Origin
Montville, NJ
Late night in Montville on Sunday
Local time
12:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montville, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
28.4 mi
46 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montville, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Montville to Elizabeth is 28.4 miles and takes about 39 minutes via NJ 24 and I-287, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused drive entirely within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its short duration and minimal fuel cost, it's an easy half-day trip for most travelers. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, making it a practical option for quick transit or connecting to other journeys.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 24 | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| I 287 | 6.7 mi | 8m |
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| Spring Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Broad Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| North Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| Myrtle Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Hillside Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 24
— 9.3 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Montville, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.
1
Start on US 202
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
Main Road
2
Continue on US 202
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Myrtle Avenue
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 287 South
4
Merge onto I 287
6.7 mi
·
8 min
·
I 287
5
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 37
Toward NJ 24 East: Springfield
Use the slight right lane.
6
Continue on NJ 24
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
NJ 24
Use the straight lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City, Newark
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 78
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 54
Toward Hillside, Irvington
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
Toward Hillside
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on Winans Avenue
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Winans Avenue
13
Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Liberty Avenue
14
Turn left onto CR 628
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Hillside Avenue
15
Continue on CR 628
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Hillside Avenue
16
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broad Street
17
Turn left onto NJ 439
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Avenue
18
Turn right onto Spring Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Spring Street
19
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
East Jersey Street
20
Turn right
34 ft
·
2 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 8.2 and 23.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
8.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward NJ 24 East: Springfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 37
Toward NJ 24 East: Springfield
6
18.2 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City, Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City...
7
18.6 mi into trip
|
~23m 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
8
23.4 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward Hillside, Irvington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 54
Toward Hillside, Irvington
8
23.6 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Hillside
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Hillside
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.71 one way
$9.42 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.16 | $10.31 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.51 | $11.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.27 | $12.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Elizabeth, NJ
Late night in Elizabeth on Sunday
Local time
12:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Chance Rain Showers
W 6 mph
25% 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
10 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
39m 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 highway-focused drive for most of this 28.4-mile journey, with 72% of the route utilizing major highways like NJ 24 and I-287. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.3 miles on NJ 24, offering a consistent pace. The Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway also features prominently. This profile suggests a drive characterized by efficient travel on well-maintained roads, allowing you to cover ground quickly without significant interruptions from local traffic or slower speed limits.
72% 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: 9.3 mi on NJ 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 24 and I 287. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.2 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 15 decision points packed into just 28.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.6 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 Montville, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward New York City, Newark, Hillside and Irvington.
New York City
18.2 mi in
|
~23m
Newark
18.2 mi in
|
~23m
Hillside
23.4 mi in
|
~29m
Irvington
23.4 mi in
|
~29m
About the Cities
Arriving in Elizabeth, NJ
Full guide →Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in New Jersey.
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 39m. Total distance: 28.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on NJ 24. 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 Elizabeth, 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 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.6 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 Elizabeth, 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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