Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
30.4 mi
49 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Brunswick, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
If you are planning to travel the 30.4 miles from New Brunswick to Jersey City, expect a quick transit of approximately 43 minutes. This trip is ideally suited as a single-day excursion, as the modest distance requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via the New Jersey Turnpike, State Route 18, and the Lincoln Highway. Budgeting about $5 for fuel should comfortably cover the entire journey through this Northeast corridor. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a day of exploration, this route offers a straightforward connection between these two New Jersey hubs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike | 22.1 mi | 27m |
| Lincoln Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| State Route 18 | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| US 1 Truck | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Livingston Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Duncan Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| New Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between New Brunswick, NJ and Jersey City, NJ.
Start on Delavan Street
Turn left onto CR 691
Turn right onto New Street
Continue on New Street
Turn straight onto Burnet Street
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on this road
Merge onto NJ 18
Continue on NJ 18; CR 527
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
Turn left onto Olean Avenue
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 27.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward NJTP Toll, I 95 Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Newark, Jersey City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North: Jersey City, Doremus Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Jersey City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$5.04 one way
$10.08 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.52 | $11.04 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.90 | $11.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.71 | $13.42 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.25
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: 10.6 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 | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.66 | $1.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.26 | $1.95 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in New Brunswick on Tuesday
Local time
6:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Scattered Rain Showers
Destination
Morning in Jersey City on Tuesday
Local time
6:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
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.
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 83% of this route consists of high-speed transit. You will spend the bulk of your time on the New Jersey Turnpike, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 22.1 miles. The road’s personality is defined by efficient, fast-paced travel rather than leisurely backroads. While you start in New Brunswick, the transition toward Jersey City maintains a consistent, industrial-adjacent pace typical of these major thoroughfares. Navigating these sections requires staying alert, as the volume of traffic on the Turnpike often dictates the flow of the drive.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike and Lincoln Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in.
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 30.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
244 ft
Total Descent
297 ft
Highest Point
143 ft
~10.2 mi in
Elevation Range
146 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between New Brunswick, NJ and Jersey City, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp Toll and Njtp North: New York City.
Njtp Toll
Njtp North: New York City
Jersey City is New Jersey's second-largest city. Jersey City sits in Hudson County in the northeastern section of the state, across the Hudson from its older and bigger cousin, New York City, and south of Hoboken. It is frequently referred to as New York’s “sixth borough”. Until the early 1600s, the area was inhabited by Lenape Indians. The Dutch then settled here as a part of the colony of New Amsterdam. It evolved into an industrial powerhouse, with railroads winding up and down the city (some of these lines are still used today). Although Jersey City declined in the 1960s, an upswing began in the 1980s, and the city was transformed into what it is today.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 30.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m 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.
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.
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