Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 42m
Distance
77.9 mi
125 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Toms River, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
East Hanover, NJ
Kelly
Toms River to East Hanover is 77.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 42 minutes via Garden State Parkway and Essex Freeway, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a predominantly highway experience, making it a straightforward and efficient drive. It’s a solid option for a quick, no-fuss transit between these locations, suitable for a single day.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
38.9 miles from Toms River, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 48m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 63.5 mi | 1h 19m |
| Essex Freeway | 8.2 mi | 10m |
| Ridgedale Avenue | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Eagle Rock Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| North Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Eisenhower Parkway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Route 37 West | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Deforest Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
8 AM
~4,644 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~178 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
26.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 74 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Toms River, NJ and East Hanover, NJ.
Start on this road
Turn right onto NJ 166
Turn left onto NJ 37
Take the exit
Merge onto GSP; US 9
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on GSP
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 280
Take the exit
Continue on CR 609
Turn right onto CR 611
Turn left onto CR 632
Turn left onto Deforest Avenue
Turn left
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Given the relatively short duration of 1 hour and 42 minutes, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Consider leaving Toms River mid-morning to avoid the worst of rush hour traffic in both your origin and destination areas. With a fuel cost estimated at $13, you likely won't need to worry about refueling stops unless you have a very small tank. Since this is a single-day drive, you can easily complete it without overnight accommodations. Pay attention to the transition from the Garden State Parkway to local roads as you approach East Hanover.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 17 miles or 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.9 miles or 48m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near East Hanover, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Toms River, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Toms River, NJ
This is one driving day of about 77.9 miles and 1h 42m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 38.9 miles from Toms River, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Garden State Parkway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.5 miles.
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 65.3 and 74.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 280, CR 508: Newark, The Oranges
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 280 West, I 280 East: Orange, West Orange, Newark, Harrison
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 280 West: The Oranges
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 280 West: The Oranges
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Eisenhower Parkway South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$13.39 one way
$26.77 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $14.69 | $29.38 |
| premium | $5.13 | $15.72 | $31.45 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $18.30 | $36.60 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.81
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Tolls
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.4 | 0 | $8.18 | $3.74 |
| Efficient EV | 19.5 | 0 | $6.82 | $3.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.2 | 0 | $10.91 | $4.99 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Late night in Toms River on Saturday
Local time
5:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in East Hanover on Saturday
Local time
5:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Sunny
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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This route is 93% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on high-speed roads. You'll experience a long stretch of 63.5 miles on the Garden State Parkway before transitioning to surface roads like Ridgedale Avenue. Be prepared for a high volume of exits and merges common on major parkways in this area.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Essex Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 65.3 miles in.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 77.9 miles you will encounter 16 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 65.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 65.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 65.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
726 ft
Total Descent
530 ft
Highest Point
422 ft
~72.3 mi in
Elevation Range
400 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Toms River, NJ and East Hanover, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 508: Newark, The Oranges, Orange, Newark and Harrison.
Cr 508: Newark
The Oranges
Orange
Newark
Harrison
Founded 1768
Toms River is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. It is a few miles west of the beaches of the Jersey Shore Region, midway between New York and Philadelphia and a short distance from Atlantic City. Toms River is easy to get to by car as the Garden State Parkway bisects the town, and it is served by express bus service to and from New York City.
Top landmarks
Founded 1928
East Hanover is a township in Morris County in the state of New Jersey. The town is a suburban neighborhood with a population of largely Italian descent. Most of the town is made up of housing while the town’s activities go along the main roads of U.S Route 10 and Ridgedale Avenue.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 42m. Total distance: 77.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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