Origin
North Plainfield, NJ
Afternoon in North Plainfield on Sunday
Local time
1:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Plainfield, NJ to Jersey 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
35m
Distance
24 mi
39 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Plainfield, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning just 25.8 miles, the trip from North Plainfield to Jersey City is a straightforward transit across New Jersey. You can easily complete this journey in about 35 minutes, making it a perfect one-day excursion that requires no overnight planning. With an estimated fuel cost of only $4, it remains a budget-friendly way to navigate between these two Northeast locations. Because the route avoids highways entirely, you should prepare for a steady, local pace rather than high-speed interstate travel. This drive is ideal if you prefer simple, direct navigation over complex highway interchanges.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 13.3 mi | 15m |
| US 1 Truck | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| US 22 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| US 1 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| New Providence Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Duncan Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Diamond Hill Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
— 13.3 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Plainfield, NJ and Jersey City, NJ.
1
Start on Norwood Avenue
100 ft
·
2 sec
·
Norwood Avenue
2
Continue on North Drive
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Drive
3
Turn right onto US 22
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
US 22
4
Take the exit
242 ft
·
6 sec
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on Park Avenue
151 ft
·
5 sec
·
Park Avenue
Use the right lane.
6
Turn right
391 ft
·
18 sec
7
Turn slight right onto New Providence Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
New Providence Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on CR 655
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Diamond Hill Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 78 East: Newark
Use the right lane.
10
Merge onto I 78
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 78
7.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City
Use the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto I 78
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 58A-B
Toward NJTP, I 95, US 1-9, NJ 21, US 22: Port Newark
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 78
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 58B
Toward US 1-9 North: Frontage Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 1-9 North
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
18
Merge onto US 1; US 9
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1; US 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1-9 Truck North, I 95, NJTP: Jersey City, New Jersey Turnpike
20
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1, US 9 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Use the left lane.
22
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Duncan Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Turn left onto Olean Avenue
316 ft
·
13 sec
·
Olean Avenue
24
Arrive at destination
Olean Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 205 decision points cluster between mile 16 and 20.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
16 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City
8
17.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward NJTP, I 95, US 1-9, NJ 21, US 22: Port Newark
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 58A-B
Toward NJTP, I 95, US 1-9, NJ 21, US 22: Port N...
7
18.1 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward US 1-9 North: Frontage Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 58B
Toward US 1-9 North: Frontage Road
8
18.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 1-9 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 1-9 North
8
20.9 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck toward US 1, US 9 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 1, US 9 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.98 one way
$7.96 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.36 | $8.72 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.65 | $9.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.30 | $10.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.10 | $0.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Jersey City, NJ
Afternoon in Jersey City on Sunday
Local time
1:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
4 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
35m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel from start to finish. Since your highway share is 0%, you will spend the entire 35-minute duration navigating surface streets rather than cruising on an open expressway. You will primarily utilize North Drive, Park Avenue, and New Providence Road to reach your destination. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 0 miles on North Drive, meaning you should anticipate frequent turns and consistent urban maneuvering throughout the trip. This is a hands-on driving experience that requires your full attention as you transition through the local road network.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and US 1 Truck. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 16 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 20 decision points packed into just 24 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 16 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 North Plainfield, NJ and Jersey City, NJ, road signs point toward New York City, Njtp, Njtp: Jersey City and New Jersey Turnpike.
New York City
16 mi in
|
~21m
Njtp
17.1 mi in
|
~23m
Njtp: Jersey City
20.7 mi in
|
~29m
|
via US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
New Jersey Turnpike
20.7 mi in
|
~29m
|
via US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
About the Cities
Arriving in Jersey City, NJ
Full guide →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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 24 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.3 miles on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. 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 Jersey 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 16 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Jersey 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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