Origin
Paterson, NJ
Evening in Paterson on Friday
Local time
6:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Paterson, 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
44m
Distance
30 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Metuchen, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Paterson, NJ to Metuchen, NJ covers 30 miles and takes about 44m 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, NJ 19, Lincoln Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.9 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.97 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 30 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 44m highway drive covering 30 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and NJ 19. The longest continuous stretch is about 23.9 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 13 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 23.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and NJ 19. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Ellison Street.
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 30 miles you will encounter 9 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 (Ellison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Memorial Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 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
|
Ellison Street
Turn right onto Ellison Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Memorial Drive
Turn right onto Memorial Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward GSP South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward GSP South
5
3.4 mi into trip
|
~5m 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 left lanes.
8
27.2 mi into trip
|
~38m 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 Paterson, NJ to Metuchen, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp South along the way.
Gsp South
2.8 mi in
|
~4m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 23.9 mi | 33m |
| NJ 19 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Lincoln Highway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Middlesex Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Ward Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Oliver Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ellison Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Memorial Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 23.9 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Metuchen, NJ.
1
Start on Colt Street
216 ft
·
17 sec
·
Colt Street
2
Turn right onto Ellison Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Ellison Street
3
Turn right onto Memorial Drive
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Memorial Drive
Use the right lane.
4
Turn right
267 ft
·
9 sec
5
Turn straight onto Ward Street
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Ward Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on NJ 19
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Oliver Street
7
Turn slight left onto NJ 19
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
NJ 19
Use the slight left lane.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP South
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto GSP
24 mi
·
33 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 132
Toward NJ 27: Iselin, Metuchen
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto NJ 27
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Lincoln Highway
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on NJ 27
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Middlesex Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
NJ 27
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.97 one way
$9.95 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.45 | $10.89 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.82 | $11.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.62 | $13.25 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.43
Garden State Parkway
(23.9 mi)
$1.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.20 | $1.92 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (60% 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
Evening in Metuchen on Friday
Local time
6:29 PM
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
44m 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 Paterson, NJ to Metuchen, NJ covers 30 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, NJ 19, 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 15 miles from Paterson, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.97 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 30 miles you will encounter 9 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 (Ellison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Memorial Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Paterson, NJ to Metuchen, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp South along the way.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Metuchen, NJ
More trips to Metuchen, NJ
Explore more options from Paterson, NJ or browse trips ending in Metuchen, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.