Trip from Penns Grove, NJ to Hamilton, NJ

Drive Time

1h 56m

Distance

96.3 mi

155 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$16

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
1h 48m ★
6 AM
1h 57m
8 AM
2h 14m
10 AM
2h 3m
12 PM
2h 1m
3 PM
2h 3m
5 PM
2h 13m
8 PM
1h 52m

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

Downtown Penns Grove, NJ, NJ

Penns Grove, NJ

Trev W. Adams

Downtown Hamilton, NJ, NJ

Hamilton, NJ

Garrison Gao

Trip Overview

The drive from Penns Grove, NJ to Hamilton, NJ covers 96.3 miles and takes about 1h 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 295, Central Jersey Expressway, Garden State Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 55.1 miles on I 295. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.93 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

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

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

48.1 miles from Penns Grove, NJ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 57m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 1h 56m highway drive covering 96.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 295 and Central Jersey Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 55.1 miles on I 295.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 295 is the longest continuous segment at about 55.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 295 and Central Jersey Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 57.3 miles in near Exit 60.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 96.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 57.3 miles (Exit 60): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 92.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 92.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

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

8
57.3 mi into trip | ~1h 8m in | Exit 60

Take the exit onto Exit 60 toward NJ 29 North, I 195 East: Trenton, Belmar

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 60 Toward NJ 29 North, I 195 East: Trenton, Belmar
7
92.2 mi into trip | ~1h 49m in

Take the exit toward GSR North

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 36 Toward GSR North
8
92.4 mi into trip | ~1h 50m in

Keep slight right at fork toward GSP North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes. Toward GSP North
8
92.4 mi into trip | ~1h 50m in

Keep slight left at fork toward GSP North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane. Toward GSP North
8
95.2 mi into trip | ~1h 54m in

Take the exit toward NJ 33 East: Ocean Grove, Bradley Beach

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 100A Toward NJ 33 East: Ocean Grove, Bradley Beach

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Penns Grove, NJ to Hamilton, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Belmar along the way.

Belmar

57.3 mi in | ~1h 8m | via Exit 60

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 295 55.1 mi 1h 4m
Central Jersey Expressway 33.6 mi 39m
Garden State Parkway 2.6 mi 3m
Harding Highway 1.6 mi 2m
NJ 33 0.5 mi <1m
I 195 East 0.5 mi <1m
Exit 60 0.4 mi <1m
NJ 138 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 295 — 55.1 mi, about 1h 4m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Penns Grove, NJ and Hamilton, NJ.

1

Start on CR 675

0.3 mi · 48 sec · East Main Street
2

Continue on NJ 48

1.6 mi · 2 min · Harding Highway
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward I 295 North
4

Merge onto I 295

55 mi · 1 hr 4 min · I 295
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit onto Exit 60

0.4 mi · 54 sec · Exit 60
Exit 60 Toward NJ 29 North, I 195 East: Trenton, Belmar Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 195 East

0.5 mi · 58 sec · I 195 East
Toward I 195 East: Belmar
7

Merge onto I 195

34 mi · 39 min · Central Jersey Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on NJ 138

0.4 mi · 27 sec · NJ 138
9

Take the exit

432 ft · 10 sec
Exit 36 Toward GSR North Use the right lane.
10

Continue on this road

0.1 mi · 12 sec · this road
11

Keep slight right at fork

89 ft · 2 sec
Toward GSP North Use the straight / left lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward GSP North Use the straight lane.
13

Keep slight left at fork onto Garden State Parkway

0.4 mi · 1 min · Garden State Parkway
Toward GSP North
14

Merge onto GSP

2.1 mi · 2 min · Garden State Parkway
15

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Exit 100A Toward NJ 33 East: Ocean Grove, Bradley Beach Use the slight right lane.
16

Merge onto NJ 33

0.5 mi · 58 sec · NJ 33
17

Turn right onto (17)

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Old Corlies Avenue
18

Turn right onto Gully Road

155 ft · 4 sec · Gully Road
19

Arrive at destination

Gully Road

Trip Plan

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 48.1 miles from Penns Grove, NJ, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.1 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 80 miles or 1h 35m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 48.1 miles or 57m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 34m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Penns Grove, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Penns Grove, NJ

This is one driving day of about 96.3 miles and 1h 56m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Penns Grove, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on I 295 for about 55.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 48.1 mi from Penns Grove, NJ · 57m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

48 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

Staten Island, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 48.1 miles from Penns Grove, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Hamilton, NJ

The final approach into Hamilton, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Hamilton, NJ.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.93 one way

$31.87 round trip

$4.20/gal 25.4 MPG avg 34 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.60 $17.44 $34.87
premium $4.92 $18.66 $37.32
diesel $5.64 $21.39 $42.79

Estimated Tolls: $0.16

Garden State Parkway (2.6 mi) $0.16

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

$16

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$41–$66

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 33.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 28.9 0 $10.11 $4.62
Efficient EV 24.1 0 $8.43 $3.85
EV Truck/SUV 38.5 0 $13.48 $6.16

Gas CO2

34 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (68% 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 data refreshed 11 hours ago

Origin

Penns Grove, NJ

Late night in Penns Grove on Monday

Local time

5:22 AM

EDT

Current temp

60°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Hamilton, NJ

Late night in Hamilton on Monday

Local time

5:22 AM

EDT

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

3 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

1h 56m 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 Penns Grove, NJ to Hamilton, NJ covers 96.3 miles and takes about 1h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 295, Central Jersey Expressway, Garden State Parkway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 48.1 miles from Penns Grove, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.93 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 demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 96.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 57.3 miles (Exit 60): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 92.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 92.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Penns Grove, NJ to Hamilton, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Belmar along the way.

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