Origin
Metuchen, NJ
Morning in Metuchen on Sunday
Local time
10:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Metuchen, 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
44m
Distance
30.1 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Metuchen, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Metuchen to Union City is 30.1 miles and takes about 44 minutes via New Jersey Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive entirely within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its short duration, it's ideal for a same-day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. You'll primarily be on major highways, making it a quick and efficient journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike | 17.4 mi | 21m |
| New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Main Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| I 287 | 0.7 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
— 17.4 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Metuchen, NJ and Union City, NJ.
1
Start on NJ 27
209 ft
·
13 sec
·
Middlesex Avenue
2
Turn right onto CR 531
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
4
Merge onto US 1
147 ft
·
2 sec
·
US 1
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 287 South, NJ 440 South: Staten Island, Raritan Center, Perth Amboy
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 287
0.7 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 287
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95, NJTP: New Jersey Turnpike
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
263 ft
·
6 sec
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 95 North: New York
10
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
17 mi
·
21 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
11
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 16E
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on NJ 495
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
·
NJ 495
14
Take the exit
263 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
15
Continue on 30th Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
30th Street
16
Turn left onto CR 501
296 ft
·
16 sec
·
John F Kennedy Boulevard
17
Continue on CR 501
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
18
Turn right onto 47th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
47th Street
19
At end of road, turn right onto Bergenline Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bergenline Avenue
20
Turn right onto 45th Street
64 ft
·
2 sec
·
45th Street
21
Arrive at destination
45th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 27.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 531 / Main Street
Turn right onto CR 531 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 287 South, NJ 440 South: Staten Island, Raritan Center, Perth Amboy
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 287 South, NJ 440 South: Staten Island...
7
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward I 95, NJTP: New Jersey Turnpike
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95, NJTP: New Jersey Turnpike
8
3.2 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York
7
27.1 mi into trip
|
~38m 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
$4.99 one way
$9.98 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.47 | $10.93 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.84 | $11.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.65 | $13.29 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.31
New Jersey Turnpike
(23.6 mi)
$3.31
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$3
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.16 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.21 | $1.93 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Morning in Union City on Sunday
Local time
10:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
1 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
44m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 83% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 17.4 miles on the New Jersey Turnpike, offering a consistent pace. Expect a driving profile that emphasizes speed and efficiency rather than winding backroads. The primary roads like the New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur and Main Street are well-maintained and designed for substantial traffic flow.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.4 mi on New Jersey Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike and New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 531 / Main Street.
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 16 decision points packed into just 30.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 531 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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 Metuchen, NJ and Union City, NJ, road signs point toward Raritan Center, Perth Amboy, Njtp: New Jersey Turnpike and Njtp North: New York.
Raritan Center
1.7 mi in
|
~4m
Perth Amboy
1.7 mi in
|
~4m
Njtp: New Jersey Turnpike
2.8 mi in
|
~5m
Njtp North: New York
3.2 mi in
|
~7m
About the Cities
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 44m. Total distance: 30.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.4 miles on New Jersey Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.31 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: near the start (CR 531 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Union City, NJ
More trips to Union City, NJ
Explore more options from Metuchen, NJ or browse trips ending in Union City, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.