Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
36.5 mi
59 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trenton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Lebanon, NJ
Nemika F
Trenton, NJ to Lebanon, NJ is 36.5 miles and takes about 56 minutes via NJ 31, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New Jersey, traveling northeast from the capital region toward the Delaware River Valley. It's a quick hop, perfect for a single-day excursion or a straightforward commute. The drive is mostly on highways, making it an efficient way to get between these two points without much fuss.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 31 | 25.7 mi | 36m |
| Pennington Road | 4.2 mi | 8m |
| South Olden Avenue | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| US 22 | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Hamilton Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Chambers Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Trenton, NJ and Lebanon, NJ.
Start on CR 626
Turn left onto CR 606
Turn left onto CR 622
Turn right onto NJ 31
Enter roundabout onto NJ 31
Continue on NJ 31
Take the exit onto NJ 31
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 31
Enter roundabout onto NJ 31
Continue on NJ 31
Take the exit
Merge onto I 78; US 22
Take the exit onto US 22
Take the exit
Continue on Main Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 18.3 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 34.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto CR 622 / South Olden Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto NJ 31 toward NJ 31 North, US 202 North: Flemington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Enter roundabout onto NJ 31
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Take the exit toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Newark
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit onto US 22 toward US 22 East: Annandale, Lebanon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$6.05 one way
$12.10 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.63 | $13.25 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.08 | $14.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.06 | $16.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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 Trenton on Sunday
Local time
4:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Mostly Cloudy then Areas Of Fog
Destination
Late night in Lebanon on Sunday
Local time
4:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
68°F
New Hope, PA
18 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 drive is mostly highway, with 76% of the 36.5 miles on faster roads. You'll spend the longest stretch, 25.7 miles, on NJ 31. After that, the route transitions to surface streets like Pennington Road and South Olden Avenue, bringing you into more local traffic. Expect a series of exits and entrances as you navigate the highway portion.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 31 and Pennington Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near CR 622 / South Olden Avenue.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 36.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (CR 622 / South Olden Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles (NJ 31): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.8 miles (NJ 31): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Interesting stops within a short detour of your drive.
Cafe
Early in the drive, right off the route
Pennington, NJ
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteCafe
Near the start, right off the route
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Cafe
Near the start, short detour
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Cafe
Near the start, short detour
Fast_food
Near the end, right off the route
Lebanon, NJ
Cuisine: donut;coffee_shop
Hours: 05:30-21:00
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the start, right off the route
Trenton, NJ
Cuisine: donut;coffee_shop
Hours: Mo-Fr 07:00-19:00; Sa-Su 00:00-24:00
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the start, right off the route
Ewing, NJ
Cuisine: pizza
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Cuisine: italian
Hours: Mo-Th 11:30-15:00,16:00-22:00; Fr 11:30-...
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Trenton
Cuisine: mexican
Restaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Trenton
Cuisine: pizza
Visit websitePark
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Park
Near the start, right off the route
Picnic_site
Near the start, short detour
Park
Early in the drive, short detour
Park
Early in the drive, short detour
Park
Near the start, short detour
Memorial
Later in the drive, right off the route
Artwork
Near the start, short detour
Artwork
Near the start, short detour
Memorial
Near the start, right off the route
Memorial
Near the start, short detour
Monument
Near the start, short detour
Hotel
Later in the drive, right off the route
Motel
Near the end, short detour
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 36.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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