Origin
Fairfield, NJ
Afternoon in Fairfield on Friday
Local time
4:20 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfield, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
25.1 mi
40 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfield, NJ
Aisling Kerr
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Fairfield, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ is 25.1 miles and takes about 36 minutes via NJ 21 and US 46, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip that keeps you within the Northeast region and entirely within New Jersey. Given its short distance and highway-focused profile, this route is ideal for those needing to connect two points efficiently without significant detours. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, making it a practical choice for a quick transit.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 25.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 91% of the journey utilizing major roads like NJ 21, US 46, and NJ 3. Expect a consistent pace for the majority of your travel, punctuated by a substantial stretch of 9 miles on NJ 21. The character of the road remains largely consistent, emphasizing efficient travel over scenic exploration. You'll experience a typical urban and suburban highway environment for the entire 36-minute duration.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NJ 21 is the longest continuous segment at about 9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 21 and US 46. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Craig Place.
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 10 decision points packed into just 25.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Craig Place): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (US 46): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Craig Place
Turn right onto Craig Place
Navigation decision point
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 46
Merge onto US 46
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
12 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward NJ 21 South: Newark
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NJ 21 South: Newark
5
12.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
NJ 21
Merge onto NJ 21
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
25.1 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 21 | 9 mi | 14m |
| US 46 | 6.2 mi | 7m |
| NJ 3 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| US 1 | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Hollywood Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| East Jersey Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Craig Place | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Alan Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 21
— 9 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.
1
Start on Alan Drive
183 ft
·
10 sec
·
Alan Drive
2
Turn right onto Craig Place
355 ft
·
17 sec
·
Craig Place
3
Turn right onto CR 625
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Hollywood Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
5
Merge onto US 46
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on US 46
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Turn slight left onto NJ 3
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward NJ 21 South: Newark
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto NJ 21
9.0 mi
·
14 min
·
NJ 21
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 1; US 9
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
US 1; US 9
11
Continue on US 1; US 9
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
US 1; US 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
East Jersey Street
13
Turn right
34 ft
·
2 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.16 one way
$8.32 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.56 | $9.12 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.87 | $9.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.54 | $11.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.64 | $1.20 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.61 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Elizabeth, NJ
Afternoon in Elizabeth on Friday
Local time
4:20 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
22 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
36m 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 Fairfield, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ covers 25.1 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NJ 21, US 46, NJ 3. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.5 miles from Fairfield, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.16 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 10 decision points packed into just 25.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Craig Place): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (US 46): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Fairfield, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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