Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
19.7 mi
32 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
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
Saddle Brook, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Union, NJ to Saddle Brook, NJ covers 19.7 miles and takes about 30m 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, US 46, Market Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.4 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.39 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 13.4 mi | 18m |
| US 46 | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Market Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Vauxhall Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Midland Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Meyer Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Mayhill Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Madeline Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Union, NJ and Saddle Brook, 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 US 46
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46
Turn right onto Meyer Street
At end of road, turn left onto Madeline Avenue
Turn left onto CR 67
Turn right onto CR 56
Turn left onto Mayhill Street
Turn left
Turn right
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 14.3 and 19.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward US 46 East: Clifton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46 toward US 46 East: Elmwood Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn left onto Madeline Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Turn right onto CR 56 / Market Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Mayhill Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$3.39 one way
$6.77 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $3.72 | $7.43 |
| premium | $5.13 | $3.98 | $7.95 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $4.63 | $9.26 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.81
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
6:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Saddle Brook on Saturday
Local time
6:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
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.
19.7 mi in 30m, mostly highway — 13.4 mi of that is on Garden State Parkway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and US 46. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.3 miles in.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 19.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.8 miles (US 46): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.3 miles (Madeline Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
185 ft
Total Descent
241 ft
Highest Point
207 ft
~12.6 mi in
Elevation Range
162 ft
Founded 1716
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 19.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m 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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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