Origin
Mount Arlington, NJ
Morning in Mount Arlington on Sunday
Local time
6:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mount Arlington, 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
56m
Distance
43.5 mi
70 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mount Arlington, NJ
Tom Fisk
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Mount Arlington to Union City is 43.5 miles and takes about 56 minutes via Christopher Columbus Highway, NJ 3, and US 46, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. You'll experience a mixed drive, mostly on highways, making it a straightforward commute rather than a leisurely exploration. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a single-day trip when you need to get from one point to the other efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 18.6 mi | 20m |
| NJ 3 | 10.5 mi | 11m |
| US 46 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Rt 15 South | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Howard Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Espanong Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Edison Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Christopher Columbus Highway
— 18.6 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Arlington, NJ and Union City, NJ.
1
Start on Mountainview Avenue
36 ft
·
4 sec
·
Mountainview Avenue
2
Turn right onto CR 615
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Howard Boulevard
3
Continue on CR 615
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Espanong Road
4
Turn right onto CR 615
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Edison Road
5
Keep slight right at fork onto Edison Road
379 ft
·
7 sec
·
Edison Road
6
Take the ramp
257 ft
·
7 sec
7
Merge onto NJ 15
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Rt 15 South
Use the right lane.
8
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 80 East: New York
9
Merge onto I 80
19 mi
·
20 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 53
Toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto US 46
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
12
Continue on US 46
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn slight left onto NJ 3
11 mi
·
11 min
·
NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel, Kennedy Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Merge onto NJ 495
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
NJ 495
16
Take the exit
263 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
17
Continue on 30th Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
30th Street
18
Turn left onto CR 501
296 ft
·
16 sec
·
John F Kennedy Boulevard
19
Continue on CR 501
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
20
Turn right onto 47th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
47th Street
21
At end of road, turn right onto Bergenline Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bergenline Avenue
22
Turn right onto 45th Street
64 ft
·
2 sec
·
45th Street
23
Arrive at destination
45th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.8 miles from Mount Arlington, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 3.8 and 42.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
NJ 15 / Rt 15 South
Merge onto NJ 15 / Rt 15 South
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
8.3 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 80 / Christopher Columbus Highway
Merge onto I 80 / Christopher Columbus Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
26.9 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
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 53
Toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunn...
7
41.6 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel, Kennedy Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel, Kennedy Bou...
7
42.2 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward Kennedy Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.21 one way
$14.42 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.90 | $15.80 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.44 | $16.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.60 | $19.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13 | 0 | $4.57 | $2.09 |
| Efficient EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.09 | $2.78 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Union City, NJ
Morning in Union City on Sunday
Local time
6:26 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
7 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
56m 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 drive offers a mixed bag of road types, with 42% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches of faster-paced driving, particularly on the Christopher Columbus Highway, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted segment at 18.6 miles. As you progress, expect the road to transition, likely incorporating more local road sections and traffic lights as you approach your destination. The overall feel is one of efficient travel, moving you across the state with minimal fuss.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.6 mi on Christopher Columbus Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.8 miles in near NJ 15 / Rt 15 South.
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 17 decision points packed into just 43.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.8 miles (NJ 15 / Rt 15 South): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles (I 80 / Christopher Columbus Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.9 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.
On the drive from Mount Arlington, NJ to Union City, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Clifton along the way.
Clifton
26.9 mi in
|
~35m
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 56m. Total distance: 43.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.6 miles on Christopher Columbus Highway. 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 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: at 3.8 miles (NJ 15 / Rt 15 South): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles (I 80 / Christopher Columbus Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park (5 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.
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