Skip to main content

Trip from East Hanover, NJ to Edison, NJ

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

54m

Distance

34.7 mi

56 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 50m ★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m

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

Downtown East Hanover, NJ, NJ

East Hanover, NJ

Kelly

township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States

Edison, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Planning a quick trip from East Hanover to Edison? This straightforward 34.7-mile drive should take you about 54 minutes, making it a perfect one-day excursion. You'll primarily be on the Garden State Parkway and Essex Freeway, with a portion on US 1, so expect a highway-focused experience. With a fuel cost estimated at $6, this route is budget-friendly. Since it's a short hop within New Jersey, you won't be crossing distinct regions, but the ease of this drive means you can easily fit it into a busy schedule without needing an overnight stay.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

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

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.

Midpoint

17.4 miles from East Hanover, NJ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 27m into the drive .

Drive Character

This drive is predominantly highway-based, with 82% of it being on faster-paced roads. You'll encounter the Garden State Parkway for a significant stretch, including one uninterrupted segment of 13.3 miles, which offers a consistent cruising experience. The transition to the Essex Freeway and then US 1 will keep you moving efficiently. Expect a clear road personality that prioritizes getting you from point A to point B with minimal fuss, typical of a utilitarian northeastern corridor drive.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Garden State Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 13.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Essex Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.

Route Complexity 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 34.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 10.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.6 miles (Oraton Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 18 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

8
10.4 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the exit toward Harrison Street, Clinton Street, East Orange

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 11A Toward Harrison Street, Clinton Street, East Or...
6
12.6 mi into trip | ~20m in | Oraton Parkway

Keep slight right at fork onto Oraton Parkway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
8
27.7 mi into trip | ~41m in

Take the exit toward US 1: Newark, Trenton

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 130B-A Toward US 1: Newark, Trenton
9
27.9 mi into trip | ~42m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 1 South: Trenton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 130B Toward US 1 South: Trenton

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between East Hanover, NJ and Edison, NJ, road signs point toward Orange, Gsp Toll South and Trenton.

Orange

10.4 mi in | ~16m

Gsp Toll South

12.9 mi in | ~21m

Trenton

27.7 mi in | ~41m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Garden State Parkway 13.3 mi 18m
Essex Freeway 6.9 mi 8m
US 1 5.1 mi 7m
Ridgedale Avenue 1.5 mi 3m
Eagle Rock Avenue 1.3 mi 2m
Garden State Parkway Southbound 1.3 mi 1m
Plainfield Avenue 1.1 mi 2m
Freeway Drive East 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Garden State Parkway — 13.3 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between East Hanover, NJ and Edison, NJ.

1

Start on this road

115 ft · 10 sec · this road
2

Turn right

352 ft · 26 sec
3

Turn right onto Deforest Avenue

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Deforest Avenue
4

Turn right onto CR 632

1.5 mi · 3 min · Ridgedale Avenue
5

Turn right onto CR 611

1.3 mi · 2 min · Eagle Rock Avenue
6

Turn left onto CR 609

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Eisenhower Parkway
7

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 33 sec
Toward I 280 East
8

Merge onto I 280

6.9 mi · 8 min · Essex Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Exit 11A Toward Harrison Street, Clinton Street, East Orange Use the slight right lane.
10

Turn straight onto Freeway Drive East

0.8 mi · 1 min · Freeway Drive East
11

Turn right onto South Oraton Parkway

0.4 mi · 42 sec · South Oraton Parkway
12

Continue on Whittlesey Avenue

0.4 mi · 38 sec · Whittlesey Avenue
13

Turn straight onto Maybaum Avenue

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Maybaum Avenue
14

Continue on Oraton Parkway

0.1 mi · 13 sec · Oraton Parkway
Use the straight lane.
15

Keep slight right at fork onto Oraton Parkway

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Oraton Parkway
Use the straight lane.
16

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward GSP Toll South
17

Merge onto GSP

13 mi · 18 min · Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Continue on Garden State Parkway

1.3 mi · 1 min · Garden State Parkway Southbound
19

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Exit 130B-A Toward US 1: Newark, Trenton Use the slight right lane.
20

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Exit 130B Toward US 1 South: Trenton Use the slight right lane.
21

Merge onto US 1

0.1 mi · 12 sec · US 1
22

Continue on US 1

2.1 mi · 3 min · US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23

Continue on US 1

2.8 mi · 4 min · US 1
24

Take the exit

208 ft · 3 sec
Use the slight right lane.
25

Turn straight onto Fulton Street

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Fulton Street
26

Turn right onto CR 529

1.1 mi · 2 min · Plainfield Avenue
27

Turn left onto Central Avenue

345 ft · 17 sec · Central Avenue
28

Turn right onto Reed Street

523 ft · 28 sec · Reed Street
29

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Given the short 54-minute duration of this 34.7-mile trip, you have a lot of flexibility. Consider leaving during off-peak hours to avoid potential traffic congestion, especially on the Garden State Parkway. With an estimated fuel cost of just $6, you won't need to worry much about budgeting for gas. Since there are no mandated stops and the drive is so brief, you can easily pause for a quick break if needed, but it's not essential. A good tip for this route is to check traffic apps before you depart, as even short highway stretches in this area can experience delays.

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 17.4 miles from East Hanover, NJ, or about 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 13.3 miles.

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 34.7 miles or 54m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 17.4 miles or 27m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 44m

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

Before You Leave

+

Have your navigation ready before leaving East Hanover, NJ.

Day 1

Settle into the route from East Hanover, NJ

This is one driving day of about 34.7 miles and 54m.

At 34.7 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Garden State Parkway for about 13.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 17.4 mi from East Hanover, NJ · 27m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

17 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

Somerset, NJ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 34.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 17.4 miles from East Hanover, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Edison, NJ

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Edison, NJ if you are unfamiliar with the area.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.75 one way

$11.51 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $6.30 $12.60
premium $4.93 $6.73 $13.46
diesel $5.61 $7.66 $15.32

Estimated Tolls: $0.88

Garden State Parkway (14.6 mi) $0.88

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$6

Tolls

$1

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$32–$57

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.4 0 $3.64 $1.67
Efficient EV 8.7 0 $3.04 $1.39
EV Truck/SUV 13.9 0 $4.86 $2.22

Gas CO2

12 kg

EV CO2

4 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

East Hanover, NJ

Late night in East Hanover on Thursday

Local time

1:18 AM

EDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Edison, NJ

Late night in Edison on Thursday

Local time

1:18 AM

EDT

Current temp

57°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 warmer at arrival

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

Road read

54m 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 East Hanover, NJ to Edison, NJ covers 34.7 miles and takes about 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, Essex Freeway, US 1. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.4 miles from East Hanover, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.75 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.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 34.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 10.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.6 miles (Oraton Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between East Hanover, NJ and Edison, NJ, road signs point toward Orange, Gsp Toll South and Trenton.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from East Hanover, NJ or browse trips ending in Edison, NJ.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.

Explore maps for East Hanover, NJ or Edison, NJ on MapSof.net.