Origin
Jersey City, NJ
Morning in Jersey City on Sunday
Local time
7:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Jersey City, NJ to Wharton, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
34.2 mi
55 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wharton, NJ
Alexa V. Mato
Trip Overview
This straightforward 34.2-mile drive from Jersey City, NJ to Wharton, NJ takes about 47 minutes and is easily manageable as a single-day trip. You'll navigate primarily on the Essex Freeway and Christopher Columbus Highway, with a 44% highway share, making it a practical option for a quick journey within the Northeast region. With an estimated fuel cost of just $6, this route is budget-friendly. It's a direct path that doesn't require overnight stays, offering flexibility for your schedule. Consider this a convenient, no-fuss option for getting between these two New Jersey locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Essex Freeway | 12.5 mi | 15m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 12 mi | 13m |
| Raymond Boulevard | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| US 1 Truck | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| North Main Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Orange Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Duncan Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Lock Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Essex Freeway
— 12.5 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jersey City, NJ and Wharton, NJ.
1
Start on Olean Avenue
316 ft
·
15 sec
·
Olean Avenue
2
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Duncan Avenue
3
Turn left onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Use the left lane.
4
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1 South, US 9 South: Newark Airport, Port Newark Elizabeth Seaport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on Raymond Boulevard
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Raymond Boulevard
Toward Raymond Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Continue on Raymond Boulevard
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Raymond Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on Lock Street
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Lock Street
8
Continue on Nesbitt Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Nesbitt Street
9
Turn left onto Orange Street
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
Orange Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 280 West: Garden State Parkway
Use the left lane.
11
Merge onto I 280
13 mi
·
15 min
·
Essex Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 280 West, I 80 West
13
Merge onto I 80
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 34A
Toward NJ 15 South: Wharton
Use the right lane.
15
Turn straight onto NJ 15
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
West Union Turnpike
16
Turn right onto CR 642
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
East Dewey Avenue
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn left onto CR 634 Alt
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Chegwidden Way
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left onto CR 634
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
Use the left lane.
19
Arrive at destination
CR 634
Where to Stop
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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.1 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 32.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck toward US 1 South, US 9 South: Newark Airport, Port Newark Elizabeth Seaport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 1 South, US 9 South: Newark Airport,...
6
7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the ramp toward I 280 West: Garden State Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 280 West: Garden State Parkway
6
19.9 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 280 West, I 80 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 280 West, I 80 West
7
32.3 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward NJ 15 South: Wharton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 34A
Toward NJ 15 South: Wharton
6
32.8 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
CR 642 / East Dewey Avenue
Turn right onto CR 642 / East Dewey Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.67 one way
$11.34 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.21 | $12.42 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.63 | $13.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.55 | $15.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.59 | $1.64 |
| Efficient EV | 8.6 | 0 | $2.99 | $1.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Wharton, NJ
Morning in Wharton on Sunday
Local time
7:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
51°F
Concord, NY
17 mi in
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
6 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
47m 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 mixed drive on this route, blending highway speeds with surface streets. The highway share is 44%, meaning you'll experience both faster sections and more localized driving. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 12.5 miles on the Essex Freeway, offering a period of consistent travel. The route progresses by moving from major freeways like the Essex Freeway and Christopher Columbus Highway onto roads like Raymond Boulevard, gradually transitioning the driving experience. This blend means you won't be on a monotonous interstate for the entire trip.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.5 mi on Essex Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 34.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Jersey City, NJ
Full guide →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.
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 47m. Total distance: 34.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.5 miles on Essex Freeway. 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 Wharton, 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 0.9 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (5 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 Wharton, 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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