Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
34 mi
55 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
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.
Princeton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Hamilton, NJ
Garrison Gao
Princeton, NJ to Hamilton, NJ is 34 miles and takes about 54 minutes via Franklin Street and Route 33, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive entirely within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its brief duration, it's ideal for a single-day trip. You'll be navigating local roads for most of this journey, so expect a more connected-to-the-ground feel rather than a high-speed transit.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin Street | 16.8 mi | 24m |
| Princeton-Hightstown Road | 5.9 mi | 10m |
| Route 33 | 4.7 mi | 7m |
| Washington Road | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| NJ 33 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Stockton Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Old Corlies Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Nassau Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Princeton, NJ and Hamilton, NJ.
Start on NJ 27
Turn right onto CR 526; CR 571
Enter roundabout onto CR 526; CR 571
Continue on CR 526; CR 571
Continue on CR 526; CR 571
Turn right onto NJ 64; CR 526; CR 571
Continue on CR 571
At end of road, turn left onto NJ 33; CR 539
Turn slight right
Turn right onto NJ 33
Continue on NJ 33
Enter roundabout onto NJ 33; CR 547
Continue on NJ 33; CR 547
Continue on NJ-33; CR-547
Continue on NJ 33
Keep slight right at fork onto NJ 33
Turn right onto (17)
Turn right onto Gully Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 17 miles from Princeton, 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 0.1 and 9.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto CR 526; CR 571 / Washington Road
Lane positioning matters here
Enter roundabout onto CR 526; CR 571 / Washington Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Turn right onto NJ 64; CR 526; CR 571 / Princeton-Hightstown Road
Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn left onto NJ 33; CR 539 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto NJ 33 / Franklin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$5.64 one way
$11.27 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.17 | $12.35 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.59 | $13.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.51 | $15.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.18 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Morning in Princeton on Sunday
Local time
8:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Hamilton on Sunday
Local time
8:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
45°F
Manalapan, NJ
17 mi in
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 route is characterized by its "turn-heavy local drive" profile, meaning you'll be making frequent turns rather than settling into long stretches of highway. With only a 21% highway share, most of your time will be spent on town roads and local thoroughfares. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 16.8 miles on Franklin Street, offering a brief period of less interrupted travel. The road transitions between these more local segments and brief highway portions, requiring your attention for navigation.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CR 526; CR 571 / Washington Road.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 34 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.1 miles (CR 526; CR 571 / Washington Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (CR 526; CR 571 / Washington Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.9 miles (NJ 64; CR 526; CR 571 / Princeton-Hightstown Road): Lane positioning matters here.
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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 34 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m 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.
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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