Origin
Clifton, NJ
Evening in Clifton on Friday
Local time
5:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clifton, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
48.1 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Plainsboro Center, NJ
Andrew Patrick Photo
Trip Overview
The drive from Clifton, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ covers 48.1 miles and takes about 1h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Donna Drive, Olga B Terrace, Hutton Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.74 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 48.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 13m drive with frequent turns across 48.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Donna Drive 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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Clifton, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ is easy. At 1h 13m 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 Clifton, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Donna Drive | — | — |
| Olga B Terrace | — | — |
| Hutton Road | — | — |
| Clifton Avenue | — | — |
| Allwood Road | — | — |
| NJ 3 West | — | — |
| State Route 3 | — | — |
| GSP South | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Donna Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, NJ and Plainsboro Center, NJ.
1
Start on Holly Street
515 ft
·
27 sec
·
Holly Street
2
Turn left onto Donna Drive
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
Donna Drive
3
At the end of the road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
443 ft
·
21 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
4
Turn right onto Hutton Road
39 ft
·
7 sec
·
Hutton Road
5
Turn left onto Olga B Terrace
174 ft
·
13 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
6
Turn left onto Clifton Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Clifton Avenue
7
At the end of the road, turn right onto Allwood Road
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Allwood Road
8
Take the ramp left toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
NJ 3 West, GSP South
9
Merge slight left onto State Route 3
305 ft
·
4 sec
·
State Route 3
10
Take the exit slight right toward GSP South
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
GSP South
11
Merge slight left onto Garden State Parkway
22 mi
·
30 min
·
Garden State Parkway
12
Continue on Garden State Parkway Southbound
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Garden State Parkway Southbound
13
Take the exit slight right toward US 1: Newark, Trenton
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
US 1: Newark, Trenton
14
Keep slight right to continue on US 1 South: Trenton
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
US 1 South: Trenton
15
Merge slight left
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
16
Continue straight
2.1 mi
·
3 min
17
Continue straight
7.4 mi
·
11 min
18
Continue straight
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
19
Keep slight left
276 ft
·
4 sec
20
Keep slight left
387 ft
·
6 sec
21
Keep slight left
3.6 mi
·
5 min
22
Continue straight
6.2 mi
·
8 min
23
Take the exit slight right toward Monmouth Junction, Kingston
282 ft
·
8 sec
·
Monmouth Junction, Kingston
24
Turn left
98 ft
·
7 sec
25
Turn left onto Ridge Road
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
Ridge Road
26
Turn right onto Schalks Crossing Road
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Schalks Crossing Road
27
Continue on Parkway Avenue
0.2 mi
·
59 sec
·
Parkway Avenue
28
Turn sharp left onto Edgemere Avenue
318 ft
·
11 sec
·
Edgemere Avenue
29
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24 mi from Clifton, NJ · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24 miles from Clifton, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Plainsboro Center, NJ
The final approach into Plainsboro Center, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.74 one way
$15.48 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $8.71 | $17.42 |
| premium | $4.95 | $9.38 | $18.76 |
| diesel | $5.98 | $11.32 | $22.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.21 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.73 | $3.08 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Plainsboro Center, NJ
Evening in Plainsboro Center on Friday
Local time
5:29 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
24 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
1h 13m 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 Clifton, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ covers 48.1 miles and takes about 1h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Donna Drive, Olga B Terrace, Hutton Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24 miles from Clifton, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.74 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 Clifton, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ is easy. At 1h 13m 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 Clifton, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Clifton, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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