Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
58.5 mi
94 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trenton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Surf City, NJ
Jimmy Boos
The drive from Trenton, NJ to Surf City, NJ covers 58.5 miles and takes about 1h 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NJ 72, US 206, Magnolia Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28.8 miles on NJ 72. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.05 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 72 | 28.8 mi | 40m |
| US 206 | 12.2 mi | 15m |
| Magnolia Road | 6.8 mi | 11m |
| Bordentown Road | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| South Pemberton Road | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Arena Drive | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| South Olden Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Long Beach Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Trenton, NJ and Surf City, NJ.
Start on CR 626
Turn left onto CR 606
Turn right onto CR 622
Keep slight right at fork onto CR 620
Turn right onto CR 533
Enter roundabout onto US 206
Continue on US 206
Keep slight left at fork onto US 206
Continue on US 206
Continue on US 206
Turn left onto CR 530
Continue on CR 530
Continue on CR 530
Turn right onto CR 644
Enter roundabout onto NJ 72
Continue on NJ 72
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 72
Turn left onto CR 607
Turn right onto North 12th Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 29.2 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 1.8 and 57.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto CR 620 / Arena Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Keep slight left at fork onto US 206
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto CR 530 / South Pemberton Road
Lane positioning matters here
Enter roundabout onto NJ 72 toward NJ 72 East: Barnegat
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 72 / West 9th Street toward North Long Beach Boulevard, Surf City, Barnegat Light
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$10.05 one way
$20.11 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $11.03 | $22.06 |
| premium | $5.13 | $11.81 | $23.62 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $13.74 | $27.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.14 | $2.81 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.12 | $2.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.4 | 0 | $8.19 | $3.74 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Trenton on Saturday
Local time
6:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Surf City on Saturday
Local time
6:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Mostly Sunny
64°F
Bristol, PA
29 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.
58.5 mi in 1h 26m, mostly highway — 28.8 mi of that is on NJ 72.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 72 and US 206. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near CR 620 / Arena Drive.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.5 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.8 miles (CR 620 / Arena Drive): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 6.7 miles (US 206): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19 miles (CR 530 / South Pemberton Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
143 ft
Total Descent
198 ft
Highest Point
150 ft
~41.8 mi in
Elevation Range
145 ft
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
Founded 1894
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 58.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). 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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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