Origin
Madison, NJ
Morning in Madison on Sunday
Local time
10:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Madison, NJ to Jersey 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
32m
Distance
21 mi
34 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 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Madison, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Madison, NJ to Jersey City, NJ is 21 miles and takes about 32m via Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive primarily within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The route is largely highway-focused, making it a quick and efficient option for transit between these locations. Given its brevity, this trip is ideal for a same-day excursion with minimal planning required.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 8.7 mi | 10m |
| Main Street | 3 mi | 7m |
| US 1 Truck | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| NJ 24 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| US 1 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Duncan Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| NJ 124 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Olean Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
— 8.7 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Madison, NJ and Jersey City, NJ.
1
Start on NJ 124
3.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Main Street
2
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 124
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
NJ 124
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward NJ 24 East
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
4
Merge onto NJ 24
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
NJ 24
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City, Newark
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 78
8.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 58B
Toward US 1-9 North: Frontage Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 1-9 North
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 1; US 9
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1; US 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1-9 Truck North, I 95, NJTP: Jersey City, New Jersey Turnpike
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1, US 9 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Duncan Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto Olean Avenue
316 ft
·
13 sec
·
Olean Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
Olean Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 6.2 and 19.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
6.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
7
15.1 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward US 1-9 North: Frontage Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 58B
Toward US 1-9 North: Frontage Road
8
15.3 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 1-9 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 1-9 North
8
17.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck toward US 1, US 9 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 1, US 9 North
7
19.9 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.48 one way
$6.96 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.81 | $7.63 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.07 | $8.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.64 | $9.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.01 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.84 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Jersey City, NJ
Morning in Jersey City on Sunday
Local time
10:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
5 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
32m 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?
This route is predominantly highway-focused, with 78% of the drive utilizing major roadways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, including the longest continuous stretch of 8.7 miles. Expect a relatively fast pace for most of the journey, punctuated by transitions onto local roads like Main Street and US 1 Truck as you near your destination. The overall character is efficient and direct, designed for getting from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.7 mi on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and Main Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.2 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 14 decision points packed into just 21 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.3 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Madison, NJ and Jersey City, NJ, road signs point toward New York City, Newark, Njtp: Jersey City and New Jersey Turnpike.
New York City
5.8 mi in
|
~10m
Newark
5.8 mi in
|
~10m
Njtp: Jersey City
17.6 mi in
|
~26m
|
via US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
New Jersey Turnpike
17.6 mi in
|
~26m
|
via US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
About the Cities
Arriving 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 32m. Total distance: 21 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.7 miles on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. 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 Jersey 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 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (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 Jersey 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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