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Trip from Hampton, NJ to Elizabeth, 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 2m

Distance

48.1 mi

77 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 57m ★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
0h 59m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States

Hampton, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Elizabeth, NJ, NJ

Elizabeth, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 48.1-mile drive from Hampton to Elizabeth, NJ, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 2 minutes. It's primarily a highway-focused route, with 89% of the journey on major expressways, making it ideal for a single-day excursion. You'll navigate using roads like the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and NJ 31. With an estimated fuel cost of around $8, this is an economical option for getting between these two New Jersey locations. The drive offers a practical way to travel within the Northeast region without needing an overnight stay.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway 36.2 mi 41m
NJ 31 6.1 mi 8m
Spring Street 1.1 mi 1m
North Broad Street 1.1 mi 2m
North Avenue 1 mi 1m
Hillside Avenue 0.7 mi 1m
Main Street 0.4 mi 1m
Liberty Avenue 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway — 36.2 mi, about 41m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hampton, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.

1

Start on Wells Avenue

151 ft · 6 sec · Wells Avenue
2

Turn right onto Main Street

0.1 mi · 32 sec · Main Street
3

Continue on Main Street

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Main Street
4

Merge onto NJ 31

6.1 mi · 8 min · NJ 31
5

Take the exit onto ramp to I-78/US 22 East

0.3 mi · 36 sec · ramp to I-78/US 22 East
Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Newark
6

Merge onto I 78; US 22

14 mi · 15 min · Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
7

Keep slight right at fork onto I 78

17 mi · 19 min · Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 78

5.8 mi · 6 min · Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Exit 54 Toward Hillside, Irvington Use the slight right lane.
10

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 29 sec
Toward Hillside Use the straight / right lanes.
11

Continue on Winans Avenue

0.2 mi · 39 sec · Winans Avenue
12

Turn right onto Liberty Avenue

0.4 mi · 1 min · Liberty Avenue
13

Turn left onto CR 628

0.3 mi · 37 sec · Hillside Avenue
14

Continue on CR 628

0.4 mi · 45 sec · Hillside Avenue
15

At end of road, turn right onto CR 623

1.1 mi · 2 min · North Broad Street
16

Turn left onto NJ 439

1.0 mi · 1 min · North Avenue
17

Turn right onto Spring Street

1.1 mi · 1 min · Spring Street
18

Turn right onto East Jersey Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · East Jersey Street
19

Turn right

34 ft · 2 sec
20

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

North Plainfield, NJ

24 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

Lebanon, NJ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bedminster, NJ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24 miles from Hampton, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 6.5 and 43.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
6.5 mi into trip | ~9m in | ramp to I-78/US 22 East

Take the exit onto ramp to I-78/US 22 East toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Newark

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Newark
6
20.6 mi into trip | ~26m in | I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
37.2 mi into trip | ~45m in | I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
43 mi into trip | ~52m in

Take the exit toward Hillside, Irvington

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 54 Toward Hillside, Irvington
8
43.2 mi into trip | ~52m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Hillside

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes. Toward Hillside

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.97 one way

$15.95 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $8.73 $17.47
premium $4.93 $9.33 $18.66
diesel $5.61 $10.62 $21.24

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.4 0 $5.05 $2.31
Efficient EV 12 0 $4.21 $1.92
EV Truck/SUV 19.2 0 $6.73 $3.08

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Hampton, NJ

Afternoon in Hampton on Sunday

Local time

12:12 PM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Elizabeth, NJ

Afternoon in Elizabeth on Sunday

Local time

12:12 PM

EDT

Current temp

48°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

19 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 2m 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 high-speed, highway-dominant experience on this 48.1-mile route. With 89% of the drive on major expressways, the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway will be your main companion for a significant stretch of 36.2 miles. This means you'll likely encounter consistent speed limits and a steady flow of traffic typical of interstate travel. While the focus is on efficient transit, you'll transition from the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway onto NJ 31 and then Spring Street, offering a slight shift in environment as you near Elizabeth. This profile suggests a drive where getting there efficiently is the primary objective.

89% 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: 36.2 mi on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and NJ 31. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.5 miles in near ramp to I-78/US 22 East.

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 48.1 miles you will encounter 15 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 6.5 miles (ramp to I-78/US 22 East): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.6 miles (I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.2 miles (I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

539 ft 19 ft

Total Climb

313 ft

Total Descent

833 ft

Highest Point

539 ft

Elevation Range

520 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Hampton, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward Hillside and Irvington.

Hillside

43 mi in | ~52m

Irvington

43 mi in | ~52m

About the Cities

Arriving 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 1h 2m. Total distance: 48.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 36.2 miles on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. 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 Elizabeth, 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 6.5 miles (ramp to I-78/US 22 East): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.6 miles (I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.2 miles (I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Elizabeth, 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.

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