Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
37.3 mi
60 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
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.
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Bound Brook, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Union City, NJ to Bound Brook, NJ covers 37.3 miles and takes about 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, New Jersey Turnpike, US 22 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.2 miles on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.41 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 17.2 mi | 20m |
| New Jersey Turnpike | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| US 22 | 5.7 mi | 8m |
| Hillcrest Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Somerset Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Mountain Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| NJ 495 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 36 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,598 veh/hr typical · worst 4,220
Quietest
2 AM
~240 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 48 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Union City, NJ and Bound Brook, NJ.
Start on 45th Street
Turn left onto CR 501
Turn slight left
Take the ramp
Continue on this road
Merge onto NJ 495
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 95
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 78
Keep slight right at fork onto I 78
Keep slight left at fork onto I 78
Merge onto I 78
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn left onto CR 531
Turn right onto CR 527; CR 531
Keep slight left at fork onto CR 531
Turn slight right onto CR 531
Take the ramp
Turn right onto US 22
Take the exit
Turn sharp right onto CR 527
Turn right onto NJ 28
Turn right onto Livingston Street
Turn left onto West Maple Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 18.6 miles from Union City, 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 8 and 27.4 — 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 NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike toward I 95 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 78, US 1, US 9: Newark Airport, Holland Tunnel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 78 West, US 1, US 9: Newark Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 78 toward I 78 West: Clinton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CR 531: The Plainfields, Gillette, Watchung
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$6.41 one way
$12.82 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $7.03 | $14.07 |
| premium | $5.13 | $7.53 | $15.06 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $8.76 | $17.53 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.86
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.92 | $1.79 |
| Efficient EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.26 | $1.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.39 |
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
Morning in Union City on Saturday
Local time
6:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Morning in Bound Brook on Saturday
Local time
6:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Partly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
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.
37.3 mi in 54m, mostly highway — 17.2 mi of that is on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and New Jersey Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8 miles in near NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 23 decision points packed into just 37.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
516 ft
Total Descent
639 ft
Highest Point
416 ft
~26.6 mi in
Elevation Range
415 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Union City, NJ and Bound Brook, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 531: The Plainfields, Gillette, Watchung and Cr 531 South: The Plainfields.
Cr 531: The Plainfields
Gillette
Watchung
Cr 531 South: The Plainfields
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.
Top landmarks
Founded 1681
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 37.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. 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 options from Union City, NJ or browse trips ending in Bound Brook, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.
