Origin
Plainfield, NJ
Late night in Plainfield on Tuesday
Local time
4:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plainfield, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
13.8 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plainfield, NJ
Thomas Parker
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to get from Plainfield to Elizabeth, this 13.8-mile journey is a straightforward commute across New Jersey. Expect to spend about 26 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via US 22, Morris Avenue, and Leland Avenue to reach your destination. Budgeting about $2 for fuel should comfortably cover the trip, keeping costs very low. Because the distance is so short, you have the flexibility to head out whenever it best suits your schedule. It is a practical, no-nonsense route that connects two key points in the Northeast region efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 22 | 9.3 mi | 15m |
| Morris Avenue | 2.9 mi | 6m |
| Leland Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Jersey Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Union Street | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| Mountain Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Westfield Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 22
— 9.3 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plainfield, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.
1
Start on Leland Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Leland Avenue
2
At end of road, turn right onto CR 642
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Mountain Avenue
3
Merge onto US 22
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
US 22
4
Continue on US 22
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
US 22
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on US 22
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
US 22
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, Elizabeth
7
Turn slight right onto NJ 82
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Morris Avenue
8
Turn right onto NJ 27
53 ft
·
6 sec
·
Westfield Avenue
9
Turn left onto Union Street
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Union Street
10
At end of road, turn left onto West Jersey Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Jersey Street
11
Turn left
34 ft
·
2 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 13.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CR 642 / Mountain Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto CR 642 / Mountain Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
10.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, Elizabeth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, E...
4
13.2 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
NJ 27 / Westfield Avenue
Turn right onto NJ 27 / Westfield Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
13.2 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
Union Street
Turn left onto Union Street
Navigation decision point
5
13.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
West Jersey Street
At end of road, turn left onto West Jersey Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.29 one way
$4.58 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.51 | $5.01 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.68 | $5.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.05 | $6.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.45 | $0.66 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.21 | $0.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.93 | $0.88 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Elizabeth, NJ
Late night in Elizabeth on Tuesday
Local time
4:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
16 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
26m 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?
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 67% of your travel time spent on major roads. You will settle into a rhythm quickly, as the longest uninterrupted stretch covers 9.3 miles along US 22. While the route begins with local navigation, it soon transitions into a faster-paced highway environment. You should be prepared for a consistent flow of traffic as you move between these two New Jersey cities. The transition from local streets to higher-speed highway lanes defines the core experience of this drive.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.3 mi on US 22.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 22 and Morris Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near CR 642 / Mountain Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 26m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (CR 642 / Mountain Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 10.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.2 miles (NJ 27 / Westfield Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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.
On the drive from Plainfield, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Kean University along the way.
Kean University
10.2 mi in
|
~17m
About the Cities
Starting in Plainfield, NJ
Full guide →Union County is part of the Gateway region of New Jersey that is covered by sprawling metropolitan areas of New York City.
Arriving in Elizabeth, NJ
Full guide →Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in New Jersey.
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 26m. Total distance: 13.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on US 22. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.6 miles (CR 642 / Mountain Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 10.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.2 miles (NJ 27 / Westfield Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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 Elizabeth, 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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