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Trip from Hoboken, NJ to Garfield, NJ

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

23m

Distance

13.7 mi

22 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 21m ★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m

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

city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States

Hoboken, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Garfield, NJ, NJ

Garfield, NJ

C. M.

Trip Overview

This straightforward 13.7-mile drive from Hoboken to Garfield, New Jersey, is designed for a single day of travel, taking an estimated 23 minutes to complete. Primarily utilizing NJ 3, NJ 21, and NJ 495, this route offers a highway-focused experience. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $2, it's an economical option for a quick trip within the Northeast region. Since there are no recommended stops and the drive is short, you'll likely find it convenient for a quick commute or a brief excursion without needing an overnight stay.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
NJ 3 5 mi 6m
NJ 21 3.4 mi 3m
NJ 495 1 mi 1m
Willow Avenue 0.8 mi 2m
Clinton Street 0.5 mi 2m
Outwater Lane 0.4 mi 1m
Boulevard East 0.3 mi <1m
North Marginal Highway 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: NJ 3 — 5 mi, about 6m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hoboken, NJ and Garfield, NJ.

1

Start on 6th Street

361 ft · 21 sec · 6th Street
2

Turn right onto Clinton Street

0.5 mi · 2 min · Clinton Street
3

Turn right onto 12th Street

272 ft · 19 sec · 12th Street
4

Turn left onto Willow Avenue

0.8 mi · 2 min · Willow Avenue
Use the left lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward Lincoln Tunnel
6

Turn right

72 ft · 10 sec
Use the right lane.
7

Turn left onto Boulevard East

0.3 mi · 37 sec · Boulevard East
Use the straight lane.
8

Turn left onto North Marginal Highway

0.2 mi · 17 sec · North Marginal Highway
Use the left lane.
9

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 14 sec
Toward NJ 495 West
10

Merge onto NJ 495

1.0 mi · 1 min · NJ 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 29 sec
Toward NJ 3 West: Secaucus Use the slight right lane.
12

Keep slight left at fork

453 ft · 7 sec
Toward NJ 3 West: Clifton Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Merge onto NJ 3

5.0 mi · 6 min · NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 54 sec
Toward NJ 21: Paterson, Newark Use the slight right lane.
15

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 14 sec
Toward NJ 21 North, NJ 21 South
16

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Toward NJ 21 North: Paterson Use the slight left lane.
17

Merge onto NJ 21

3.4 mi · 3 min · NJ 21
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Exit 13 Toward Ackerman Avenue, Botany Village, Garfield Use the slight right lane.
19

Turn right onto Ackerman Avenue

421 ft · 11 sec · Ackerman Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
20

Continue on Outwater Lane

0.4 mi · 1 min · Outwater Lane
Use the straight / right lanes.
21

Turn left

25 ft · 1 sec
22

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 19

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 12.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
1.6 mi into trip | ~6m in

Turn right

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
1.6 mi into trip | ~6m in | Boulevard East

Turn left onto Boulevard East

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
8
3.5 mi into trip | ~9m in

Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 3 West: Clifton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
7
8.5 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the exit toward NJ 21: Paterson, Newark

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward NJ 21: Paterson, Newark
8
12.9 mi into trip | ~21m in

Take the exit toward Ackerman Avenue, Botany Village, Garfield

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 13 Toward Ackerman Avenue, Botany Village, Garfiel...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.27 one way

$4.54 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $2.49 $4.98
premium $4.93 $2.66 $5.31
diesel $5.61 $3.02 $6.05

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.1 0 $1.44 $0.66
Efficient EV 3.4 0 $1.20 $0.55
EV Truck/SUV 5.5 0 $1.92 $0.88

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Hoboken, NJ

Late night in Hoboken on Sunday

Local time

12:25 AM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Garfield, NJ

Late night in Garfield on Sunday

Local time

12:25 AM

EDT

Current temp

47°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

2 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

23m 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 highway-centric journey for about 68% of this route. You'll be spending most of your time on major arteries like NJ 3, NJ 21, and NJ 495. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is approximately 5 miles on NJ 3, offering a consistent pace. This isn't a winding country road; it's a practical, efficient drive designed for moving between these two points in New Jersey with minimal fuss.

68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5 mi on NJ 3.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 3 and NJ 21. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 19 decision points packed into just 13.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (Boulevard East): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Hoboken, NJ and Garfield, NJ, road signs point toward Newark and Botany Village.

Newark

8.5 mi in | ~15m

Botany Village

12.9 mi in | ~21m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 13.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

23m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 5 miles on NJ 3. 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 Garfield, 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 1.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (Boulevard East): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area (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 Garfield, 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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