Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
56.7 mi
91 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jersey City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Pennington, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Jersey City, NJ to Pennington, NJ covers 56.7 miles and takes about 1h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 1, New Jersey Turnpike, I 295 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 22 miles on US 1. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.47 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 1 | 22 mi | 30m |
| New Jersey Turnpike | 19.8 mi | 23m |
| I 295 | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| US 1 Truck | 3 mi | 5m |
| Pennington Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| South Main Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| State Route 18 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Duncan Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,603 veh/hr typical · worst 4,207
Quietest
2 AM
~77 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
46.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 98 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Jersey City, NJ and Pennington, NJ.
Start on Olean Avenue
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
Turn left onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Merge onto US 1; US 9
Take the exit
Merge onto I 78
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95/NJTP North Tolls
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto NJ 18; CR 527
Take the exit
Merge onto US 1
Continue on US 1
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
Continue on US 1
Take the exit
Merge onto I 295
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto NJ 31
Enter roundabout onto CR 640
Continue on CR 640
Continue on CR 640
Turn right onto East Delaware Avenue
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 28.3 miles from Jersey City, 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 6.3 and 54 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward NJ 18 East, US 1 East: New Brunswick
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick, Rutgers University
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward NJ 31: Ewing, Pennington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 31 North: Pennington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$9.47 one way
$18.95 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $10.43 | $20.85 |
| premium | $5.01 | $11.19 | $22.38 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $12.50 | $25.00 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.78
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$3
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17 | 0 | $5.95 | $2.72 |
| Efficient EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.96 | $2.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.7 | 0 | $7.94 | $3.63 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Jersey City on Tuesday
Local time
11:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Night in Pennington on Tuesday
Local time
11:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Mostly Sunny
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.
56.7 mi in 1h 21m, mostly highway — 22 mi of that is on US 1.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 1 and New Jersey Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.3 miles in.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.7 miles you will encounter 28 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 6.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
297 ft
Total Descent
121 ft
Highest Point
209 ft
~56.7 mi in
Elevation Range
200 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Jersey City, NJ and Pennington, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp: New Jersey Turnpike Toll, Njtp South: Trenton, Rutgers University and Trenton.
Njtp: New Jersey Turnpike Toll
Njtp South: Trenton
Rutgers University
Trenton
Founded 1609
Jersey City is New Jersey's second-largest city. Jersey City sits in Hudson County in the northeastern section of the state, across the Hudson from its older and bigger cousin, New York City, and south of Hoboken. It is frequently referred to as New York’s “sixth borough”. Until the early 1600s, the area was inhabited by Lenape Indians. The Dutch then settled here as a part of the colony of New Amsterdam. It evolved into an industrial powerhouse, with railroads winding up and down the city (some of these lines are still used today). Although Jersey City declined in the 1960s, an upswing began in the 1980s, and the city was transformed into what it is today.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 56.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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