How far is Paterson, NJ from Madison, NJ?

The driving distance from Paterson, NJ to Madison, NJ is about 23.6 miles (38 km), with a travel time of about 00h 34m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 16.8 miles (27 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 08m 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
23.6 mi
00h 34m
Flight
16.8 mi
27.03 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Paterson.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
16.8 mi
Kilometers
27.03 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
23.6 mi
Kilometers
37.98 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
Tue, May 26, 9:29 AM EDT
Return by in Paterson
Tue, May 26, 10:03 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Paterson
2026-05-26T08:55
Arrive Madison
Tue, May 26, 9:29 AM 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
7:34 AM to 7:34 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:22 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Paterson
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 Paterson
11.8 mi
00h 17m
To Madison
11.8 mi
00h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Tuesday

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Tue, May 26 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph E
Destination
81°F
Tuesday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 26 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph SE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Colt Street

    66 m · 18 sec · Colt Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Ellison Street

    88 m · 13 sec · Ellison Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Church Street

    103 m · 20 sec · Church Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Van Houten Street

    720 ft · 27 sec · Van Houten Street

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Main Street

    88 m · 8 sec · Main Street

  6. 6

    Turn slight left onto West Broadway

    2904 ft · 1 min · West Broadway

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Union Avenue

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Union Avenue

  8. 8

    Continue on Union Boulevard

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Union Boulevard

  9. 9

    Take the ramp slight right

    743 ft · 20 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    8.2 mi · 9 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 Paterson 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
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
89 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Union Boulevard
10.1 mi · 43%
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%
Union Avenue
1.33 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

Union Boulevard

Merge slight left

8.18 mi · 00h 09m

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 08m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.8 mi
16.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Clinton
00h 17m from Paterson
Leave By
7:22 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Paterson and Partly Sunny near Madison.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 23.6 miles (38 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 11.8 miles from Paterson and 11.8 miles from Madison.

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

The direct path is about 16.8 miles (27 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.8 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 7:22 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.39 one way or $6.78 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Paterson and Partly 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 Paterson and Madison. Straight-line distance: 16.8 mi (27.03 km).

Paterson

#1 Paterson

The third most populous city in New Jersey.

Population144,801
Coordinates40.9167700, -74.1718100
Altitude26
CountryUnited States
Madison

#2 Madison

Borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States

Population17,612
Coordinates40.7598200, -74.4171000
Altitude79
CountryUnited States
Start: Paterson (-74.17181, 40.91677)
End: Madison (-74.4171, 40.75982)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 38 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 47m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 35m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 23m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 20m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.83 gal
3.15 L · about $3.39
Round trip
$6.78
1.66 gal · 6.3 L
Estimated CO2
7.4 kg one way
Round trip: 14.8 kg / 33 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $3.39 $6.78
Mid-grade $4.60 $3.82 $7.63
Premium $4.95 $4.11 $8.22
Diesel $5.98 $4.96 $9.93

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 26, 2026

There is no time difference between Paterson and Madison. The current time is 08:55:02.

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.