Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
54.5 mi
88 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Highland Park, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Toms River, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
This 54.5-mile drive from Highland Park, NJ, to Toms River, NJ, is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 20 minutes. With a highway share of 65%, the route is primarily focused on efficient travel, making it an ideal one-day trip. The estimated fuel cost is around $9, which is quite budget-friendly for a trip of this length. You'll be staying within the Northeast region and the state of New Jersey for the entire drive, so no major environmental shifts are expected. Consider this a practical, no-fuss option for getting from point A to point B.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Marlton Pike | 13.2 mi | 20m |
| NJ 70 East | 11.1 mi | 15m |
| NJ 70 | 8.8 mi | 12m |
| CR 530 | 7.9 mi | 12m |
| I 295 | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| Dover Road | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| Exit 1B | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Highland Park, NJ and Toms River, NJ.
Start on Sylvan Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Klemm Avenue
Turn right onto US 130
Take the exit
Merge onto I 76
Take the exit onto Exit 1B
Merge onto I 295
Take the exit
Merge onto NJ 70
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 70
Enter roundabout onto NJ 70
Continue on NJ 70
Enter roundabout onto NJ 70 East
Continue on NJ 70 East
Continue on NJ 70; CR 530
Turn right onto CR 530; CR 539
Turn left onto CR 530
Continue on CR 530
Turn left onto CR 530
At end of road, turn left onto NJ 166
Continue on NJ 166
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 27.2 miles from Highland Park, 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 0.2 and 12.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right onto Klemm Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Take the exit toward I 76 East: Atlantic City, Trenton, Delaware Memorial Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit onto Exit 1B toward I 295 North: Trenton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward NJ 70 East: Marlton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 70 / Marlton Pike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$9.04 one way
$18.07 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.90 | $19.79 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.57 | $21.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.03 | $24.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.72 | $2.62 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.77 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.63 | $3.49 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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 Highland Park on Sunday
Local time
9:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Partly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Morning in Toms River on Sunday
Local time
9:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
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.
Expect a highway-focused drive for a significant portion of this 54.5-mile trip, with 65% of the route utilizing faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 13.2 miles on Marlton Pike. While much of the drive will feel like efficient travel, the transition between Marlton Pike and NJ 70 East might offer a slight change in scenery and road type, though the overall character remains geared towards steady progress. It's not an overly complex route, allowing you to maintain a consistent pace for most of the journey.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Marlton Pike and NJ 70 East. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Klemm Avenue.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.5 miles you will encounter 17 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 0.2 miles (Klemm Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles (Exit 1B): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Highland Park, NJ to Toms River, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Long Beach Island along the way.
Long Beach Island
Toms River is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. It is a few miles west of the beaches of the Jersey Shore Region, midway between New York and Philadelphia and a short distance from Atlantic City. Toms River is easy to get to by car as the Garden State Parkway bisects the town, and it is served by express bus service to and from New York City.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 54.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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