Origin
North Caldwell, NJ
Late night in North Caldwell on Saturday
Local time
3:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Caldwell, NJ to Union City, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
17.1 mi
28 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 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Caldwell, NJ
Joel Zar
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from North Caldwell, NJ to Union City, NJ covers 17.1 miles and takes about 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NJ 3, Mountain Avenue, West Lindsley Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.5 miles on NJ 3. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.83 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 17.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 26m highway drive covering 17.1 miles, with most of the trip on NJ 3 and Mountain Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 10.5 miles on NJ 3.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NJ 3 is the longest continuous segment at about 10.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 3 and Mountain Avenue. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Greenbrook Road.
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 17.1 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start (East Greenbrook Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.1 miles (US 46): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 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
|
East Greenbrook Road
Turn left onto East Greenbrook Road
Navigation decision point
5
4.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 46
Merge onto US 46
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
15.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel, Kennedy Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel, Kennedy Bou...
7
15.8 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward Kennedy Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
5
17 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
Bergenline Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Bergenline Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 3 | 10.5 mi | 11m |
| Mountain Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| West Lindsley Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Francisco Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| US 46 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| NJ 495 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Notch Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 3
— 10.5 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Caldwell, NJ and Union City, NJ.
1
Start on this road
113 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto East Greenbrook Road
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
East Greenbrook Road
3
Turn left onto CR 527
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Mountain Avenue
4
Continue on CR 527; CR 604
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West Lindsley Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on (612)
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Francisco Avenue
6
Turn left onto (641)
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Ridge Road
7
Continue on CR 631
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Long Hill Road
8
Turn straight
300 ft
·
13 sec
9
Turn straight onto CR 633
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Notch Road
10
Take the ramp
193 ft
·
5 sec
11
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
this road
12
Merge onto US 46
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn slight left onto NJ 3
11 mi
·
11 min
·
NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel, Kennedy Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Merge onto NJ 495
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
NJ 495
16
Take the exit
263 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
17
Continue on 30th Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
30th Street
18
Turn left onto CR 501
296 ft
·
16 sec
·
John F Kennedy Boulevard
19
Continue on CR 501
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
20
Turn right onto 47th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
47th Street
21
At end of road, turn right onto Bergenline Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bergenline Avenue
22
Turn right onto 45th Street
64 ft
·
2 sec
·
45th Street
23
Arrive at destination
45th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.83 one way
$5.67 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.10 | $6.21 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.32 | $6.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.78 | $7.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6 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 | 5.1 | 0 | $1.80 | $0.82 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.50 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
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
Union City, NJ
Late night in Union City on Saturday
Local time
3:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
13 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
26m 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 North Caldwell, NJ to Union City, NJ covers 17.1 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NJ 3, Mountain Avenue, West Lindsley Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.6 miles from North Caldwell, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.83 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 17.1 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start (East Greenbrook Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.1 miles (US 46): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from North Caldwell, NJ to Union City, 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 Gateway National Recreation Area. 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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