Origin
Princeton, NJ
Late night in Princeton on Sunday
Local time
4:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Princeton, NJ to Edison, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
21 mi
34 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Princeton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Edison, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 21-mile journey from Princeton to Edison, New Jersey, is easily manageable within a single day. Expect the drive to take approximately 33 minutes, making it a perfect quick trip. You'll primarily navigate along Brunswick Pike and US 1, with a modest 23% share of the route being on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this drive is around $4, which is quite economical. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a day trip, allowing for plenty of flexibility without the need for an overnight stay. Both Princeton and Edison are located within the Northeast region of the US, and you'll remain in New Jersey for the entire duration.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Brunswick Pike | 13 mi | 18m |
| US 1 | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| Washington Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Plainfield Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Nassau Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Reed Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Central Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Brunswick Pike
— 13 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Princeton, NJ and Edison, NJ.
1
Start on NJ 27
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Nassau Street
2
Turn right onto CR 526; CR 571
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Washington Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Enter roundabout onto US 1
348 ft
·
10 sec
·
Brunswick Pike
4
Continue on US 1
13 mi
·
18 min
·
Brunswick Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
504 ft
·
7 sec
·
US 1
Toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
366 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1
9
Continue on US 1
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1
10
Continue on US 1
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 1
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
US 1
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on US 1
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
US 1
13
Turn right
462 ft
·
39 sec
14
At end of road, turn left onto CR 529
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Plainfield Avenue
15
Turn left onto Central Avenue
345 ft
·
17 sec
·
Central Avenue
16
Turn right onto Reed Street
523 ft
·
28 sec
·
Reed Street
17
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 15 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 526; CR 571 / Washington Road
Turn right onto CR 526; CR 571 / Washington Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 1 / Brunswick Pike
Enter roundabout onto US 1 / Brunswick Pike
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
14.8 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
US 1
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
14.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
US 1
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|New...
7
15 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
US 1
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.48 one way
$6.96 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.81 | $7.63 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.07 | $8.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.64 | $9.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.01 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.84 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Edison, NJ
Late night in Edison on Sunday
Local time
4:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°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
10 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
33m 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?
Prepare for a drive that's heavy on turns and local road navigation. While 23% of the trip involves highway driving, the majority is on surface streets. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 13 miles on Brunswick Pike. This route offers a dynamic driving experience, transitioning between quicker highway sections and more involved local road segments. You'll likely experience frequent intersections and traffic lights, characteristic of a 'turn-heavy local drive' as you make your way through various communities.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13 mi on Brunswick Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CR 526; CR 571 / Washington Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 12 decision points packed into just 21 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CR 526; CR 571 / Washington Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (US 1 / Brunswick Pike): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 14.8 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Princeton, NJ and Edison, NJ, road signs point toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark and New Brunswick.
Newark|Newark
14.9 mi in
|
~22m
|
via US 1
Camden
14.9 mi in
|
~22m
|
via US 1
New Brunswick|Newark
14.9 mi in
|
~22m
|
via US 1
New Brunswick
14.9 mi in
|
~22m
|
via US 1
About the Cities
Starting in Princeton, NJ
Full guide →Princeton, home to the prestigious Princeton University, is a municipality with a population of approximately 32,000 (2017) in Mercer County, central 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 33m. Total distance: 21 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13 miles on Brunswick Pike. 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 Edison, 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 0.1 miles (CR 526; CR 571 / Washington Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (US 1 / Brunswick Pike): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 14.8 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Edison, 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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