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Trip from Wantage, NJ to Jersey City, NJ

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 24m

Distance

57.1 mi

92 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 18m ★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States

Wantage, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 57.1-mile journey from Wantage, NJ, to Jersey City, NJ, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 1 hour and 24 minutes to complete. Primarily following NJ 23, NJ 3, and US 46, this drive is heavily highway-focused, making it an efficient trip. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $9, it's an economical option for getting between these two points within the Northeast region. You'll find no designated stops along this direct route, so planning your own breaks is key. This drive is best suited for those who prioritize speed and directness over a leisurely, scenic exploration.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
NJ 23 32.7 mi 43m
NJ 3 10.9 mi 12m
US 46 3.7 mi 4m
Tonnelle Avenue 3.2 mi 4m
Glenwood Road 2.5 mi 6m
Lake Wallkill Road 2.4 mi 9m
John F. Kennedy Boulevard 0.6 mi 1m
Kelly Road 0.3 mi 1m
Longest stretch: NJ 23 — 32.7 mi, about 43m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wantage, NJ and Jersey City, NJ.

1

Start on Kelly Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · Kelly Road
2

Turn right onto Lake Wallkill Road

2.4 mi · 9 min · Lake Wallkill Road
3

At end of road, turn right onto CR 565

2.5 mi · 6 min · Glenwood Road
Use the left lane.
4

Turn left onto NJ 23

26 mi · 36 min · NJ 23
Use the left lane.
5

Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 23

6.2 mi · 7 min · NJ 23
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

297 ft · 7 sec
Toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
7

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward US 46 East: Clifton
8

Merge onto US 46

2.1 mi · 2 min · US 46
9

Continue on US 46

1.6 mi · 1 min · US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
10

Turn slight left onto NJ 3

11 mi · 12 min · NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on US 1; US 9

2.5 mi · 3 min · Tonnelle Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1; US 9

0.7 mi · 1 min · Tonnelle Avenue
Toward NJ 139 East, US 1 South, US 9 South: Hoboken, Holland Tunnel, Tonnele Avenue, Jersey City, Pulaski Skyway Use the straight lane.
13

Turn right onto CR 501

0.6 mi · 1 min · John F. Kennedy Boulevard
14

Turn right onto Duncan Avenue

0.3 mi · 43 sec · Duncan Avenue
15

Turn right onto Olean Avenue

316 ft · 13 sec · Olean Avenue
16

Arrive at destination

Olean Avenue

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Suffern, NY

29 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Sussex, NJ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bloomingdale, NJ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.5 miles from Wantage, 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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 55.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
2.8 mi into trip | ~10m in | CR 565 / Glenwood Road

At end of road, turn right onto CR 565 / Glenwood Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
5.3 mi into trip | ~16m in | NJ 23

Turn left onto NJ 23

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
31.8 mi into trip | ~53m in | NJ 23

Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 23

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
38 mi into trip | ~1h in

Take the exit toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
8
55.5 mi into trip | ~1h 20m in | US 1; US 9 / Tonnelle Avenue

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1; US 9 / Tonnelle Avenue toward NJ 139 East, US 1 South, US 9 South: Hoboken, Holland Tunnel, Tonnele Avenue, Jersey City, Pulaski Skyway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Toward NJ 139 East, US 1 South, US 9 South: Hob...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.47 one way

$18.93 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $10.37 $20.74
premium $4.93 $11.07 $22.15
diesel $5.61 $12.61 $25.21

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.1 0 $6.00 $2.74
Efficient EV 14.3 0 $5.00 $2.28
EV Truck/SUV 22.8 0 $7.99 $3.65

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Wantage, NJ

Morning in Wantage on Sunday

Local time

6:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Jersey City, NJ

Morning in Jersey City on Sunday

Local time

6:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

49°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

8 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

1h 24m 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?

Expect a highway-focused experience for 83% of this 57.1-mile route. The drive begins with a significant stretch of 32.7 miles on NJ 23, offering a consistent pace. As you progress, you'll transition to NJ 3 and US 46, maintaining the highway character. This isn't a winding country road; rather, it's a route designed for covering distance efficiently. The drive's personality is defined by its directness and the predictability of its main thoroughfares, keeping you moving steadily toward your destination.

83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.7 mi on NJ 23.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 23 and NJ 3. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in near CR 565 / Glenwood Road.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.1 miles you will encounter 12 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 2.8 miles (CR 565 / Glenwood Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles (NJ 23): Lane positioning matters here; at 31.8 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Wantage, NJ to Jersey City, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Clifton along the way.

Clifton

38 mi in | ~1h

About the Cities

Arriving in Jersey City, NJ

Full guide →

Jersey City is New Jersey's second-largest city. Jersey City sits in Hudson County in the northeastern section of the state, across the Hudson from its older and bigger cousin, New York City, and south of Hoboken. It is frequently referred to as New York’s “sixth borough”. Until the early 1600s, the area was inhabited by Lenape Indians. The Dutch then settled here as a part of the colony of New Amsterdam. It evolved into an industrial powerhouse, with railroads winding up and down the city (some of these lines are still used today). Although Jersey City declined in the 1960s, an upswing began in the 1980s, and the city was transformed into what it is today.

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 1h 24m. Total distance: 57.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 32.7 miles on NJ 23. 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 Jersey City, 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 2.8 miles (CR 565 / Glenwood Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles (NJ 23): Lane positioning matters here; at 31.8 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area (5 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 Jersey City, 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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