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Trip from Metuchen, NJ to West New York, NJ

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

46m

Distance

30.7 mi

49 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

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 43m ★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Metuchen, NJ, NJ

Metuchen, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States

West New York, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Metuchen, NJ to West New York, NJ is 30.7 miles and takes about 46 minutes via New Jersey Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily focused on major New Jersey highways. You'll be traveling within the Northeast region, moving between two locations in New Jersey. Expect a relatively quick journey that's ideal for those looking to cover ground efficiently without a long commitment. The route is mostly highway, making it a practical choice for a direct connection between these two points.

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 0.9 mi 2m
I 287 0.7 mi <1m
Bergenline Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
NJ 495 0.5 mi <1m
30th Street 0.2 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 West New York, 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

0.9 mi · 2 min · John F. Kennedy Boulevard
18

Turn right onto 49th Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · 49th Street
19

At end of road, turn left onto Bergenline Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Bergenline Avenue
20

Turn right onto 60th Street

0.1 mi · 18 sec · 60th Street
21

Arrive at destination

60th Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

most populous city in the United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

New York City, NY

15 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

New York City, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 30.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 15.3 miles from Metuchen, 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 16

5 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

$5.09 one way

$10.18 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $5.57 $11.15
premium $4.93 $5.95 $11.91
diesel $5.61 $6.78 $13.56

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: 10.7 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 9.2 0 $3.22 $1.47
Efficient EV 7.7 0 $2.69 $1.23
EV Truck/SUV 12.3 0 $4.30 $1.96

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Metuchen, NJ

Morning in Metuchen on Sunday

Local time

10:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

West New York, NJ

Morning in West New York on Sunday

Local time

10:58 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

46m 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 81% of the journey taking place on major roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.4 miles along the New Jersey Turnpike. You'll experience a consistent driving pace for the majority of this trip, characterized by the efficiency of the Turnpike and its Eastern Spur. While the profile is predominantly highway, be prepared for the typical traffic patterns associated with these busy arteries as you approach your destination.

81% 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 30.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.

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.

Between Metuchen, NJ and West New York, 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

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 30.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

46m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (81%). 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 West New York, 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 West New York, 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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