Origin
Trenton, NJ
Late night in Trenton on Sunday
Local time
12:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Trenton, NJ to Union City, 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 24m
Distance
59.6 mi
96 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trenton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Trenton to Union City is 59.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 24 minutes via New Jersey Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The drive is primarily on the New Jersey Turnpike, offering a straightforward path for those needing to travel between these two locations. Given its relatively short duration and direct route, it's a practical option for a day trip or a quick transit between cities. You can expect a mixed driving experience with a significant portion on the highway.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike | 22.1 mi | 27m |
| Brunswick Pike | 17.1 mi | 24m |
| New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| I 295 | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| US 1 | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| Hamilton Avenue | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| NJ 495 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New Jersey Turnpike
— 22.1 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Trenton, NJ and Union City, 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
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Toward NJ 18 South: East Brunswick
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto NJ 18; CR 527
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
State Route 18
Use the right lane.
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward NJTP Toll, I 95 Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
Use the right lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
18
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
22 mi
·
27 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
19
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 16E
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Continue on NJ 495
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
·
NJ 495
22
Take the exit
263 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
23
Continue on 30th Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
30th Street
24
Turn left onto CR 501
296 ft
·
16 sec
·
John F Kennedy Boulevard
25
Continue on CR 501
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
26
Turn right onto 47th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
47th Street
27
At end of road, turn right onto Bergenline Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bergenline Avenue
28
Turn right onto 45th Street
64 ft
·
2 sec
·
45th Street
29
Arrive at destination
45th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.8 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 245 decision points cluster between mile 6 and 27.7 — 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
27.7 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.88 one way
$19.76 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.82 | $21.64 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.56 | $23.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.16 | $26.32 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.97
New Jersey Turnpike
(28.3 mi)
$3.97
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$4
Total
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.8 | 0 | $8.34 | $3.81 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Union City, NJ
Late night in Union City on Sunday
Local time
12:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
11 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 24m 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 a highway-focused experience, with 59% of the drive on major roadways like the New Jersey Turnpike and its Eastern Spur. You'll encounter a mixed drive profile, meaning it's not exclusively high-speed interstate travel but incorporates sections that feel more like main arteries. The longest continuous stretch you'll navigate is 22.1 miles, all on the New Jersey Turnpike, suggesting a period of consistent highway driving. As you progress, the character shifts between these main thoroughfares and segments on roads like Brunswick Pike, offering a varied but generally efficient journey.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.1 mi on New Jersey Turnpike.
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 59.6 miles you will encounter 24 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.
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 Union City, NJ, road signs point toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark, New Brunswick, Njtp Toll and Njtp North: New York City.
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
Njtp Toll
27.3 mi in
|
~39m
Njtp North: New York City
27.7 mi in
|
~40m
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.
Arriving in Union City, NJ
Full guide →Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey. Union City is a small city, roughly 1.283 square miles. It is bordered by Weehawken to the east, Jersey City to the south, North Bergen to the west and north, and West New York to the north.
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 24m. Total distance: 59.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). 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 22.1 miles on New Jersey Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.97 in tolls one way, starting with New Jersey Turnpike. 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 Union City, 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, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area (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 Union City, 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.
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