Origin
Wharton, NJ
Night in Wharton on Friday
Local time
10:28 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wharton, NJ to Jersey City, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
33.8 mi
54 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wharton, NJ
Alexa V. Mato
Trip Overview
This 33.8-mile drive from Wharton to Jersey City, NJ, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 47 minutes. You'll navigate primarily via the Essex Freeway and Christopher Columbus Highway, with a portion on Lincoln Highway. With a highway share of 42%, expect a mix of driving experiences. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $6, making it an economical option. This route stays within the Northeast region, connecting two points within New Jersey.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 33.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive offers a mixed driving profile, with 42% of the journey on highways. You'll experience stretches on the Essex Freeway, including the longest uninterrupted segment of 13.5 miles, which offers a faster pace. As you transition to highways like Christopher Columbus Highway and Lincoln Highway, the character of the drive will likely shift, incorporating more local road elements. This blend means you'll encounter both efficient highway travel and more varied conditions.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Essex Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 13.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near NJ 15 / West Union Turnpike.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 33.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (NJ 15 / West Union Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.5 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.
6
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
NJ 15 / West Union Turnpike
Turn left onto NJ 15 / West Union Turnpike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
13.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward I 280 East: The Oranges, Newark
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 47A
Toward I 280 East: The Oranges, Newark
8
27.5 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward NJ 21: Newark, Belleville, Prudential Center
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 15
Toward NJ 21: Newark, Belleville, Prudential Ce...
6
27.7 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
McCarter Highway
Turn right onto McCarter Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
7
32.7 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Wharton, NJ and Jersey City, NJ, road signs point toward Newark, Belleville and Prudential Center.
Newark
13.2 mi in
|
~17m
Belleville
27.5 mi in
|
~35m
Prudential Center
27.5 mi in
|
~35m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Essex Freeway | 13.5 mi | 17m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 11 mi | 12m |
| Lincoln Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Ferry Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Market Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| McCarter Highway | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Raymond Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Essex Freeway
— 13.5 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wharton, NJ and Jersey City, NJ.
1
Start on CR 634
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
2
Turn right onto CR 634 Alt
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Chegwidden Way
3
Turn right onto CR 642
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Dewey Avenue
4
Turn left onto NJ 15
318 ft
·
6 sec
·
West Union Turnpike
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 80 East: Denville, Paterson
6
Merge onto I 80
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 47A
Toward I 280 East: The Oranges, Newark
8
Continue on I 280
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Essex Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 15
Toward NJ 21: Newark, Belleville, Prudential Center
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto McCarter Highway
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
McCarter Highway
Use the left / right lanes.
11
Turn left onto Raymond Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Raymond Boulevard
Use the left lane.
12
Turn straight onto Market Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Market Street
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on Ferry Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Ferry Street
14
Continue on Raymond Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Raymond Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Lincoln Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Duncan Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Turn left onto Olean Avenue
316 ft
·
13 sec
·
Olean Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
Olean Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.9 mi from Wharton, NJ · 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.9 miles from Wharton, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Jersey City, NJ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Jersey City, NJ if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.60 one way
$11.21 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.14 | $12.27 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.56 | $13.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.46 | $14.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.55 | $1.62 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.96 | $1.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Jersey City, NJ
Night in Jersey City on Friday
Local time
10:28 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
6 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
47m 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 Wharton, NJ to Jersey City, NJ covers 33.8 miles and takes about 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Essex Freeway, Christopher Columbus Highway, Lincoln Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.9 miles from Wharton, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.60 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 short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 33.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (NJ 15 / West Union Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Wharton, NJ and Jersey City, NJ, road signs point toward Newark, Belleville and Prudential Center.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. There are 5 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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