Airports
Newark, JFK, or LaGuardia From Central Jersey and the Shore
Drive times from Princeton, New Brunswick, Red Bank, Freehold, Toms River, and more to Newark, JFK, and LaGuardia — and how to choose between them.
By the Black Car Service Limo dispatch team · Updated · 7 min read
Key takeaways
- Newark (EWR) is the closest major airport from nearly all of Central Jersey and the Shore — 45 min – 1 hr 15 min from Princeton, 40 min – 1 hr 5 min from Red Bank, 55 min – 1 hr 30 min from Toms River.
- JFK is usually reached across Staten Island — the Outerbridge Crossing or Goethals Bridge, the Staten Island Expressway, and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge — not through Manhattan.
- LaGuardia is the longest trip from the south; choose it for the flight, not the drive.
- Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line trains stop at Newark Airport station, a real option for light travelers near a station.
Drive times by town
Typical door-to-terminal ranges by car from Somerset, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean County towns. Early mornings fall at the low end, weekday rush hours and summer weekends at the high end.
| From | Newark | JFK | LaGuardia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asbury Park, NJ | 45 min – 1 hr 15 min (45 mi) | 1 hr 25 min – 2 hr 15 min (69 mi) | 1 hr 10 min – 1 hr 50 min (67 mi) |
| Basking Ridge, NJ | 30–55 min (27 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr 5 min (54 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (52 mi) |
| Bedminster, NJ | 30–55 min (32 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr 5 min (59 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 35 min (51 mi) |
| Bernardsville, NJ | 30–55 min (29 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr (64 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (53 mi) |
| Brick, NJ | 50 min – 1 hr 25 min (54 mi) | 1 hr 30 min – 2 hr 25 min (78 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr (75 mi) |
| Bridgewater, NJ | 35 min – 1 hr (34 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr (60 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (53 mi) |
| Colts Neck, NJ | 40 min – 1 hr 10 min (35 mi) | 1 hr 20 min – 2 hr 5 min (59 mi) | 1 hr 5 min – 1 hr 45 min (57 mi) |
| East Brunswick, NJ | 30–55 min (27 mi) | 1 hr 10 min – 1 hr 55 min (52 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 35 min (50 mi) |
| Edison, NJ | 25–45 min (19 mi) | 1 hr 10 min – 1 hr 50 min (47 mi) | 50 min – 1 hr 25 min (44 mi) |
| Ewing, NJ | 50 min – 1 hr 25 min (51 mi) | 1 hr 30 min – 2 hr 25 min (76 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr 5 min (74 mi) |
| Fair Haven, NJ | 40 min – 1 hr 10 min (38 mi) | 1 hr 20 min – 2 hr 10 min (63 mi) | 1 hr 5 min – 1 hr 45 min (60 mi) |
| Far Hills, NJ | 35–55 min (31 mi) | 1 hr 20 min – 2 hr 5 min (57 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 35 min (49 mi) |
| Freehold, NJ | 40 min – 1 hr 10 min (36 mi) | 1 hr 20 min – 2 hr 5 min (60 mi) | 1 hr 5 min – 1 hr 45 min (58 mi) |
| Hamilton, NJ | 50 min – 1 hr 20 min (51 mi) | 1 hr 30 min – 2 hr 20 min (76 mi) | 1 hr 10 min – 1 hr 55 min (74 mi) |
| Hillsborough, NJ | 40 min – 1 hr 10 min (41 mi) | 1 hr 20 min – 2 hr 10 min (64 mi) | 1 hr 5 min – 1 hr 45 min (60 mi) |
| Holmdel, NJ | 40 min – 1 hr 5 min (31 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr 5 min (55 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (53 mi) |
| Jackson, NJ | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (48 mi) | 1 hr 35 min – 2 hr 30 min (72 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr 5 min (70 mi) |
| Lakewood, NJ | 50 min – 1 hr 25 min (47 mi) | 1 hr 30 min – 2 hr 25 min (71 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr (69 mi) |
| Lawrenceville, NJ | 50 min – 1 hr 20 min (47 mi) | 1 hr 30 min – 2 hr 20 min (72 mi) | 1 hr 10 min – 1 hr 55 min (70 mi) |
| Little Silver, NJ | 40 min – 1 hr 5 min (37 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr 5 min (61 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (59 mi) |
| Long Branch, NJ | 45 min – 1 hr 15 min (43 mi) | 1 hr 25 min – 2 hr 15 min (67 mi) | 1 hr 5 min – 1 hr 50 min (65 mi) |
| Manalapan, NJ | 40 min – 1 hr 10 min (34 mi) | 1 hr 20 min – 2 hr 5 min (58 mi) | 1 hr 5 min – 1 hr 40 min (55 mi) |
| Marlboro, NJ | 35 min – 1 hr 5 min (32 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr (57 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (54 mi) |
| Matawan, NJ | 30–55 min (25 mi) | 1 hr 10 min – 1 hr 55 min (49 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (47 mi) |
| Metuchen, NJ | 25–40 min (16 mi) | 1 hr 5 min – 1 hr 50 min (42 mi) | 50 min – 1 hr 25 min (40 mi) |
