Origin
Old Bridge, NJ
Morning in Old Bridge on Sunday
Local time
6:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Old Bridge, 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
51m
Distance
37.3 mi
60 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Old Bridge, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Old Bridge to Union City, expect a straightforward 37.3-mile journey through the Northeast. Under normal traffic conditions, this drive takes approximately 51 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You will spend the vast majority of your time on major arterial roads, specifically the New Jersey Turnpike and State Route 18. With a fuel cost of just $6, this is an incredibly economical route to navigate. Because the distance is relatively short, there is no need to plan for overnight stays or complex logistics. It is a practical, efficient corridor that links these two New Jersey locations without requiring significant travel time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike | 22.1 mi | 27m |
| New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| State Route 18 | 4.7 mi | 5m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| NJ 495 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 30th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Old Bridge Turnpike | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Bergenline Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New Jersey Turnpike
— 22.1 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Old Bridge, NJ and Union City, NJ.
1
Start on CR 615
400 ft
·
12 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto CR 527
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Old Bridge Turnpike
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
4
Merge onto NJ 18
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
State Route 18
5
Take the exit
487 ft
·
20 sec
Toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
6
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
50 sec
·
this road
Toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
9
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
22 mi
·
27 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
10
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 16E
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on NJ 495
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
·
NJ 495
13
Take the exit
263 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
14
Continue on 30th Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
30th Street
15
Turn left onto CR 501
296 ft
·
16 sec
·
John F Kennedy Boulevard
16
Continue on CR 501
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
17
Turn right onto 47th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
47th Street
18
At end of road, turn right onto Bergenline Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bergenline Avenue
19
Turn right onto 45th Street
64 ft
·
2 sec
·
45th Street
20
Arrive at destination
45th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.6 miles from Old Bridge, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 5.1 and 35.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
5.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: New Jersey Turnpik...
9
5.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
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
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
6
28.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
34.4 mi into trip
|
~45m 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
6
35.9 mi into trip
|
~47m 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
$6.18 one way
$12.37 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.77 | $13.55 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.23 | $14.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.24 | $16.47 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.97
New Jersey Turnpike
(28.3 mi)
$3.97
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$4
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.92 | $1.79 |
| Efficient EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.26 | $1.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.39 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
6:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
51°F
Concord, NY
19 mi in
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
24 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
51m 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 classic highway-focused experience, as 90% of this route consists of high-speed transit. You will spend your time navigating the New Jersey Turnpike and the New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur, which keep the drive moving at a consistent pace. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 22.1 miles, allowing you to settle into a rhythm once you merge onto the main highway. While the route begins with a brief stint on State Route 18, it quickly transitions into a purely interstate-driven environment. You will find this to be a functional, utilitarian drive rather than a winding scenic byway, designed for getting you to your destination with minimal interference.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.1 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 around 5.1 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 37.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.2 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
174 ft
-4 ft
Total Climb
351 ft
Total Descent
189 ft
Highest Point
174 ft
~37.3 mi in
Elevation Range
178 ft
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 Old Bridge, NJ and Union City, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp Toll: New Jersey Turnpike and Njtp North: New York City.
Njtp Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
5.1 mi in
|
~6m
Njtp North: New York City
5.4 mi in
|
~8m
About the Cities
Starting in Old Bridge, NJ
Full guide →Old Bridge is a town in Middlesex County, New Jersey.
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 51m. Total distance: 37.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.1 miles on New Jersey Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.97 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 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 5.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.2 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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