How far is Cranbury, NJ from Lakewood, NJ?

The driving distance from Cranbury, NJ to Lakewood, NJ is about 26.5 miles (42.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 40m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 21.7 miles (35 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 20m 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
26.49 mi
00h 40m
Flight
21.72 mi
34.95 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Cranbury.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
21.72 mi
Kilometers
34.95 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
26.49 mi
Kilometers
42.63 km
Drive Time
00h 40m

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 40m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lakewood
Sat, May 30, 4:13 AM EDT
Return by in Cranbury
Sat, May 30, 4:54 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Cranbury
2026-05-30T03:33
Arrive Lakewood
Sat, May 30, 4:13 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 40m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:40 AM to 7:40 PM EDT

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

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

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
West Freehold
NJ

Census designated place

From Cranbury
13.2 mi
00h 20m
To Lakewood
13.2 mi
00h 20m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
69°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph N
Destination
71°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Cranbury and Lakewood.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cranbury and Lakewood.

  1. 1

    Start on Plainsboro Road

    952 ft · 29 sec · Plainsboro Road

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Maplewood Avenue

    72 m · 7 sec · Maplewood Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Half Acre Road

    87 m · 12 sec · Half Acre Road

  4. 4

    Turn right

    1.1 km · 1 min

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Station Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Station Road

  6. 6

    Continue on Cranbury Station Road

    1.5 km · 2 min · Cranbury Station Road

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Applegarth Road

    2.4 mi · 4 min · Applegarth Road

  8. 8

    Turn left

    10.3 mi · 15 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward US 9 South: Lakewood

    1129 ft · 28 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto US Highway 9

    9.6 mi · 15 min · US Highway 9

  11. 11

    Continue on Madison Avenue

    1.6 km · 2 min · Madison Avenue

  12. 12

    Turn left onto 8th Street

    14 m · 2 sec · 8th Street

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 8th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Cranbury and Lakewood.

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
13 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
49.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
US Highway 9
9.58 mi · 36%
Applegarth Road
2.39 mi · 9%
Station Road
1.1 mi · 4%
Madison Avenue
0.96 mi · 4%
Cranbury Station Road
0.91 mi · 3%
US 9 South
0.21 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Longest stretch

Turn left

10.3 mi · 00h 15m

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 40m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 20m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.8 mi
21.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
West Freehold
00h 20m from Cranbury
Leave By
7:10 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Cranbury and Mostly Sunny near Lakewood.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Cranbury to Lakewood?

The road trip is about 26.5 miles (42.6 km) and usually takes 00h 40m 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?

West Freehold is a useful midpoint, sitting about 13.2 miles from Cranbury and 13.2 miles from Lakewood.

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

The direct path is about 21.7 miles (35 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.8 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 7:10 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.84 one way or $7.68 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Cranbury and Mostly Sunny near Lakewood.

Stop Ideas Near West Freehold

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around West Freehold, 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 West Freehold.

RAIL

Princeton Junction station

29 mi away
2 Wallace Road
RAIL

New Brunswick station

31 mi away
French and Albany Streets
RAIL

Metropark station

36 mi away
100 Middlesex-Essex Turnpike
RAIL

Trenton Transit Center

39 mi away
72 South Clinton Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Cranbury and Lakewood. Straight-line distance: 21.72 mi (34.95 km).

Cranbury

#1 Cranbury

Township of New Jersey

Population4,153
Coordinates40.3162200, -74.5137600
Altitude30
CountryUnited States
Lakewood

#2 Lakewood

Township in Ocean County, New Jersey

Population107,439
Coordinates40.0978900, -74.2176400
Altitude23
CountryUnited States
Start: Plainsboro Road (-74.513693, 40.316367)
End: 8th Street (-74.217623, 40.097792)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 43 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 52m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 39m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 31m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 26m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 22m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 19m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.94 gal
3.54 L · about $3.84
Round trip
$7.68
1.88 gal · 7.08 L
Estimated CO2
8.4 kg one way
Round trip: 16.7 kg / 37 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $3.84 $7.68
Mid-grade $4.60 $4.32 $8.65
Premium $4.95 $4.66 $9.31
Diesel $5.98 $5.62 $11.24

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 30, 2026

There is no time difference between Cranbury and Lakewood. The current time is 03:33:22.

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.