How far is Clifton, NJ from Madison, NJ?

The driving distance from Clifton, NJ to Madison, NJ is about 24.5 miles (39.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 34m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 14.9 miles (24 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 09m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
24.56 mi
00h 34m
Flight
14.9 mi
23.98 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Clifton.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
14.9 mi
Kilometers
23.98 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
24.56 mi
Kilometers
39.52 km
Drive Time
00h 34m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 34m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Madison
Fri, May 1, 3:07 PM EDT
Return by in Clifton
Fri, May 1, 3:41 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Clifton
2026-05-01T14:32
Arrive Madison
Fri, May 1, 3:07 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 34m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:35 AM to 7:35 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:20 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Clifton
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Clinton
NJ

Town in New Jersey, United States

From Clifton
12.2 mi
00h 17m
To Madison
12.3 mi
00h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, May 1 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 10 mph W
Destination
63°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, May 1 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 10 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Clifton and Madison.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Clifton and Madison.

  1. 1

    Start on Holly Street

    157 m · 27 sec · Holly Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Donna Drive

    733 ft · 35 sec · Donna Drive

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace

    135 m · 21 sec · Olga B Terrace

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Hutton Road

    12 m · 7 sec · Hutton Road

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Olga B Terrace

    53 m · 13 sec · Olga B Terrace

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Clifton Avenue

    2821 ft · 1 min · Clifton Avenue

  7. 7

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Allwood Road

    1069 ft · 31 sec · Allwood Road

  8. 8

    Take the ramp left toward NJ 3 West, GSP South

    654 ft · 18 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto State Route 3

    1.3 mi · 1 min · State Route 3

  10. 10

    Merge slight right

    10.8 mi · 12 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight left toward I 80 West: Dover, Del Water Gap

    1366 ft · 33 sec

  12. 12

    Continue on Interstate 80 West

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Interstate 80 West

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on I 287 South: Morristown

    1.9 mi · 3 min

  14. 14

    Merge slight right

    2.2 mi · 3 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward NJ 24 East: Springfield

    1.1 km · 1 min

  16. 16

    Continue straight

    1.2 mi · 1 min

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward CR 510 West: Morristown, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Drew University, College of Saint Elizabeth

    1084 ft · 32 sec

  18. 18

    Turn straight onto Columbia Turnpike

    737 ft · 15 sec · Columbia Turnpike

  19. 19

    Turn left onto Park Avenue

    2.5 mi · 5 min · Park Avenue

  20. 20

    Turn straight onto Main Street

    75 m · 7 sec · Main Street

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Clifton and Madison.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
21 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
85.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
State Route 3
12.1 mi · 49%
I 287 South
4.12 mi · 17%
Park Avenue
2.47 mi · 10%
Interstate 80 West
2.13 mi · 9%
NJ 24 East
1.9 mi · 8%
Clifton Avenue
0.53 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

State Route 3

Merge slight right

10.8 mi · 00h 12m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 34m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.6 mi
14.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Clinton
00h 17m from Clifton
Leave By
7:20 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Clifton and Sunny near Madison.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 24.5 miles (39.5 km) and usually takes 00h 34m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Clinton is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.2 miles from Clifton and 12.3 miles from Madison.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 14.9 miles (24 km), while the road route adds roughly 9.6 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:20 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.55 one way or $7.11 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Clifton and Sunny near Madison.

Stop Ideas Near Clinton

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Clinton, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Clinton.

RAIL

Pennsylvania Station

20 mi away
1 Raymond Plaza West
RAIL

Newark Liberty International Airport

22 mi away
Newark Liberty International Airport
RAIL

Pennsylvania Station

31 mi away
8th Ave 31st Street / 8th Ave 33rd Street
RAIL

Metropark station

35 mi away
100 Middlesex-Essex Turnpike

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Clifton and Madison. Straight-line distance: 14.9 mi (23.98 km).

Clifton

#1 Clifton

The most populous city in Passaic County, New Jersey.

Population85,025
Coordinates40.8584300, -74.1637600
Altitude57
CountryUnited States
Madison

#2 Madison

Borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States

Population17,612
Coordinates40.7598200, -74.4171000
Altitude79
CountryUnited States
Start: Clifton (-74.16376, 40.85843)
End: Madison (-74.4171, 40.75982)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 40 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 49m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 36m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 29m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 24m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.87 gal
3.28 L · about $3.55
Round trip
$7.11
1.74 gal · 6.56 L
Estimated CO2
7.7 kg one way
Round trip: 15.5 kg / 34 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $3.55 $7.11
Mid-grade $4.60 $4.00 $8.00
Premium $4.95 $4.31 $8.62
Diesel $5.98 $5.20 $10.41

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in New Jersey · May 01, 2026

There is no time difference between Clifton and Madison. The current time is 14:32:32.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.