Origin
Phillipsburg, NJ
Morning in Phillipsburg on Sunday
Local time
8:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Phillipsburg, NJ to New Brunswick, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
48.4 mi
78 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Phillipsburg, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
New Brunswick, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 48.4-mile drive from Phillipsburg to New Brunswick, New Jersey, is a straightforward local journey that typically takes about 56 minutes. With no highway driving involved and a fuel cost estimated at $8, it's an economical and manageable trip. Considering its short duration and local road profile, this route is perfectly suited for a single day trip. The drive stays entirely within the Northeast region of the US, specifically within New Jersey, offering a consistent regional experience. It's a practical choice for a quick transit between these two points, requiring no overnight stays and allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 25.8 mi | 29m |
| I 287 | 10.4 mi | 11m |
| River Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| US 22 | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| John A. Lynch Memorial Bridge | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Memorial Parkway | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Livingston Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Ramp to I-287 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
— 25.8 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Phillipsburg, NJ and New Brunswick, NJ.
1
Start on Hudson Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Hudson Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto Warren Street
155 ft
·
8 sec
·
Warren Street
3
Turn right onto US 22
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Memorial Parkway
4
Turn straight onto US 22
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
US 22
Toward New York
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit onto US 22
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
US 22
Toward I 78, US 22 East
6
Keep slight left at fork onto US 22
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 22
Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: New York
Use the slight left lane.
7
Merge onto I 78; US 22
26 mi
·
29 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto Ramp to I-287
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
Ramp to I-287
Exit 29
Toward I 287: Morristown, Somerville
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.8 mi
·
54 sec
Toward I 287 South: Somerville
10
Merge onto I 287
10 mi
·
11 min
·
I 287
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 9
Toward River Road, Bound Brook, Highland Park
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward Highland Park
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
14
Turn straight onto CR 622
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
River Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward NJ 18 South: New Brunswick
Use the right lane.
16
Merge onto NJ 18
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
John A. Lynch Memorial Bridge
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward New Brunswick, New Street, Paul Robeson Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
18
Turn straight onto Burnet Street
364 ft
·
6 sec
·
Burnet Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn slight right
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
Toward New Street, Arts and Business District
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Continue on New Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
New Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Turn left onto Livingston Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Livingston Avenue
22
Turn right onto Delavan Street
68 ft
·
3 sec
·
Delavan Street
23
Arrive at destination
Delavan Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.2 miles from Phillipsburg, 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 215 decision points cluster between mile 3.9 and 47.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
3.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 22
Keep slight left at fork onto US 22 toward I 78 East, US 22 East: New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: New York
8
30.3 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
Ramp to I-287
Take the exit onto Ramp to I-287 toward I 287: Morristown, Somerville
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 29
Toward I 287: Morristown, Somerville
8
42 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward River Road, Bound Brook, Highland Park
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 9
Toward River Road, Bound Brook, Highland Park
6
42.2 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Highland Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Highland Park
7
47.3 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Take the exit toward New Brunswick, New Street, Paul Robeson Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward New Brunswick, New Street, Paul Robeson...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.02 one way
$16.05 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.79 | $17.58 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.39 | $18.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.69 | $21.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
| Efficient EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.23 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.78 | $3.10 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
New Brunswick, NJ
Morning in New Brunswick on Sunday
Local time
8:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Lebanon, NJ
24 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
15 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
1h 3m 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 for the entirety of this 48.4-mile route, as indicated by its 0% highway share. This means you'll be navigating through towns and along local roads, utilizing Warren Street, Memorial Parkway, and New York as key thoroughfares. Without any long, uninterrupted stretches, you'll be making frequent adjustments and potentially encountering traffic lights and local intersections. The road's personality is that of a connected urban and suburban landscape, rather than an open highway, requiring constant attention to your surroundings and navigation.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.8 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 I 287. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.9 miles in near US 22.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.4 miles you will encounter 21 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 3.9 miles (US 22): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.3 miles (Ramp to I-287): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42 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.
Between Phillipsburg, NJ and New Brunswick, NJ, road signs point toward Somerville, Bound Brook and Highland Park.
Somerville
30.3 mi in
|
~38m
|
via Ramp to I-287
Bound Brook
42 mi in
|
~51m
Highland Park
42 mi in
|
~51m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 48.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m 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 25.8 miles on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 9 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 New Brunswick, 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 3.9 miles (US 22): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.3 miles (Ramp to I-287): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Morristown National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area. 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 New Brunswick, 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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