How far is Lakewood, NJ from Princeton, NJ?

The driving distance from Lakewood, NJ to Princeton, NJ is about 34.1 miles (54.8 km), with a travel time of about 00h 53m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 29 miles (46.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 47m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
34.08 mi
00h 53m
Flight
29.03 mi
46.72 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lakewood.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
29.03 mi
Kilometers
46.72 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
34.08 mi
Kilometers
54.84 km
Drive Time
00h 53m

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 53m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Princeton
Wed, Sep 16, 1:46 AM EDT
Return by in Lakewood
Wed, Sep 16, 2:40 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lakewood
2026-09-16T00:52
Arrive Princeton
Wed, Sep 16, 1:46 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 53m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:54 AM to 10:54 AM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:42 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lakewood
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

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
Manalapan
NJ

Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey

From Lakewood
17 mi
00h 26m
To Princeton
17.1 mi
00h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Sep 16 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SW
Destination
81°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Sep 16 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 mph

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on 8th Street

    14 m · 4 sec · 8th Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Madison Avenue

    1.6 km · 2 min · Madison Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on US Highway 9

    9.5 mi · 15 min · US Highway 9

  4. 4

    Turn right onto South Street

    949 ft · 22 sec · South Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp right toward NJ 33 West: Trenton

    1427 ft · 36 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Freehold Bypass

    12 mi · 17 min · Freehold Bypass

  7. 7

    Take the exit straight toward NJ 133 West: East Windsor, Princeton

    1511 ft · 37 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Hightstown Bypass

    3.2 mi · 5 min · Hightstown Bypass

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward CR 571 West: Princeton

    1220 ft · 30 sec

  10. 10

    Turn slight right onto Princeton-Hightstown Road

    4.5 mi · 7 min · Princeton-Hightstown Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Washington Road

    75 m · 5 sec · Washington Road

  12. 12

    Continue on Washington Road

    1 mi · 2 min · Washington Road

  13. 13

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Washington Road

    52 m · 5 sec · Washington Road

  14. 14

    Exit the rotary onto Washington Road

    1.6 mi · 4 min · Washington Road

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Nassau Street

    714 ft · 24 sec · Nassau Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Nassau Street

Car Route Details

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

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
16 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
2 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
46.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Freehold Bypass
12 mi · 35%
US Highway 9
9.5 mi · 28%
Princeton-Hightstown Road
4.52 mi · 13%
Hightstown Bypass
3.23 mi · 9%
Washington Road
2.77 mi · 8%
Madison Avenue
0.96 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Freehold Bypass

Merge slight left onto Freehold Bypass

12 mi · 00h 17m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 53m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 48m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.1 mi
29 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Manalapan
00h 26m from Lakewood
Leave By
4:42 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Lakewood and Sunny near Princeton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 34.1 miles (54.8 km) and usually takes 00h 53m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Manalapan is a useful midpoint, sitting about 17 miles from Lakewood and 17.1 miles from Princeton.

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

The direct path is about 29 miles (46.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.1 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:42 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.31 one way or $10.61 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Manalapan

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

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

RAIL

Princeton Junction station

20 mi away
2 Wallace Road
RAIL

New Brunswick station

27 mi away
French and Albany Streets
RAIL

Trenton Transit Center

31 mi away
72 South Clinton Avenue
RAIL

Metropark station

35 mi away
100 Middlesex-Essex Turnpike

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lakewood and Princeton. Straight-line distance: 29.03 mi (46.72 km).

Lakewood

#1 Lakewood

Township in Ocean County, New Jersey

Population107,439
Coordinates40.0978900, -74.2176400
Altitude23
CountryUnited States
Princeton

#2 Princeton

Private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States

Population30,879
Coordinates40.3487200, -74.6590500
Altitude62
CountryUnited States
Start: Lakewood (-74.21764, 40.09789)
End: Princeton (-74.65905, 40.34872)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 55 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 08m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 51m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 40m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 34m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 29m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 25m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.2 gal
4.55 L · about $5.31
Round trip
$10.61
2.4 gal · 9.1 L
Estimated CO2
10.7 kg one way
Round trip: 21.3 kg / 47 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.42 $5.31 $10.61
Mid-grade $4.96 $5.95 $11.90
Premium $5.25 $6.30 $12.60
Diesel $6.17 $7.40 $14.80

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 · Sep 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Lakewood and Princeton. The current time is 00:52:38.

Distance to Other Cities

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