Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 36m
Distance
76.5 mi
123 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Magnolia, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
If you are planning a trip from Magnolia to Elizabeth, you are looking at a straightforward 76.5-mile journey through the Northeast. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 36 minutes behind the wheel, making this a very manageable one-day excursion that does not require an overnight stay. You will primarily utilize the New Jersey Turnpike, I-295, and Warwick Road North to complete the transit. With fuel costs estimated at around $13, this is a budget-friendly option for those needing to move between these two New Jersey locations. Because the trip is relatively short, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule rather than worrying about mid-trip lodging.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
38.2 miles from Magnolia, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 48m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike | 63.4 mi | 1h 13m |
| I 295 | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| Warwick Road North | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| US 1 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Bayway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Broad Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Evesham Avenue West | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Jersey Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Magnolia, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.
Start on Walnut Avenue North
Turn left onto CR 544
Turn left onto CR 669
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 295
Take the exit
Merge onto NJ 73
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto NJTP
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP
Take the exit
Turn straight
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on NJ 439
Turn right onto CR 623
Turn right onto US 1; US 9
Turn right
Turn right
Turn right
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Since this is a quick 1-hour and 36-minute sprint, you do not need to worry about extensive pacing or multiple rest stops. However, traffic patterns on the New Jersey Turnpike can fluctuate significantly, so checking live updates before you depart is a smart move to avoid unnecessary delays. Keep in mind that there are zero mandatory stops on this 76.5-mile route, allowing you to power through if you prefer to reach Elizabeth without interruption. Because fuel costs are low at approximately $13, you can easily top off your tank before you leave Magnolia to avoid stopping mid-trip. Use the inherent flexibility of this short distance to time your departure outside of local peak traffic hours for the smoothest experience possible.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 17 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.2 miles or 48m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elizabeth, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Magnolia, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Magnolia, NJ
This is one driving day of about 76.5 miles and 1h 36m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
38 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 38.2 miles from Magnolia, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before New Jersey Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.4 miles.
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 1.8 and 72.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Merge onto I 295
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward NJ 73 South: Berlin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward NJTP North: New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 278: Elizabeth, Staten Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$12.68 one way
$25.37 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $13.89 | $27.78 |
| premium | $4.93 | $14.84 | $29.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.89 | $33.78 |
Estimated Tolls: $8.87
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Tolls
$9
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23 | 0 | $8.03 | $3.67 |
| Efficient EV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.69 | $3.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.6 | 0 | $10.71 | $4.90 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Magnolia on Sunday
Local time
12:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Elizabeth on Sunday
Local time
12:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Historical Park
Today, the brick buildings on Main Street in West Orange, NJ seem quiet, betraying little evidence of the research, development, and innovation of their heyday. Visitors can step back in time to Thoma...
National Recreation Area
Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for...
National Historical Park
Silk cloth and steam locomotives; textiles and continuous paper rolls; firearms and aircraft engines. What do these things have in common? All were manufactured in the same place - Paterson, NJ. In 17...
National Historical Park
Morristown National Historical Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental Army’s winter encampment from December 1779 to June 1780, where soldiers survived the coldest winte...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 92% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will quickly settle into a steady rhythm, highlighted by a significant 63.4-mile stretch along the New Jersey Turnpike. While the route lacks the complexity of winding backroads, it provides a consistent, high-speed connection between your start and end points. You should anticipate a fairly utilitarian experience, as the road is designed for efficiency rather than leisurely sightseeing. By sticking to these primary arteries, you maximize your speed and minimize the navigation headaches often associated with local surface streets.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike and I 295. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near I 295.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 76.5 miles you will encounter 20 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 1.8 miles (I 295): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
0 ft
Total Descent
49 ft
Highest Point
78 ft
Elevation Range
49 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Magnolia, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp: New Jersey Turnpike, Njtp North: New York and Staten Island.
Njtp: New Jersey Turnpike
Njtp North: New York
Staten Island
Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in New Jersey.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 36m. Total distance: 76.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Magnolia, NJ or browse trips ending in Elizabeth, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.
