Origin
Trenton, NJ
Late night in Trenton on Sunday
Local time
12:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Trenton, NJ to Shrewsbury, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
49.6 mi
80 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trenton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Shrewsbury, NJ
MINEIA MARTINS
Trip Overview
Trenton, NJ to Shrewsbury, NJ is 49.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 4 minutes via Central Jersey Expressway and Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. Expect a drive that's primarily on faster roads, making it a straightforward connection between these two points. It's a short enough distance that you won't need an overnight stay, allowing for a flexible schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Central Jersey Expressway | 32.4 mi | 37m |
| Garden State Parkway | 7.1 mi | 8m |
| Arena Drive | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Broad Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| South Olden Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Hope Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Tinton Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| Hamilton Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Central Jersey Expressway
— 32.4 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Trenton, NJ and Shrewsbury, NJ.
1
Start on CR 626
6 ft
·
6 sec
·
Chambers Street
2
Turn left onto CR 606
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Hamilton Avenue
3
Turn right onto CR 622
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Olden Avenue
4
Keep slight right at fork onto CR 620
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Arena Drive
5
Turn right onto Hempstead Road
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Hempstead Road
6
Turn straight onto CR 524
286 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Broad Street
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 195 East, NJTP: Shore Points
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Merge onto I 195
32 mi
·
37 min
·
Central Jersey Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on NJ 138
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
NJ 138
10
Take the exit
432 ft
·
10 sec
Exit 36
Toward GSR North
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
this road
12
Keep slight right at fork
89 ft
·
2 sec
Toward GSP North
Use the straight / left lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward GSP North
Use the straight lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto Garden State Parkway
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Toward GSP North
15
Merge onto GSP
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Merge onto GSP
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Garden State Parkway
19
Take the exit onto Exit 105
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Exit 105
Exit 105
Toward NJ 36 North, NJ 18 North: Eatontown, Long Branch, New Brunswick
Use the slight right lane.
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward NJ 36 North: Eatontown, Long Branch
21
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
this road
Toward NJ 36 North: Eatontown, Long Branch
22
Turn left onto CR 51
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Hope Road
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto CR 537
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Tinton Avenue
24
Turn left onto NJ 35
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Main Street
25
Continue on NJ 35
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Broad Street
26
Turn right onto White Street
226 ft
·
10 sec
·
White Street
27
Arrive at destination
White Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.8 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 205 decision points cluster between mile 4 and 45 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
4 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 195 East, NJTP: Shore Points
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 195 East, NJTP: Shore Points
7
37 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward GSR North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 36
Toward GSR North
8
37.2 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight right at fork toward GSP North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward GSP North
8
37.2 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight left at fork toward GSP North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward GSP North
8
45 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
Exit 105
Take the exit onto Exit 105 toward NJ 36 North, NJ 18 North: Eatontown, Long Branch, New Brunswick
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 105
Toward NJ 36 North, NJ 18 North: Eatontown, Lon...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.22 one way
$16.45 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.01 | $18.01 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.62 | $19.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.95 | $21.90 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.43
Garden State Parkway
(7.1 mi)
$0.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$0
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.21 | $2.38 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.34 | $1.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.94 | $3.17 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Shrewsbury, NJ
Late night in Shrewsbury on Sunday
Local time
12:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
70°F
Lakewood, NJ
25 mi in
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
12 degrees cooler 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?
This route is largely highway-focused, with 80% of the drive utilizing major roadways like the Central Jersey Expressway and the Garden State Parkway. You'll experience a sustained stretch of 32.4 miles on the Central Jersey Expressway, offering a consistent pace. The profile suggests a generally fast-paced journey, minimizing time spent on slower local roads. Be prepared for a driving experience dominated by the efficiency of these main arteries.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.4 mi on Central Jersey Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Central Jersey Expressway and Garden State Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4 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 49.6 miles you will encounter 20 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 4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Trenton, NJ and Shrewsbury, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp: Shore Points, Gsr North, Gsp North, Long Branch and New Brunswick.
Njtp: Shore Points
4 mi in
|
~7m
Gsr North
37 mi in
|
~45m
Gsp North
37.2 mi in
|
~46m
Long Branch
45 mi in
|
~56m
|
via Exit 105
New Brunswick
45 mi in
|
~56m
|
via Exit 105
About the Cities
Starting in Trenton, NJ
Full guide →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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 49.6 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 (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.4 miles on Central Jersey Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.43 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 Shrewsbury, 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 4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Gateway National Recreation Area. 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 Shrewsbury, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Shrewsbury, NJ
More trips to Shrewsbury, NJ
Explore more options from Trenton, NJ or browse trips ending in Shrewsbury, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.