Origin
Newark, NJ
Morning in Newark on Friday
Local time
9:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Newark, NJ to Metuchen, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
18.5 mi
30 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Metuchen, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Newark, NJ to Metuchen, NJ covers 18.5 miles and takes about 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Garden State Parkway, Springfield Avenue, Lincoln Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.9 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.07 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 18.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 30m highway drive covering 18.5 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and Springfield Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 11.9 miles on Garden State Parkway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 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 11.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Springfield Avenue. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in near Washington Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 18.5 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.9 miles (Washington Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (Union Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Washington Avenue
Turn left onto Washington Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.6 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Union Avenue
Turn left onto Union Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
3.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward GSP South: Garden State Parkway South
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward GSP South: Garden State Parkway South
5
3.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
15.7 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward NJ 27: Iselin, Metuchen
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 132
Toward NJ 27: Iselin, Metuchen
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 Newark, NJ to Metuchen, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp South: Garden State Parkway South along the way.
Gsp South: Garden State Parkway South
3.7 mi in
|
~7m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 11.9 mi | 16m |
| Springfield Avenue | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Lincoln Highway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Middlesex Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Ball Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Lyons Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Union Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 11.9 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Newark, NJ and Metuchen, NJ.
1
Start on CR 510
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Market Street
2
Turn left onto CR 510; CR 603
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Springfield Avenue
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left onto Washington Avenue
450 ft
·
11 sec
·
Washington Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on Ball Street
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
Ball Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto CR 602
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Lyons Avenue
6
Turn left onto Union Avenue
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Union Avenue
7
Take the ramp
475 ft
·
11 sec
Toward GSP South: Garden State Parkway South
8
Merge onto GSP
12 mi
·
16 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 132
Toward NJ 27: Iselin, Metuchen
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto NJ 27
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Lincoln Highway
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on NJ 27
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Middlesex Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
NJ 27
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.07 one way
$6.13 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.36 | $6.72 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.59 | $7.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.08 | $8.17 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.71
Garden State Parkway
(11.9 mi)
$0.71
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.94 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.59 | $1.18 |
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.
Destination
Metuchen, NJ
Morning in Metuchen on Friday
Local time
9:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
15 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
30m 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 Newark, NJ to Metuchen, NJ covers 18.5 miles and takes about 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, Springfield Avenue, Lincoln Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.2 miles from Newark, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.07 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 18.5 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.9 miles (Washington Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (Union Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
On the drive from Newark, NJ to Metuchen, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp South: Garden State Parkway South along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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