Origin
Freehold, NJ
Morning in Freehold on Sunday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Freehold, NJ to New 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
30m
Distance
21.6 mi
35 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 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Freehold, NJ
Aisling Kerr
New Brunswick, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 21.6-mile drive from Freehold, NJ, to New Brunswick, NJ, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 30 minutes to complete. You'll primarily navigate via NJ 18, South Main Street, and Marlboro Road. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $4, this route offers a quick and efficient journey within the Northeast region. Given its short duration and lack of designated stops, it's an ideal option for a quick errand or a connection between these two New Jersey locales without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 18 | 16 mi | 19m |
| South Main Street | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Marlboro Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Broadway Road | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Suydam Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Route 18 Service Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Paul Robeson Boulevard | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Livingston Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 18
— 16 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Freehold, NJ and New Brunswick, NJ.
1
Start on NJ 79; CR 537
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
West Main Street
2
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 79
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Broadway Road
3
Continue on NJ 79
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Marlboro Road
4
Continue on NJ 79
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto NJ 18
16 mi
·
19 min
·
NJ 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto CR 527
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
CR 527
Toward NJ 172: New Brunswick, Cook/Douglass Campus, Paul Robeson Boulevard, New Street, Highland Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto Route 18 Service Road
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Route 18 Service Road
Toward NJ 18 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto Paul Robeson Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Paul Robeson Boulevard
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto Suydam Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Suydam Street
11
Turn left onto CR 691
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Livingston Avenue
12
Turn right onto Delavan Street
68 ft
·
3 sec
·
Delavan Street
13
Arrive at destination
Delavan Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 3.7 and 21.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick
5
3.9 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
NJ 18
Merge onto NJ 18
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
19.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
CR 527
Take the exit onto CR 527 toward NJ 172: New Brunswick, Cook/Douglass Campus, Paul Robeson Boulevard, New Street, Highland Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 172: New Brunswick, Cook/Douglass Cam...
6
20.4 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
Paul Robeson Boulevard
Turn left onto Paul Robeson Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
21.6 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Delavan Street
Turn right onto Delavan Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.58 one way
$7.16 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.92 | $7.84 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.19 | $8.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.77 | $9.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 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 | 6.5 | 0 | $2.27 | $1.04 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
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
New Brunswick, NJ
Morning in New Brunswick on Sunday
Local time
6:23 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
26 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
30m 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 predominantly highway-focused experience, with 77% of the journey utilizing faster roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 16 miles on NJ 18, providing a consistent flow. While the profile is largely highway, transitions onto local roads like South Main Street and Marlboro Road will occur, offering a slight change of pace. This route is best characterized by its efficient, direct nature, minimizing complexity and maximizing straightforward travel.
77% 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: 16 mi on NJ 18.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 18 and South Main Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 21.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (NJ 18): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles (CR 527): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
180 ft
51 ft
Total Climb
105 ft
Total Descent
191 ft
Highest Point
180 ft
~1.5 mi in
Elevation Range
130 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.
Between Freehold, NJ and New Brunswick, NJ, road signs point toward Cook/Douglass Campus and Highland Park.
Cook/Douglass Campus
19.9 mi in
|
~26m
|
via CR 527
Highland Park
19.9 mi in
|
~26m
|
via CR 527
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 21.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16 miles on NJ 18. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 New 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 3.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (NJ 18): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles (CR 527): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Morristown National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and 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 New 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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