Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
51.8 mi
83 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
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.
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Cranbury, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Paterson to Cranbury is 51.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 12 minutes via the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within New Jersey, traversing the Northeast region of the state. It's a largely straightforward drive that's well-suited for a single-day trip, primarily utilizing major parkways and turnpikes. Expect a consistent driving experience as you head south towards your destination.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 23.8 mi | 33m |
| New Jersey Turnpike | 16.4 mi | 18m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| NJ 19 | 2 mi | 2m |
| South River Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Cranbury-South River Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Exit 8A | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Exit 129 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Cranbury, NJ.
Start on Colt Street
Turn right onto Ellison Street
Turn right onto Memorial Drive
Turn right
Turn straight onto Ward Street
Continue on NJ 19
Turn slight left onto NJ 19
Take the exit
Merge onto GSP
Continue on Garden State Parkway
Take the exit onto Exit 129
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
Take the exit onto Exit 8A
Keep slight right at fork
Turn left onto CR 535
Continue on CR 535
Turn slight right onto CR 535
Turn left onto US 130; CR 535
Turn slight right onto CR 535
Turn right onto CR 535
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 25.9 miles from Paterson, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 29.4 and 48.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit onto Exit 129 toward I 95, NJTP, US 9, NJ 440, I 287: New York City, Philadelphia, Woodbridge, Perth Amboy
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, NJTP: New York City, Philadelphia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit onto Exit 8A toward NJ 32: Jamesburg, Cranbury
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 CR 535: Cranbury, South Brunswick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$8.70 one way
$17.40 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.86 | $9.91 | $19.81 |
| premium | $5.16 | $10.52 | $21.03 |
| diesel | $6.34 | $12.93 | $25.86 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.87
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$4
Total
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.1 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.44 | $2.49 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.53 | $2.07 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.7 | 0 | $7.25 | $3.32 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Paterson on Saturday
Local time
1:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Afternoon in Cranbury on Saturday
Local time
1:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Cloudy
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.
This drive is 86% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on high-speed roads. The longest continuous stretch on the Garden State Parkway is 23.8 miles. You'll notice the transition from the parkway to the New Jersey Turnpike, which features a higher density of exits and traffic as you head south. The profile is mostly highway, so expect limited opportunities for surface street navigation.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 29.4 miles in near Exit 129.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.8 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 29.4 miles (Exit 129): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
284 ft
Total Descent
266 ft
Highest Point
180 ft
~7.4 mi in
Elevation Range
133 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Paterson, NJ and Cranbury, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp South, Njtp, Philadelphia, Woodbridge, Perth Amboy and Njtp: New York City - among others.
Gsp South
Njtp
Philadelphia
Woodbridge
Perth Amboy
Njtp: New York City
Njtp South: Trenton
Cr 535: Cranbury
Brunswick
Founded 1792
For the township in the Hunter region of New South Wales, see Paterson (New South Wales). Paterson is New Jersey's third largest city (about 155,000 inhabitants as of 2022), and hosts a great attraction: the Great Falls, which are very extensive and second only to Niagara Falls in terms of volume of water in waterfalls east of the Mississippi. Paterson is 12 miles away from Manhattan. It is an ethnically diverse city that houses large Hispanic, Arab, Italian-American, African American and Bengali communities. South Paterson is home to one of the nation's largest Arab communities.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 51.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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