Best Time to Drive from Manhattan to Elizabeth

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 21-mile drive from Manhattan to Elizabeth (via NJ-495 West) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 118 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 67 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Sundays (78 minutes).

Freeway, about 11 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 10 miles: 21 to 76 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 Elizabeth 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 Elizabeth 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	38	39	46	57	64	61	60	63	76	62	65	86	94	81	54	48	45
Tue	37	39	47	56	59	59	60	61	69	59	72	97	98	79	58	50	48
Wed	36	39	46	57	60	68	60	61	61	58	67	104	103	93	63	51	46
Thu	37	39	46	60	64	62	63	65	73	64	85	101	108	98	63	53	50
Fri	36	39	46	58	60	55	69	82	78	80	103	118	107	95	68	55	47
Sat	37	38	41	44	48	53	60	74	59	58	54	56	69	67	70	54	52
Sun	37	37	40	41	45	47	55	61	60	53	71	70	78	61	51	49	49

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 Elizabeth?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 118 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 21-mile drive usually takes 36 to 118 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 67 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Manhattan to Elizabeth?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 118 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 Bushwick · Manhattan to Gravesend · Manhattan to Fordham · Manhattan to Flatbush · Manhattan to Clifton · 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	38	39	46	57	64	61	60	63	76	62	65	86	94	81	54	48	45
Tue	37	39	47	56	59	59	60	61	69	59	72	97	98	79	58	50	48
Wed	36	39	46	57	60	68	60	61	61	58	67	104	103	93	63	51	46
Thu	37	39	46	60	64	62	63	65	73	64	85	101	108	98	63	53	50
Fri	36	39	46	58	60	55	69	82	78	80	103	118	107	95	68	55	47
Sat	37	38	41	44	48	53	60	74	59	58	54	56	69	67	70	54	52
Sun	37	37	40	41	45	47	55	61	60	53	71	70	78	61	51	49	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	46	57	64	61	60	63	76	62	65	86	94	81	54	48	45
Tue	37	39	47	56	59	59	60	61	69	59	72	97	98	79	58	50	48
Wed	36	39	46	57	60	68	60	61	61	58	67	104	103	93	63	51	46
Thu	37	39	46	60	64	62	63	65	73	64	85	101	108	98	63	53	50
Fri	36	39	46	58	60	55	69	82	78	80	103	118	107	95	68	55	47
Sat	37	38	41	44	48	53	60	74	59	58	54	56	69	67	70	54	52
Sun	37	37	40	41	45	47	55	61	60	53	71	70	78	61	51	49	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	46	57	64	61	60	63	76	62	65	86	94	81	54	48	45
Tue	37	39	47	56	59	59	60	61	69	59	72	97	98	79	58	50	48
Wed	36	39	46	57	60	68	60	61	61	58	67	104	103	93	63	51	46
Thu	37	39	46	60	64	62	63	65	73	64	85	101	108	98	63	53	50
Fri	36	39	46	58	60	55	69	82	78	80	103	118	107	95	68	55	47
Sat	37	38	41	44	48	53	60	74	59	58	54	56	69	67	70	54	52
Sun	37	37	40	41	45	47	55	61	60	53	71	70	78	61	51	49	49