How far is Morris Plains, NJ from Paterson, NJ?

The driving distance from Morris Plains, NJ to Paterson, NJ is about 21.7 miles (34.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 29m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 17.5 miles (28.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 59m 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
21.7 mi
00h 29m
Flight
17.44 mi
28.06 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Morris Plains.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
17.44 mi
Kilometers
28.06 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
21.7 mi
Kilometers
34.93 km
Drive Time
00h 29m

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 29m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Paterson
Wed, Apr 22, 8:00 PM EDT
Return by in Morris Plains
Wed, Apr 22, 8:29 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Morris Plains
2026-04-22T19:30
Arrive Paterson
Wed, Apr 22, 8:00 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 29m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:30 AM to 7:30 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:30 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Morris Plains
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
Clinton
NJ

Town in New Jersey, United States

From Morris Plains
10.4 mi
00h 14m
To Paterson
11.3 mi
00h 14m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
63°F
Wednesday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SE
Destination
62°F
Wednesday

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
8 mph E

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Morris Plains and Paterson.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Morris Plains and Paterson.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    40 m · 11 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Speedwell Avenue

    2639 ft · 51 sec · Speedwell Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on Littleton Road

    3.5 mi · 6 min · Littleton Road

  4. 4

    Take the ramp right toward I 80 East: New York City

    1556 ft · 38 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Christopher Columbus Highway

    15.4 mi · 17 min · Christopher Columbus Highway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward NJ 19: Downtown, Paterson

    1215 ft · 29 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight right

    145 m · 6 sec

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80 West: Grand Street, Del Water Gap

    96 m · 8 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on Grand Street

    783 ft · 23 sec

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Grand Street

    941 ft · 27 sec · Grand Street

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Main Street

    1458 ft · 29 sec · Main Street

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Market Street

    138 m · 16 sec · Market Street

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Colt Street

    13 m · 3 sec · Colt Street

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Colt Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Morris Plains and Paterson.

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
14 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
64.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Christopher Columbus Highway
15.4 mi · 71%
Littleton Road
3.51 mi · 16%
Speedwell Avenue
0.5 mi · 2%
Grand Street
0.33 mi · 2%
NJ 19
0.32 mi · 1%
I 80 East
0.29 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Christopher Columbus Highway

Merge slight left onto Christopher Columbus Highway

15.4 mi · 00h 17m

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 29m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.2 mi
17.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Clinton
00h 14m from Morris Plains
Leave By
7:30 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Morris Plains and Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny near Paterson.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Morris Plains to Paterson?

The road trip is about 21.7 miles (34.9 km) and usually takes 00h 29m 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 10.4 miles from Morris Plains and 11.3 miles from Paterson.

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

The direct path is about 17.5 miles (28.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.2 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 7:30 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.15 one way or $6.29 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 6.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Morris Plains and Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny near Paterson.

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 Morris Plains and Paterson. Straight-line distance: 17.44 mi (28.06 km).

Morris Plains

#1 Morris Plains

Borough in New Jersey

Population6,223
Coordinates40.8217700, -74.4809900
Altitude119
CountryUnited States
Paterson

#2 Paterson

The third most populous city in New Jersey.

Population144,801
Coordinates40.9167700, -74.1718100
Altitude26
CountryUnited States
Start: (-74.481003, 40.821729)
End: Colt Street (-74.171665, 40.916732)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 35 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 43m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 32m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 26m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 18m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.77 gal
2.9 L · about $3.15
Round trip
$6.29
1.54 gal · 5.8 L
Estimated CO2
6.8 kg one way
Round trip: 13.7 kg / 30 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $3.15 $6.29
Mid-grade $4.60 $3.54 $7.08
Premium $4.95 $3.81 $7.63
Diesel $5.98 $4.60 $9.21

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 · Apr 22, 2026

There is no time difference between Morris Plains and Paterson. The current time is 19:30:36.

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.