Best Time to Drive from Manhattan to Clifton

None of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

On weekdays the 17-mile drive from Manhattan to Clifton (via NJ-495 West) usually takes as little as 32 minutes and up to 104 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 59 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Sundays (69 minutes).

Freeway, about 10 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 7 miles: 18 to 67 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Manhattan to central Clifton along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Manhattan to Clifton by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	35	41	52	58	56	54	52	67	55	59	77	83	72	50	43	40
Tue	33	34	42	50	54	54	54	55	62	50	64	85	86	76	52	44	42
Wed	32	35	41	51	54	62	52	55	55	52	60	92	92	83	56	45	41
Thu	33	35	40	54	57	56	57	58	63	58	76	90	96	87	56	47	45
Fri	32	35	41	52	54	49	61	74	70	71	91	104	95	85	62	49	42
Sat	33	33	36	38	42	47	50	65	52	52	48	49	61	59	62	48	46
Sun	33	33	36	37	39	41	49	52	54	47	63	62	65	55	46	43	43

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Manhattan to Clifton?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am. The drive usually takes about 32 minutes then, versus up to 104 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Manhattan to Clifton?

The 17-mile drive usually takes 32 to 104 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 59 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Manhattan to Clifton?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 104 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Manhattan to Brooklyn · Manhattan to Staten Island · Manhattan to Newark · Manhattan to East Flatbush · Manhattan to Elizabeth · Manhattan to Bushwick · Manhattan to Gravesend · Manhattan to Fordham · Manhattan to Flatbush · Manhattan to New Rochelle · Manhattan to Passaic · Manhattan to Bayside

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	35	41	52	58	56	54	52	67	55	59	77	83	72	50	43	40
Tue	33	34	42	50	54	54	54	55	62	50	64	85	86	76	52	44	42
Wed	32	35	41	51	54	62	52	55	55	52	60	92	92	83	56	45	41
Thu	33	35	40	54	57	56	57	58	63	58	76	90	96	87	56	47	45
Fri	32	35	41	52	54	49	61	74	70	71	91	104	95	85	62	49	42
Sat	33	33	36	38	42	47	50	65	52	52	48	49	61	59	62	48	46
Sun	33	33	36	37	39	41	49	52	54	47	63	62	65	55	46	43	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	35	41	52	58	56	54	52	67	55	59	77	83	72	50	43	40
Tue	33	34	42	50	54	54	54	55	62	50	64	85	86	76	52	44	42
Wed	32	35	41	51	54	62	52	55	55	52	60	92	92	83	56	45	41
Thu	33	35	40	54	57	56	57	58	63	58	76	90	96	87	56	47	45
Fri	32	35	41	52	54	49	61	74	70	71	91	104	95	85	62	49	42
Sat	33	33	36	38	42	47	50	65	52	52	48	49	61	59	62	48	46
Sun	33	33	36	37	39	41	49	52	54	47	63	62	65	55	46	43	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	35	41	52	58	56	54	52	67	55	59	77	83	72	50	43	40
Tue	33	34	42	50	54	54	54	55	62	50	64	85	86	76	52	44	42
Wed	32	35	41	51	54	62	52	55	55	52	60	92	92	83	56	45	41
Thu	33	35	40	54	57	56	57	58	63	58	76	90	96	87	56	47	45
Fri	32	35	41	52	54	49	61	74	70	71	91	104	95	85	62	49	42
Sat	33	33	36	38	42	47	50	65	52	52	48	49	61	59	62	48	46
Sun	33	33	36	37	39	41	49	52	54	47	63	62	65	55	46	43	43