Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
24 mi
39 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
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, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
Paramus, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Union, NJ to Paramus, NJ covers 24 miles and takes about 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Garden State Parkway, East Midland Avenue, Country Club Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.6 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.12 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 20.6 mi | 28m |
| East Midland Avenue | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| Country Club Road | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| Vauxhall Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| NJ 17 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Harding Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Union, NJ and Paramus, NJ.
Start on Harding Avenue
Turn left onto CR 630
Turn slight left
Take the ramp
Continue on this road
Merge onto GSP
Take the exit
Merge onto NJ 17
Take the exit
Turn slight right onto East Midland Avenue
Turn left onto Country Club Road
Continue on Country Club Road
Continue on Country Club Road
Turn right
Turn right
Turn left
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 23.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward GSP Toll North
Navigation decision point
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Glen Rock
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$4.12 one way
$8.25 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $4.53 | $9.05 |
| premium | $5.13 | $4.84 | $9.69 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $5.64 | $11.28 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.23
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.10 | $0.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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 on Saturday
Local time
6:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Paramus on Saturday
Local time
6:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Sunny
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.
24 mi in 40m, mostly highway — 20.6 mi of that is on Garden State Parkway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and East Midland Avenue. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 24 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
161 ft
Total Descent
194 ft
Highest Point
187 ft
~10.3 mi in
Elevation Range
140 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Union, NJ to Paramus, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Glen Rock along the way.
Glen Rock
Founded 1922
Paramus is a major shopping town in New Jersey. Many people from all over the New York metropolitan area (especially people from New York City and Westchester County) come here to shop at the many stores along New Jersey state routes 4 and 17, and at the Westfield Garden State Plaza, Paramus Park Mall, Bergen Town Center, Fashion Center, and (by extension, because it's in Hackensack) The Shops at Riverside malls. This is because New Jersey has a lower sales tax than New York overall and because New Jersey does not tax clothing. Paramus is in Bergen County, New Jersey, which continues its traditional blue laws on Sundays. Nearly every shopping destination is closed on Sunday. Restaurants are allowed to open.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 24 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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