| Middletown, NJ | 40 min – 1 hr 5 min (33 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr 5 min (56 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (54 mi) |
| Monroe Township, NJ | 40 min – 1 hr 5 min (35 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr (60 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (58 mi) |
| New Brunswick, NJ | 30–50 min (25 mi) | 1 hr 10 min – 1 hr 55 min (50 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (47 mi) |
| Pennington, NJ | 50 min – 1 hr 25 min (51 mi) | 1 hr 35 min – 2 hr 30 min (77 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr 5 min (74 mi) |
| Piscataway, NJ | 30–50 min (25 mi) | 1 hr 10 min – 1 hr 50 min (51 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (48 mi) |
| Plainsboro, NJ | 40 min – 1 hr 10 min (40 mi) | 1 hr 20 min – 2 hr 10 min (65 mi) | 1 hr 5 min – 1 hr 45 min (63 mi) |
| Point Pleasant, NJ | 50 min – 1 hr 25 min (54 mi) | 1 hr 30 min – 2 hr 25 min (78 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr (76 mi) |
| Princeton, NJ | 45 min – 1 hr 15 min (40 mi) | 1 hr 25 min – 2 hr 15 min (66 mi) | 1 hr 5 min – 1 hr 50 min (63 mi) |
| Red Bank, NJ | 40 min – 1 hr 5 min (36 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr 5 min (61 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (58 mi) |
| Robbinsville, NJ | 45 min – 1 hr 15 min (44 mi) | 1 hr 25 min – 2 hr 15 min (69 mi) | 1 hr 10 min – 1 hr 50 min (67 mi) |
| Rumson, NJ | 45 min – 1 hr 15 min (41 mi) | 1 hr 20 min – 2 hr 10 min (65 mi) | 1 hr 5 min – 1 hr 50 min (63 mi) |
| Somerville, NJ | 35 min – 1 hr (30 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr (59 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (49 mi) |
| South Brunswick, NJ | 40 min – 1 hr 5 min (34 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr 5 min (60 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (57 mi) |
| Spring Lake, NJ | 50 min – 1 hr 25 min (51 mi) | 1 hr 30 min – 2 hr 25 min (76 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr (73 mi) |
| Toms River, NJ | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (63 mi) | 1 hr 35 min – 2 hr 35 min (87 mi) | 1 hr 20 min – 2 hr 10 min (84 mi) |
| Trenton, NJ | 50 min – 1 hr 25 min (49 mi) | 1 hr 30 min – 2 hr 25 min (75 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr (72 mi) |
| Warren, NJ | 30–50 min (24 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr (51 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (43 mi) |
| Watchung, NJ | 25–40 min (20 mi) | 1 hr 10 min – 1 hr 55 min (46 mi) | 50 min – 1 hr 25 min (38 mi) |
| West Windsor, NJ | 45 min – 1 hr 15 min (42 mi) | 1 hr 25 min – 2 hr 15 min (67 mi) | 1 hr 10 min – 1 hr 50 min (65 mi) |
| Woodbridge, NJ | 20–35 min (12 mi) | 1 hr 5 min – 1 hr 45 min (39 mi) | 50 min – 1 hr 20 min (36 mi) |
Why Newark wins for most flights
From the Turnpike and Parkway corridors, Newark is a straight highway run with no river crossing. The main variables are the approach through Elizabeth and Newark at rush hour and the terminal curbs during peak departure banks. For most domestic flights — and United’s international network — it is the obvious choice.
Getting to JFK: the Staten Island route
From Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean counties, JFK trips usually cross into Staten Island on the Outerbridge Crossing or the Goethals Bridge, follow the Staten Island Expressway to the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, and finish on the Belt Parkway. It avoids Manhattan entirely, but the Staten Island Expressway and the Belt are among the most congested roads in the region at rush hour, so we plan JFK departures with extra margin.
LaGuardia from the south
LaGuardia means either a Hudson tunnel and a crossing of Manhattan, or Staten Island, the Verrazzano, and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Either way it is the longest of the three trips from Central Jersey and the Shore — worth it when the flight is.
Rail to Newark from the Northeast Corridor
Princeton Junction, Hamilton, New Brunswick, Edison, Metuchen, and Metropark are on the Northeast Corridor, and North Jersey Coast Line trains serve the Shore; both stop at Newark Airport station, where the AirTrain runs to the terminals. For a solo traveler with a carry-on, outside the early morning, it can work well. With luggage, children, or a 6 a.m. flight, a car door to terminal is simpler.
Summer weekends and the Parkway
Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Friday afternoons southbound and Sunday afternoons northbound on the Garden State Parkway can add a lot of time to any trip. If your flight falls on a summer weekend, book early and let dispatch set the pickup time.