Origin
Saddle River, NJ
Late night in Saddle River on Sunday
Local time
12:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saddle River, NJ to Union City, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
22.8 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saddle River, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Saddle River to Union City is 22.8 miles and takes about 32 minutes via NJ 17 and NJ 3, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip entirely within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect an 83% highway experience, making it a quick transit between your starting point and destination. It's a practical option when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently without a lot of detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 17 | 14.9 mi | 18m |
| NJ 3 | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| West Saddle River Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Sheridan Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| NJ 495 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 30th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Bergenline Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 17
— 14.9 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saddle River, NJ and Union City, NJ.
1
Start on CR 77; CR 90
47 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Allendale Road
2
Turn right onto CR 77
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West Saddle River Road
3
Continue on CR 77
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Sheridan Avenue
4
Turn slight right
384 ft
·
14 sec
Toward NJ 17 South: NJ 17 South, East Prospect Street
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
Toward NJ 17 South
6
Merge onto NJ 17
15 mi
·
18 min
·
NJ 17
Use the right lane.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward NJ 3 East: New York
8
Merge onto NJ 3
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel, Kennedy Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Merge onto NJ 495
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
NJ 495
11
Take the exit
263 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on 30th Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
30th Street
13
Turn left onto CR 501
296 ft
·
16 sec
·
John F Kennedy Boulevard
14
Continue on CR 501
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
15
Turn right onto 47th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
47th Street
16
At end of road, turn right onto Bergenline Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bergenline Avenue
17
Turn right onto 45th Street
64 ft
·
2 sec
·
45th Street
18
Arrive at destination
45th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 22.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
NJ 17
Merge onto NJ 17
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
17.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
NJ 3
Merge onto NJ 3
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
20.9 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel, Kennedy Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel, Kennedy Bou...
7
21.5 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward Kennedy Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
5
22.7 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
Bergenline Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Bergenline Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.78 one way
$7.56 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.14 | $8.28 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.42 | $8.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.03 | $10.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Union City, NJ
Late night in Union City on Sunday
Local time
12:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
3 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
32m 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 83% of the 22.8 miles on high-speed roads like NJ 17 and NJ 3. You'll experience your longest stretch of continuous highway driving for 14.9 miles on NJ 17. The route begins on surface roads, likely West Saddle River Road, before merging onto the highway system. Be prepared for the urban merging and dense exit traffic typical of routes approaching major metropolitan areas.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.9 mi on NJ 17.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 17 and NJ 3. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near NJ 17.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 22.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (NJ 17): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.1 miles (NJ 3): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Union City, NJ
Full guide →Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey. Union City is a small city, roughly 1.283 square miles. It is bordered by Weehawken to the east, Jersey City to the south, North Bergen to the west and north, and West New York to the north.
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 32m. Total distance: 22.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.9 miles on NJ 17. 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 Union City, 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 1.8 miles (NJ 17): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.1 miles (NJ 3): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area (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 Union City, 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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