Best Time to Drive from Manhattan to Newark

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 16-mile drive from Manhattan to Newark (via NJ-495 West) usually takes as little as 27 minutes and up to 82 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 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Sundays (57 minutes).

Freeway, about 11 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 5 miles: 11 to 42 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 Newark 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 Newark 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	27	28	33	42	45	42	44	41	54	43	46	59	69	58	41	35	33
Tue	27	28	34	41	43	43	42	43	49	40	50	68	66	66	44	36	34
Wed	27	28	33	40	43	49	43	44	44	41	48	67	72	66	46	37	34
Thu	27	28	33	43	50	45	45	46	53	46	58	70	75	71	46	38	37
Fri	27	28	33	42	44	40	49	57	60	55	65	82	75	68	52	42	34
Sat	27	27	29	31	34	38	40	51	43	41	39	39	50	48	50	39	37
Sun	27	27	29	30	32	33	39	42	44	38	51	50	57	45	37	35	35

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 Newark?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am. The drive usually takes about 27 minutes then, versus up to 82 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 16-mile drive usually takes 27 to 82 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Manhattan to Newark?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 82 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Manhattan to Brooklyn · Manhattan to Staten Island · Manhattan to East Flatbush · Manhattan to Elizabeth · 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	27	28	33	42	45	42	44	41	54	43	46	59	69	58	41	35	33
Tue	27	28	34	41	43	43	42	43	49	40	50	68	66	66	44	36	34
Wed	27	28	33	40	43	49	43	44	44	41	48	67	72	66	46	37	34
Thu	27	28	33	43	50	45	45	46	53	46	58	70	75	71	46	38	37
Fri	27	28	33	42	44	40	49	57	60	55	65	82	75	68	52	42	34
Sat	27	27	29	31	34	38	40	51	43	41	39	39	50	48	50	39	37
Sun	27	27	29	30	32	33	39	42	44	38	51	50	57	45	37	35	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	27	28	33	42	45	42	44	41	54	43	46	59	69	58	41	35	33
Tue	27	28	34	41	43	43	42	43	49	40	50	68	66	66	44	36	34
Wed	27	28	33	40	43	49	43	44	44	41	48	67	72	66	46	37	34
Thu	27	28	33	43	50	45	45	46	53	46	58	70	75	71	46	38	37
Fri	27	28	33	42	44	40	49	57	60	55	65	82	75	68	52	42	34
Sat	27	27	29	31	34	38	40	51	43	41	39	39	50	48	50	39	37
Sun	27	27	29	30	32	33	39	42	44	38	51	50	57	45	37	35	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	27	28	33	42	45	42	44	41	54	43	46	59	69	58	41	35	33
Tue	27	28	34	41	43	43	42	43	49	40	50	68	66	66	44	36	34
Wed	27	28	33	40	43	49	43	44	44	41	48	67	72	66	46	37	34
Thu	27	28	33	43	50	45	45	46	53	46	58	70	75	71	46	38	37
Fri	27	28	33	42	44	40	49	57	60	55	65	82	75	68	52	42	34
Sat	27	27	29	31	34	38	40	51	43	41	39	39	50	48	50	39	37
Sun	27	27	29	30	32	33	39	42	44	38	51	50	57	45	37	35	35