Origin
Union City, NJ
Morning in Union City on Sunday
Local time
10:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union City, NJ to Passaic, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
15m
Distance
9.7 mi
16 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 18m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 14m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Passaic, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Union City to Passaic is 9.7 miles and takes about 15m via NJ 3, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New Jersey, taking you from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a quick hop, primarily on highways, making it an easy option for a quick errand or a connection between nearby areas. Expect a straightforward drive that won't eat up much of your day or your wallet. Consider this route if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently without venturing far.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 3 | 5 mi | 6m |
| NJ 21 | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Paulison Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| NJ 495 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 45th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| River Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Passaic Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 3
— 5 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union City, NJ and Passaic, NJ.
1
Start on 45th Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
45th Street
2
Turn left onto CR 501
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
3
Turn slight left
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward NJ 495 West, NJTP West
5
Continue on this road
374 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
Toward NJ 495 West
6
Merge onto NJ 495
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
NJ 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
Toward NJ 3 West: Secaucus
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
453 ft
·
7 sec
Toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto NJ 3
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward NJ 21: Paterson, Newark
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward NJ 21 North, NJ 21 South
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward NJ 21 North: Paterson
Use the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto NJ 21
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 21
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 11A
Toward River Drive, Passaic
Use the slight right lane.
15
Continue on CR 624
350 ft
·
8 sec
·
River Drive
16
Turn left onto CR 618
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Paulison Avenue
17
Turn right onto Passaic Avenue
95 ft
·
2 sec
·
Passaic Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Passaic Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 8.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward NJ 3 West: Secaucus
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NJ 3 West: Secaucus
8
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
7
6.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward NJ 21: Paterson, Newark
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NJ 21: Paterson, Newark
7
7.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 21 North: Paterson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward NJ 21 North: Paterson
8
8.9 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward River Drive, Passaic
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 11A
Toward River Drive, Passaic
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.61 one way
$3.22 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.76 | $3.52 |
| premium | $4.93 | $1.88 | $3.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.14 | $4.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.02 | $0.47 |
| Efficient EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.85 | $0.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.36 | $0.62 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Passaic, NJ
Morning in Passaic on Sunday
Local time
10:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
14 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
15m 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 drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 67% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on NJ 3, experiencing a longest stretch of 5 miles without a significant break. The character is one of consistent speed and direct travel, characteristic of urban and suburban highway corridors. Expect a practical, no-frills driving experience where the focus is on covering ground quickly rather than enjoying a leisurely cruise.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5 mi on NJ 3.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 3 and NJ 21. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 13 decision points packed into just 9.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 15m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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 Union City, NJ and Passaic, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp West and Newark.
Njtp West
0.8 mi in
|
~2m
Newark
6.6 mi in
|
~9m
About the Cities
Starting 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 15m. Total distance: 9.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5 miles on NJ 3. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Passaic, 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 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison 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 Passaic, 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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