Origin
Linden, NJ
Afternoon in Linden on Sunday
Local time
2:08 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Linden, NJ to Union City, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
18.5 mi
30 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Linden, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick commute or transit between Linden and Union City, expect a straightforward 18.5-mile journey that typically takes about 29 minutes. This route is designed for efficiency, relying heavily on the New Jersey Turnpike and the Eastern Spur to connect these two Northeast municipalities. Because the duration is so brief, you can easily complete this drive in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Budgeting about $3 for fuel should be sufficient for the trip. It is a highly practical, no-nonsense path that prioritizes speed over leisure, making it ideal for those who simply need to get from point A to point B within New Jersey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur | 6.3 mi | 8m |
| New Jersey Turnpike | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| East Edgar Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| I 278 | 1 mi | 1m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| NJ 495 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 30th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Bergenline Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
— 6.3 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Linden, NJ and Union City, NJ.
1
Start on West 12th Street
268 ft
·
13 sec
·
West 12th Street
2
Turn right onto South Stiles Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
South Stiles Street
3
Turn right onto US 1; US 9
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East Edgar Road
Use the right lane.
4
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 278
Toward Goethals Bridge, Staten Island
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I 278
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
I 278
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 95 Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto NJTP
6.3 mi
·
8 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 16E
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on NJ 495
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
·
NJ 495
13
Take the exit
263 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
14
Continue on 30th Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
30th Street
15
Turn left onto CR 501
296 ft
·
16 sec
·
John F Kennedy Boulevard
16
Continue on CR 501
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
17
Turn right onto 47th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
47th Street
18
At end of road, turn right onto Bergenline Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bergenline Avenue
19
Turn right onto 45th Street
64 ft
·
2 sec
·
45th Street
20
Arrive at destination
45th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 1.5 and 15.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 278
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278 toward Goethals Bridge, Staten Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Goethals Bridge, Staten Island
6
2.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 95 Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
6
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North, NJTP North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North
6
3.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
7
15.6 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 16E
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.07 one way
$6.13 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.36 | $6.72 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.59 | $7.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.08 | $8.17 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.68
New Jersey Turnpike
(12 mi)
$1.68
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$2
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.94 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.59 | $1.18 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Union City, NJ
Afternoon in Union City on Sunday
Local time
2:08 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Chance Rain Showers
NW 10 mph
26% chance
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
17 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
29m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a high-speed, highway-focused experience, as roughly 73% of your time behind the wheel will be spent on major roadways. You will navigate a mix of East Edgar Road and the New Jersey Turnpike system, which keeps the flow consistent and fast. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 6.3-mile run along the New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur. Because this is primarily an interstate-heavy route, the drive feels utilitarian and focused rather than leisurely. Prepare for a steady, rhythmic pace as you transition between these major arteries on your way toward Union City.
73% 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: 6.3 mi on New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur and New Jersey Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in near I 278.
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 14 decision points packed into just 18.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (I 278): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Linden, NJ and Union City, NJ, road signs point toward Staten Island and Njtp North.
Staten Island
1.5 mi in
|
~3m
|
via I 278
Njtp North
2.9 mi in
|
~5m
About the Cities
Starting in Linden, NJ
Full guide →Linden is a city of 42,000 people (2019) in New Jersey. Linden is a regional hub of Polish immigration and features a significant number of establishments featuring the food and culture of Poland.
Arriving in Union City, NJ
Full guide →Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey. Union City is a small city, roughly 1.283 square miles. It is bordered by Weehawken to the east, Jersey City to the south, North Bergen to the west and north, and West New York to the north.
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 29m. Total distance: 18.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.3 miles on New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.68 in tolls one way, starting with New Jersey Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Union City, 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 1.5 miles (I 278): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls 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 Union City, 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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