Origin
Elizabeth, NJ
Morning in Elizabeth on Sunday
Local time
10:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elizabeth, NJ to East Brunswick, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
35m
Distance
23.6 mi
38 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
East Brunswick, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 23.6-mile trip from Elizabeth, New Jersey, to East Brunswick, New Jersey, is designed for efficiency, taking approximately 35 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stops. You'll primarily be on the New Jersey Turnpike and State Route 18, with a short stint on US 1, meaning about 79% of your journey will be on highways. The estimated fuel cost is a modest $4, reflecting the short distance. This drive is entirely within the Northeast region, specifically within New Jersey, offering a quick and direct connection between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike | 14.9 mi | 17m |
| State Route 18 | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| US 1 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Bayway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Dunhams Corner Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Cranbury Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Jersey Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Brunswick Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New Jersey Turnpike
— 14.9 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elizabeth, NJ and East Brunswick, NJ.
1
Start on this road
34 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto East Jersey Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
East Jersey Street
3
Turn right onto US 1; US 9
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1; US 9
4
Enter roundabout onto NJ 439
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Bayway
5
Continue on NJ 439
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Bayway
6
Turn right onto Brunswick Avenue
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Brunswick Avenue
Use the right lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: NJ Turnpike
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
15 mi
·
17 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
11
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 9
Toward NJ 18 East, US 1 East: New Brunswick
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward NJ 18 South: East Brunswick, Shore Points
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto NJ 18; CR 527
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
State Route 18
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
15
Turn straight onto CR 535
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Cranbury Road
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn slight right
484 ft
·
21 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on Dunhams Corner Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Dunhams Corner Road
18
Turn right onto Jensen Street
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
Jensen Street
19
Turn right onto Dexter Road
318 ft
·
14 sec
·
Dexter Road
20
Arrive at destination
Dexter Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 18.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Brunswick Avenue
Turn right onto Brunswick Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: NJ Turnpike
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: NJ Turnpike
9
2.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
8
18 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward NJ 18 East, US 1 East: New Brunswick
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 9
Toward NJ 18 East, US 1 East: New Brunswick
8
18.8 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 18 South: East Brunswick, Shore Points
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 18 South: East Brunswick, Shore Point...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.91 one way
$7.83 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.29 | $8.57 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.58 | $9.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.21 | $10.42 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.08
New Jersey Turnpike
(14.9 mi)
$2.08
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$2
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.48 | $1.13 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.30 | $1.51 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
East Brunswick, NJ
Morning in East Brunswick on Sunday
Local time
10:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
35m 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 highway-focused drive for the majority of this route, with 79% of the mileage on high-speed roads. The New Jersey Turnpike forms the longest uninterrupted stretch at 14.9 miles, offering a consistent pace. As you transition to State Route 18 and US 1, the road character might shift slightly, but the overall feel remains geared towards efficient travel. This isn't a route for leisurely scenic detours; it’s built for getting you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.9 mi on New Jersey Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike and State Route 18. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near Brunswick Avenue.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 23.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (Brunswick Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Elizabeth, NJ and East Brunswick, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp Toll: Nj Turnpike, Njtp South: Trenton and Shore Points.
Njtp Toll: Nj Turnpike
2.3 mi in
|
~4m
Njtp South: Trenton
2.6 mi in
|
~5m
Shore Points
18.8 mi in
|
~24m
About the Cities
Starting in Elizabeth, NJ
Full guide →Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in 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 35m. Total distance: 23.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.9 miles on New Jersey Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.08 in tolls one way, starting with New Jersey Turnpike. 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 East Brunswick, 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 2.2 miles (Brunswick Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Gateway National Recreation Area and Paterson Great Falls 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 East Brunswick, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From East Brunswick, NJ
More trips to East Brunswick, NJ
Explore more options from Elizabeth, NJ or browse trips ending in East Brunswick, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.