Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
34.5 mi
56 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Freehold, NJ
Aisling Kerr
Union, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
The drive from Freehold, NJ to Union, NJ covers 34.5 miles and takes about 51m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Garden State Parkway, US Highway 9, NJ 18 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.6 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.76 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 16.6 mi | 23m |
| US Highway 9 | 7 mi | 9m |
| NJ 18 | 5 mi | 5m |
| South Main Street | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Marlboro Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Broadway Road | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Morris Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Harding Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Freehold, NJ and Union, NJ.
Start on NJ 79; CR 537
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 79
Continue on NJ 79
Continue on NJ 79
Take the ramp
Merge onto NJ 18
Take the exit
Merge onto US 9
Take the exit
Merge onto GSP
Take the exit
Merge onto US 22
Take the exit
Turn slight right onto NJ 82
Turn slight right
Turn left onto NJ 82
Turn right onto Harding Avenue
Turn right onto CR 630
Turn left onto Harding Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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.
A short stop after about 34.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 17.3 miles from Freehold, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.7 and 33.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 9 North: The Amboys, New York
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, Elizabeth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$5.76 one way
$11.53 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $6.34 | $12.69 |
| premium | $5.01 | $6.81 | $13.62 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $7.60 | $15.21 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.62 | $1.66 |
| Efficient EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.83 | $2.21 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Freehold on Friday
Local time
7:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Union on Friday
Local time
7:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
34.5 mi in 51m, mostly highway — 16.6 mi of that is on Garden State Parkway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and US Highway 9. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.7 miles in.
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 14 decision points packed into just 34.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.6 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
220 ft
Total Descent
290 ft
Highest Point
171 ft
Elevation Range
134 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Freehold, NJ to Union, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward New York along the way.
New York
Freehold is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Freehold is a great day or weekend trip for those who love history, architecture, shopping, and food.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 34.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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