Origin
Elizabeth, NJ
Late night in Elizabeth on Sunday
Local time
3:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elizabeth, NJ to Jackson, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 42m
Distance
81.7 mi
131 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 35m
★
6 AM
1h 43m
8 AM
1h 58m
10 AM
1h 48m
12 PM
1h 46m
3 PM
1h 49m
5 PM
1h 57m
8 PM
1h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Jackson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Elizabeth to Jackson, New Jersey, expect a straightforward journey covering 81.7 miles. You can comfortably complete this drive in about 1 hour and 42 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budget approximately $14 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Northeast locations. Because the route is primarily highway-focused, it is designed for efficiency rather than leisure. Whether you are heading out for business or a quick getaway, the trip is manageable and predictable for any driver.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.8 miles from Elizabeth, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 49m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike | 64 mi | 1h 13m |
| NJ 73 | 10.9 mi | 15m |
| Jackson Road | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| US 1 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Bayway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East Jersey Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Brunswick Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New Jersey Turnpike
— 64 mi, about 1h 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elizabeth, NJ and Jackson, 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
47 mi
·
54 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto NJTP
17 mi
·
19 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
Toward NJTP South: Camden, Wilmington
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 4
Toward NJ 73: Mount Laurel, Camden
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward NJ 73 South: Marlton, Atlantic City
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto NJ 73
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
·
NJ 73
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on NJ 73
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
NJ 73
Use the left / slight left / straight / right lanes.
16
Continue on NJ 73
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 73
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Continue on NJ 73
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
NJ 73
Use the straight lane.
18
Take the exit
481 ft
·
18 sec
19
Turn left onto CR 534
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Jackson Road
Use the left lane.
20
Arrive at destination
CR 534
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule. Because the drive consists of zero planned stops and relies heavily on the New Jersey Turnpike, try to avoid peak rush hours to ensure you maintain that 1 hour and 42-minute travel time. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge before merging onto the Turnpike, as you will be on that stretch for 64 miles without easy opportunities to pull off. Since the total fuel cost is estimated at $14, keeping your tank topped off before you leave Elizabeth ensures a stress-free trip. Use this transit time to prepare for your arrival in Jackson, as the direct nature of the route leaves little room for detours.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 40.8 miles from Elizabeth, NJ, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 18 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.8 miles or 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jackson, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Elizabeth, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Elizabeth, NJ
This is one driving day of about 81.7 miles and 1h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Elizabeth, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on New Jersey Turnpike for about 64 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
41 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 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 40.8 miles from Elizabeth, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before New Jersey Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64 miles.
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 145 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 67.7 — 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
6
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
67.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 73 South: Marlton, Atlantic City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 73 South: Marlton, Atlantic City
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.54 one way
$27.09 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
29 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $14.83 | $29.67 |
| premium | $4.93 | $15.84 | $31.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.04 | $36.08 |
Estimated Tolls: $8.97
New Jersey Turnpike
(64 mi)
$8.97
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Tolls
$9
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 24.5 | 0 | $8.58 | $3.92 |
| Efficient EV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.15 | $3.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.7 | 0 | $11.44 | $5.23 |
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% 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
Jackson, NJ
Late night in Jackson on Sunday
Local time
3:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
52°F
Bristol, PA
41 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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 42m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Thomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Today, the brick buildings on Main Street in West Orange, NJ seem quiet, betraying little evidence of the research, development, and innovation of their heyday. Visitors can step back in time to Thoma...
9 mi from route
~21 min detour
$10
Park Closure: Glenmont Mansion and Grounds Closed
Gateway National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for...
16 mi from route
~40 min detour
Free
near mile 2.8
View on nps.gov
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Silk cloth and steam locomotives; textiles and continuous paper rolls; firearms and aircraft engines. What do these things have in common? All were manufactured in the same place - Paterson, NJ. In 17...
17 mi from route
~44 min detour
Free
View on nps.gov
Morristown National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Morristown National Historical Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental Army’s winter encampment from December 1779 to June 1780, where soldiers survived the coldest winte...
18 mi from route
~46 min detour
Free
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a high-speed experience, as 93% of this 81.7-mile journey takes place on highways. You will spend the bulk of your time on the New Jersey Turnpike, which accounts for a 64-mile stretch of uninterrupted driving. Following this major artery, you will transition onto NJ 73 and eventually Jackson Road to reach your final destination. While the initial portion of the trip is a standard interstate grind, the shift to local roads toward the end provides a change of pace. It is a functional, no-frills drive that prioritizes getting you from point A to point B as quickly as possible.
93% 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: 64 mi on New Jersey Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike and NJ 73. 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
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 81.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 2.2 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 Jackson, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp South: Camden, Wilmington, Camden and Atlantic City.
Njtp South: Camden
50.4 mi in
|
~1h
|
via NJTP
Wilmington
50.4 mi in
|
~1h
|
via NJTP
Camden
67.2 mi in
|
~1h 19m
Atlantic City
67.7 mi in
|
~1h 20m
About the Cities
Starting in Elizabeth, NJ
Full guide →Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in New Jersey.
Arriving in Jackson, NJ
Full guide →Jackson Township is a town of 60,000 people (2022) in Ocean County (New Jersey). Jackson is the site of Six Flags Great Adventure and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor theme parks. This article also covers Plumsted Township, a community of about 8,000 people to the west of Jackson.
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 42m. Total distance: 81.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 64 miles on New Jersey Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $8.97 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 Jackson, 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 Jackson, 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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