Origin
Sayreville, NJ
Morning in Sayreville on Tuesday
Local time
8:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sayreville, NJ to Clifton, 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
53m
Distance
34.3 mi
55 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sayreville, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 34.3-mile drive from Sayreville, NJ, to Clifton, NJ, is easily manageable in just about 53 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You'll primarily be on the Garden State Parkway, with segments of Main Street and Allwood Road, as 71% of the journey involves highway driving. With an estimated fuel cost of $6, this route is quite economical. Given its short duration and focus on highway travel, it's ideal for a straightforward commute or a quick hop between these two Northeast New Jersey locations without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 24.2 mi | 33m |
| Main Street | 4.7 mi | 9m |
| Allwood Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Passaic Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East Passaic Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Bloomfield Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Donna Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 24.2 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sayreville, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on Buchanan Street
61 ft
·
7 sec
·
Buchanan Street
2
Turn left onto Main Street
4.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on this road
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
this road
Toward GSP Toll North
Use the straight lane.
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward GSP North
Use the slight left lane.
5
Merge onto GSP
24 mi
·
33 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 151
Toward Montclair, Nutley
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn right onto CR 655
483 ft
·
15 sec
·
Watchung Avenue
8
At end of road, turn left onto CR 652
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Passaic Avenue
9
Turn right onto CR 622
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
West Passaic Avenue
10
Turn left onto CR 622
411 ft
·
7 sec
·
Darling Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on CR 622
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Bloomfield Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Enter roundabout onto CR 602
261 ft
·
4 sec
·
Allwood Road
13
Continue on CR 602
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Allwood Road
14
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Clifton Avenue
15
Turn right onto Olga B Terrace
174 ft
·
9 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
16
Turn right onto Hutton Road
39 ft
·
6 sec
·
Hutton Road
17
Turn left onto Olga B Terrace
441 ft
·
25 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
18
Turn left onto Donna Drive
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Donna Drive
19
Turn right onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
20
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Where to Stop
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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.1 miles from Sayreville, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 31.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
6.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward GSP North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward GSP North
5
6.5 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
30.7 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward Montclair, Nutley
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 151
Toward Montclair, Nutley
5
31.9 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
CR 622 / Darling Avenue
Turn left onto CR 622 / Darling Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.69 one way
$11.37 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.23 | $12.46 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.65 | $13.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.57 | $15.15 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.45
Garden State Parkway
(24.2 mi)
$1.45
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12 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 | 10.3 | 0 | $3.60 | $1.65 |
| Efficient EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.00 | $1.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.80 | $2.20 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Clifton, NJ
Morning in Clifton on Tuesday
Local time
8:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
2 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
53m 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 highway-focused experience for most of this 34.3-mile trip, with 71% of the drive taking place on faster roads. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 24.2 miles on the Garden State Parkway, offering a good opportunity to settle into a steady pace. While the majority is highway, you will transition onto local roads like Main Street and Allwood Road as you approach your destination. This mix means you'll experience both the efficiency of parkway driving and the more localized feel of town streets toward the end.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.2 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Main Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
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 15 decision points packed into just 34.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Sayreville, NJ and Clifton, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North, Gsp North, Montclair and Nutley.
Gsp Toll North
4.7 mi in
|
~9m
Gsp North
6.2 mi in
|
~12m
Montclair
30.7 mi in
|
~46m
Nutley
30.7 mi in
|
~46m
About the Cities
Arriving in Clifton, NJ
Full guide →Clifton is a city in Passaic County, 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 53m. Total distance: 34.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.2 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.45 in tolls one way, starting with Garden State Parkway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Clifton, 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: near the start (Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Morristown 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 Clifton, 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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