Origin
Trenton, NJ
Morning in Trenton on Saturday
Local time
7:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Trenton, NJ to Cranford, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
42.8 mi
69 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trenton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Cranford, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Trenton, NJ to Cranford, NJ is 42.8 miles and takes about 1h 4m via Brunswick Pike/US 1/Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays entirely within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on well-traveled roads, making it a convenient option for a quick transit or a local exploration. Consider this if you're looking for a simple, direct connection between these two New Jersey locations without extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Brunswick Pike | 17.1 mi | 24m |
| US 1 | 10.3 mi | 15m |
| Garden State Parkway | 6.7 mi | 9m |
| I 295 | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Hamilton Avenue | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Centennial Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Exit 136 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Forest Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Brunswick Pike
— 17.1 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Trenton, NJ and Cranford, NJ.
1
Start on CR 626
6 ft
·
6 sec
·
Chambers Street
2
Turn left onto CR 606
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Hamilton Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 295 North
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 295 North
5
Merge onto I 295
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
I 295
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 67A-B
Toward US 1: New Brunswick, Trenton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 67A
Toward US 1 North: New Brunswick
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto US 1
17 mi
·
24 min
·
Brunswick Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
504 ft
·
7 sec
·
US 1
Toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
366 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1
13
Continue on US 1
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1
14
Continue on US 1
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on US 1
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
US 1
Use the right lane.
16
Continue on US 1
5.9 mi
·
9 min
·
US 1
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP Toll North: Garden State Parkway
18
Merge onto GSP
6.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
19
Take the exit onto Exit 136
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Exit 136
Exit 136
Toward Linden, Roselle, Winfield Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
20
Turn slight left onto CR 615
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Centennial Avenue
21
At end of road, turn right onto NJ 28
512 ft
·
23 sec
·
North Avenue East
22
Turn left onto Forest Avenue
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Forest Avenue
23
Arrive at destination
Forest Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.4 miles from Trenton, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 6 and 41.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward US 1: New Brunswick, Trenton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 67A-B
Toward US 1: New Brunswick, Trenton
8
6.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 1 North: New Brunswick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 67A
Toward US 1 North: New Brunswick
7
23.9 mi into trip
|
~34m 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
24 mi into trip
|
~34m 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.
8
41.2 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
Exit 136
Take the exit onto Exit 136 toward Linden, Roselle, Winfield Parkway
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 136
Toward Linden, Roselle, Winfield Parkway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.36 one way
$14.71 round trip
$4.37/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $8.07 | $16.14 |
| premium | $5.13 | $8.64 | $17.28 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $10.05 | $20.11 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.40
Garden State Parkway
(6.7 mi)
$0.40
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$0
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.49 | $2.05 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.75 | $1.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.99 | $2.74 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Cranford, NJ
Morning in Cranford on Saturday
Local time
7:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
1h 4m 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?
About 46% of this 42.8-mile route is highway driving. You'll experience a mixed highway and surface road profile, with the longest stretch on surface roads being 17.1 miles on Brunswick Pike. Expect frequent exits and merges as you transition between the highway segments and the surface roads like US 1. This means you'll need to be attentive to traffic patterns.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.1 mi on Brunswick Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42.8 miles you will encounter 17 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 6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
182 ft
9 ft
Total Climb
238 ft
Total Descent
236 ft
Highest Point
182 ft
~18.3 mi in
Elevation Range
173 ft
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 Trenton, NJ and Cranford, NJ, road signs point toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark and New Brunswick.
Newark|Newark
23.9 mi in
|
~34m
|
via US 1
Camden
23.9 mi in
|
~34m
|
via US 1
New Brunswick|Newark
23.9 mi in
|
~34m
|
via US 1
New Brunswick
23.9 mi in
|
~34m
|
via US 1
About the Cities
Starting in Trenton, NJ
Full guide →Founded 1719
Trenton is in Mercer County, and is the capital of New Jersey. The city's strategic location in between New York City and Philadelphia has historically contributed to its growth and significantly impacts local culture. Located on the Delaware River across from Pennsylvania, Trenton is the only accessible capital city in the United States to border another state.
Top landmarks
- • New Jersey State House — state capitol building of the U.S. state of New Jersey
- • First Presbyterian Church — church in Trenton, New Jersey
- • Calhoun Street Bridge — bridge over the Delaware River between Morrisville, Pennsylvania and Trenton, Ne...
Arriving in Cranford, NJ
Full guide →Central Union County is a rural area of Union 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 1h 4m. Total distance: 42.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.1 miles on Brunswick Pike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.40 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 Cranford, 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 6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Paterson Great Falls 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 Cranford, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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