Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
44.2 mi
71 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
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
Jamesburg, NJ
Dajana Blakcori
Union City, NJ to Jamesburg, NJ is 44.2 miles and takes about 59 minutes via New Jersey Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region and the state of New Jersey, making it a straightforward local journey. With a recommended one-day duration and minimal driving time, this route is ideal for a quick transit or a short excursion. The highway-focused profile means you'll spend most of your time on major roads, so expect a consistent pace for the entire 44.2 miles.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike | 38 mi | 46m |
| Forsgate Drive | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Exit 8A | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Half Acre Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| NJ 495 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Railroad Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 45th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Union City, NJ and Jamesburg, 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 left at fork onto NJTP
Take the exit onto Exit 8A
Keep slight left at fork
Turn straight onto NJ 32
Turn left onto CR 615
At end of road, turn left onto CR 615
Turn sharp right onto CR 522
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 22.1 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 0.8 and 44 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward NJ 495 West, NJTP West
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike toward I 95 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto Exit 8A toward NJ 32: Jamesburg, Cranbury
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 32 East: Jamesburg, Monroe
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn sharp right onto CR 522 / East Railroad Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Regular Gas
$7.33 one way
$14.66 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.03 | $16.05 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.57 | $17.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.76 | $19.52 |
Estimated Tolls: $5.32
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$5
Total
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.64 | $2.12 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.87 | $1.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.19 | $2.83 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Union City on Sunday
Local time
11:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Morning in Jamesburg on Sunday
Local time
11:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
51°F
Concord, NY
22 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 is an overwhelmingly highway-focused drive, with 88% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll experience a consistent pace for the majority of the trip, particularly during the longest stretch of 38 miles on the New Jersey Turnpike. The journey is characterized by its efficiency and directness, minimizing time spent on slower, local roads. Expect a practical, no-frills driving experience designed for covering distance quickly.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike and Forsgate Drive. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
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 12 decision points packed into just 44.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.4 miles (Exit 8A): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Union City, NJ and Jamesburg, NJ, road signs point toward Cranbury and Monroe.
Cranbury
Monroe
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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 44.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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