Origin
West Long Branch, NJ
Afternoon in West Long Branch on Sunday
Local time
3:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Long Branch, NJ to Toms River, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
29.4 mi
47 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Long Branch, NJ
Malcolm Garret
Toms River, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
West Long Branch to Toms River is 29.4 miles and takes about 38 minutes via Garden State Parkway (Express Lanes) Southbound, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused drive that keeps you within the Northeast region, specifically within New Jersey. It's a short trip, perfect for a quick hop between two points without much fuss. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained parkway lanes, making it an easy option if you're looking for a simple transit rather than an exploration.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway (Express Lanes) Southbound | 23.8 mi | 27m |
| NJ 36 | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| North Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Parker Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Monmouth Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Route 37 West | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Locust Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway (Express Lanes) Southbound
— 23.8 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Long Branch, NJ and Toms River, NJ.
1
Start on CR 15
104 ft
·
9 sec
·
Locust Avenue
2
Turn left onto Parker Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Parker Road
3
Turn right onto NJ 71
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Monmouth Road
4
Turn left onto NJ 36
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
NJ 36
5
Take the exit
221 ft
·
5 sec
Toward GSP: Garden State Parkway
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP South: Toms River
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
7
Merge onto GSP
24 mi
·
27 min
·
Garden State Parkway (Express Lanes) Southbound
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 82
Toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beach State Park
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto NJ 37
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Route 37 West
10
Turn right onto NJ 166
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn left
78 ft
·
5 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 3.6 and 28.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
3.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward GSP: Garden State Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward GSP: Garden State Parkway
7
3.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward GSP South: Toms River
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward GSP South: Toms River
5
4.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway (Express Lanes) Southbound
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway (Express Lanes) Southbound
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
28.1 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beach State Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 82
Toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beac...
5
28.7 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
NJ 166 / North Main Street
Turn right onto NJ 166 / North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.87 one way
$9.75 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.34 | $10.68 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.70 | $11.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.49 | $12.98 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.43
Garden State Parkway
(23.8 mi)
$1.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $1.41 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.57 | $1.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.12 | $1.88 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Toms River, NJ
Afternoon in Toms River on Sunday
Local time
3:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°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
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
38m 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 overwhelmingly highway-focused, with 92% of the journey on high-speed roads. You'll encounter the Garden State Parkway (Express Lanes) Southbound for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 23.8 miles. Expect a consistent driving experience characterized by smooth pavement and minimal traffic lights for the bulk of your trip. As you get closer to Toms River, you'll transition through NJ 36 and North Main Street, introducing a brief period of more local road conditions before reaching your destination.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.8 mi on Garden State Parkway (Express Lanes) Southbound.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway (Express Lanes) Southbound and NJ 36. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 29.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 3.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway (Express Lanes) Southbound): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
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 West Long Branch, NJ to Toms River, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp South: Toms River along the way.
Gsp South: Toms River
3.6 mi in
|
~6m
About the Cities
Arriving in Toms River, NJ
Full guide →Toms River is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. It is a few miles west of the beaches of the Jersey Shore Region, midway between New York and Philadelphia and a short distance from Atlantic City. Toms River is easy to get to by car as the Garden State Parkway bisects the town, and it is served by express bus service to and from New York City.
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 38m. Total distance: 29.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.8 miles on Garden State Parkway (Express Lanes) Southbound. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.43 in tolls one way, starting with Garden State Parkway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Toms River, 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 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 3.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway (Express Lanes) Southbound): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Gateway National Recreation Area. 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 Toms River, 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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