Trip from Carlstadt, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ

Drive Time

25m

Distance

18.2 mi

29 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 6 min

4 AM

0h 24m ★

6 AM

0h 26m

8 AM

0h 30m

10 AM

0h 27m

12 PM

0h 27m

3 PM

0h 28m

5 PM

0h 30m

8 PM

0h 25m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Elizabeth, NJ

Noé Villalta Photography

Trip Overview

The drive from Carlstadt, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ covers 18.2 miles and takes about 25m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Central Avenue, Hackensack Street, Hoboken Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.01 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

9.1 miles from Carlstadt, NJ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 12m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 25m drive with frequent turns across 18.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Central Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Carlstadt, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ is easy. At 25m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Carlstadt, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Central Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
Hackensack Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Hoboken Road	Unavailable	Refreshing
NJ 3 West	Unavailable	Refreshing
NJ 21	Unavailable	Refreshing
NJ 21 North	Unavailable	Refreshing
NJ 21 South	Unavailable	Refreshing
East Jersey Street	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Central Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Carlstadt, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.

Start on 3rd Street

161 ft · 12 sec · 3rd Street

Turn left onto Central Avenue

367 ft · 18 sec · Central Avenue

Turn right onto Hackensack Street

0.3 mi · 58 sec · Hackensack Street

Turn left onto Hoboken Road

0.3 mi · 34 sec · Hoboken Road

Take the ramp slight right

302 ft · 8 sec

Merge slight left

1.5 mi · 1 min

Take the exit slight right toward NJ 3 West: Newark

0.2 mi · 32 sec · NJ 3 West: Newark

Merge slight left

0.9 mi · 58 sec

Take the exit slight right toward NJ 21: Paterson, Newark

0.4 mi · 54 sec · NJ 21: Paterson, Newark

Keep slight right to continue on NJ 21 North, NJ 21 South

0.1 mi · 14 sec · NJ 21 North, NJ 21 South

Keep slight right to continue on NJ 21 South: Newark

0.2 mi · 32 sec · NJ 21 South: Newark

Merge slight left

9.4 mi · 14 min

Merge slight left

0.2 mi · 17 sec

Continue straight

3.1 mi · 4 min

Turn right onto East Jersey Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · East Jersey Street

Turn right

36 ft · 3 sec

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 9.1 miles from Carlstadt, NJ, or about 12m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 18.2 miles or 25m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 9.1 miles or 12m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 22m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elizabeth, NJ than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Carlstadt, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Carlstadt, NJ

This is one driving day of about 18.2 miles and 25m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Carlstadt, NJ.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 9.1 mi from Carlstadt, NJ · 12m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

New York City, NY

9 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

Staten Island, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18.2 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

New York City, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 9.1 miles from Carlstadt, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Elizabeth, NJ

The final approach into Elizabeth, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Elizabeth, NJ.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.01 one way

$6.02 round trip

$4.20/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.60	$3.30	$6.59
premium	$4.92	$3.53	$7.05
diesel	$5.64	$4.04	$8.09

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$28–$53

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	5.5	$1.91	$0.87
Efficient EV	4.6	$1.59	$0.73
EV Truck/SUV	7.3	$2.55	$1.16

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 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.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Carlstadt, NJ

Night in Carlstadt on Sunday

Local time

9:36 PM

EDT

Current temp

60°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Elizabeth, NJ

Night in Elizabeth on Sunday

Local time

9:36 PM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

25m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Carlstadt, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ covers 18.2 miles and takes about 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Central Avenue, Hackensack Street, Hoboken Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 9.1 miles from Carlstadt, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.01 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

The drive from Carlstadt, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ is easy. At 25m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Carlstadt, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Carlstadt, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.