Origin
Union City, NJ
Afternoon in Union City on Friday
Local time
12:14 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union City, 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
27.2 mi
44 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 44m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Metuchen, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Union City, NJ to Metuchen, NJ covers 27.2 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 John F, NJ 495 West, US 1 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.51 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 27.2 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 (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 44m drive with frequent turns across 27.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
John F 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 Union City, NJ to Metuchen, NJ is easy. At 44m 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 Union City, NJ to Metuchen, NJ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John F | — | — |
| NJ 495 West | — | — |
| US 1 South | — | — |
| Tonnelle Avenue | — | — |
| US 1 | — | — |
| Pulaski Skyway | — | — |
| Spring Street | — | — |
| Carlton Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
John F
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union City, NJ and Metuchen, NJ.
1
Start on 45th Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
45th Street
2
Turn left onto John F. Kennedy Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
3
Turn slight left
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
4
Take the ramp slight right toward NJ 495 West, NJTP West
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
NJ 495 West, NJTP West
5
Continue on NJ 495 West
374 ft
·
11 sec
·
NJ 495 West
6
Merge slight left
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
7
Take the exit slight right toward US 1 South, US 9 South: Jersey City
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
US 1 South, US 9 South: Jersey City
8
Turn straight onto Tonnelle Avenue
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Tonnelle Avenue
9
Keep slight left to continue on Tonnelle Avenue
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Tonnelle Avenue
10
Take the exit slight right toward US 1-9 South: Newark
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
US 1-9 South: Newark
11
Merge slight left onto Pulaski Skyway
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Pulaski Skyway
12
Keep slight right to continue on US 1-9 Local South: Wilson Avenue, Port Newark
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1-9 Local South: Wilson Avenue, Port Newark
13
Take the exit slight left toward US 1 South, US 9 South: Newark Liberty International Airport, Main Terminals
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
US 1 South, US 9 South: Newark Liberty International Airport, Main Terminals
14
Merge slight left
2.7 mi
·
3 min
15
Merge slight right onto Spring Street
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Spring Street
16
Continue on Carlton Street
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Carlton Street
17
Continue straight
3.5 mi
·
6 min
18
Continue straight
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
19
Continue straight
3.1 mi
·
4 min
20
Keep slight right
1.8 mi
·
2 min
21
Continue straight
1.0 mi
·
1 min
22
Take the exit slight right
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
23
Turn right onto Grandview Avenue
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Grandview Avenue
24
Continue on Woodbridge Avenue
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Woodbridge Avenue
25
At the end of the road, turn right onto Main Street
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Main Street
26
Turn left onto Middlesex Avenue
210 ft
·
7 sec
·
Middlesex Avenue
27
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.51 one way
$9.02 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.94 | $9.88 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.28 | $10.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.01 | $12.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
| Efficient EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Afternoon in Metuchen on Friday
Local time
12:14 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
1 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 Union City, NJ to Metuchen, NJ covers 27.2 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are John F, NJ 495 West, US 1 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.6 miles from Union City, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.51 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 Union City, NJ to Metuchen, NJ is easy. At 44m 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 Union City, NJ to Metuchen, NJ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Union City, NJ to Metuchen, 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.
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