Origin
Plainsboro Center, NJ
Afternoon in Plainsboro Center on Friday
Local time
2:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plainsboro Center, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
55.6 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plainsboro Center, NJ
Andrew Patrick Photo
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Plainsboro Center, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 55.6 miles and takes about 1h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Parkway Avenue, Schalks Crossing Road, Ridge Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 55.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 9m drive with frequent turns across 55.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Parkway Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Plainsboro Center, NJ to Clifton, NJ is easy. At 1h 9m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Plainsboro Center, NJ to Clifton, NJ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Parkway Avenue | — | — |
| Schalks Crossing Road | — | — |
| Ridge Road | — | — |
| Newark|Newark | — | — |
| GSP Toll North | — | — |
| Garden State Parkway | — | — |
| Montclair | — | — |
| Watchung Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Parkway Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plainsboro Center, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on Edgemere Avenue
318 ft
·
18 sec
·
Edgemere Avenue
2
Turn sharp right onto Parkway Avenue
0.2 mi
·
52 sec
·
Parkway Avenue
3
Continue on Schalks Crossing Road
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Schalks Crossing Road
4
Turn left onto Ridge Road
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Ridge Road
5
Turn right
9.7 mi
·
13 min
6
Keep slight left
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
7
Keep slight left to continue on Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick
505 ft
·
8 sec
·
Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick
8
Keep slight left
367 ft
·
6 sec
9
Keep slight left
2.7 mi
·
3 min
10
Continue straight
1.0 mi
·
1 min
11
Continue straight
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
12
Continue straight
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
13
Continue straight
5.9 mi
·
9 min
14
Take the exit slight right toward GSP Toll North: Garden State Parkway
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
GSP Toll North: Garden State Parkway
15
Merge slight left onto Garden State Parkway
21 mi
·
29 min
·
Garden State Parkway
16
Take the exit slight right toward Montclair, Nutley
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Montclair, Nutley
17
Turn right onto Watchung Avenue
482 ft
·
15 sec
·
Watchung Avenue
18
At the end of the road, turn left onto East Passaic Avenue
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
East Passaic Avenue
19
Turn right onto West Passaic Avenue
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
West Passaic Avenue
20
Turn left onto Darling Avenue
410 ft
·
7 sec
·
Darling Avenue
21
Continue on Bloomfield Avenue
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Bloomfield Avenue
22
Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Allwood Circle
262 ft
·
5 sec
·
Allwood Circle
23
Exit the rotary onto Allwood Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Allwood Road
24
Turn right onto Clifton Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Clifton Avenue
25
Turn right onto Olga B Terrace
174 ft
·
10 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
26
Turn right onto Hutton Road
39 ft
·
7 sec
·
Hutton Road
27
Turn left onto Olga B Terrace
443 ft
·
25 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
28
Turn left onto Donna Drive
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
Donna Drive
29
Turn right onto Holly Street
515 ft
·
23 sec
·
Holly Street
30
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.8 mi from Plainsboro Center, NJ · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.8 miles from Plainsboro Center, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Clifton, NJ
The final approach into Clifton, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.22 one way
$18.44 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.10 | $20.19 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.78 | $21.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.28 | $24.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.84 | $2.67 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.87 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.78 | $3.56 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (63% 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
Clifton, NJ
Afternoon in Clifton on Friday
Local time
2:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
24 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 9m 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 Plainsboro Center, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 55.6 miles and takes about 1h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Parkway Avenue, Schalks Crossing Road, Ridge Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.8 miles from Plainsboro Center, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.22 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.
The drive from Plainsboro Center, NJ to Clifton, NJ is easy. At 1h 9m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Plainsboro Center, NJ to Clifton, NJ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Plainsboro Center, NJ to Clifton, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. 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 Clifton, NJ
More from Plainsboro Center, NJ
More trips to Clifton, NJ
Explore more options from Plainsboro Center, NJ or browse trips ending in Clifton, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.