67 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.72
Garden State Parkway
(45.4 mi)
$2.72
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$3
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.63 | $2.57 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.69 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.50 | $3.43 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Late night in Toms River on Tuesday
Local time
4:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
1 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
1h 8m 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 quintessential highway-focused drive, with 92% of your travel time spent on major thoroughfares. You will quickly settle into a rhythm once you merge onto the Garden State Parkway, which accounts for the longest single stretch of your journey at 45.4 miles. Expect a fast-paced experience that prioritizes efficiency over local backroads. The transition from the Edison area toward Toms River is consistent, moving you smoothly through the Northeast corridor with minimal interruption. Because the route relies so heavily on high-speed infrastructure, you can anticipate a steady, predictable pace behind the wheel.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 45.4 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and I 287. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near I 287.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.6 miles you will encounter 13 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 2.7 miles (I 287): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
226 ft
14 ft
Total Climb
435 ft
Total Descent
504 ft
Highest Point
226 ft
~20.1 mi in
Elevation Range
212 ft
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.
On the drive from Edison, NJ to Toms River, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp South along the way.
Gsp South
6.5 mi in
|
~11m
About the Cities
Starting in Edison, NJ
Full guide →Edison is a city in Middlesex, New Jersey. The city is named after Thomas Alva Edison who carried out most of his life's work, including the invention of the phonograph and the lightbulb, here. Menlo Park, where Edison's laboratories were located has a Thomas Alva Edison Memorial Tower and Museum honoring him. The town of Edison now has a large concentration of Asians, and Oak Tree Road in Edison is the place to visit if you are looking for Indian food or Indian stores.
Arriving in Toms River, NJ
Full guide →Founded 1768
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.
Top landmarks
- • Ocean County Courthouse — county courthouse in Ocean County, New Jersey
- • Stoutenburgh-Minturn House — historic house in Ocean County, New Jersey
- • Captain Amos Birdsall House — historic house 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 1h 8m. Total distance: 53.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 45.4 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.72 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 Toms River, 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 2.7 miles (I 287): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Toms River, NJ
More trips to Toms River, NJ
Explore more options from Edison, NJ or browse trips ending in Toms River, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.