How far is Paterson, NJ from Washington, NJ?

The driving distance from Paterson, NJ to Washington, NJ is about 51 miles (82 km), with a travel time of about 01h 13m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 43.6 miles (70.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 26m 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
50.95 mi
01h 13m
Flight
43.61 mi
70.18 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Paterson.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
43.61 mi
Kilometers
70.18 km
Flight Time
00h 05m

Driving Distance

Road route
50.95 mi
Kilometers
82 km
Drive Time
01h 13m

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 01h 13m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Washington
Thu, Apr 23, 11:16 AM EDT
Return by in Paterson
Thu, Apr 23, 12:29 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Paterson
2026-04-23T10:03
Arrive Washington
Thu, Apr 23, 11:16 AM EDT
Route Timing
01h 13m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:13 AM to 11:13 AM EDT

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

Leave by
4:04 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Paterson
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
Wharton
NJ

Borough of New Jersey

From Paterson
25.4 mi
00h 36m
To Washington
25.5 mi
00h 36m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
71°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 8 mph NW
Destination
69°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph NW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Interstate 80 West

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight left toward I 80 West: Delaware Water Gap

    1623 ft · 21 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Christopher Columbus Highway

    17.6 mi · 20 min · Christopher Columbus Highway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward US 46 West: Budd Lake, Hackettstown

    2134 ft · 48 sec

  16. 16

    Turn straight

    1272 ft · 24 sec

  17. 17

    Continue straight

    6.9 mi · 12 min

  18. 18

    Turn left onto East Avenue

    3064 ft · 2 min · East Avenue

  19. 19

    Turn left onto Mountain Avenue

    2377 ft · 54 sec · Mountain Avenue

  20. 20

    Turn right

    10.3 mi · 18 min

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Washington Avenue

Car Route Details

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

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
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
41.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Christopher Columbus Highway
17.6 mi · 34%
Union Boulevard
10.1 mi · 20%
US 46 West
7.3 mi · 14%
Interstate 80 West
1.6 mi · 3%
Union Avenue
1.33 mi · 3%
East Avenue
0.58 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Christopher Columbus Highway

Merge slight left onto Christopher Columbus Highway

17.6 mi · 00h 20m

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
01h 13m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 26m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+7.4 mi
43.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Wharton
00h 36m from Paterson
Leave By
4:04 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Paterson and Sunny near Washington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 51 miles (82 km) and usually takes 01h 13m 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?

Wharton is a useful midpoint, sitting about 25.4 miles from Paterson and 25.5 miles from Washington.

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

The direct path is about 43.6 miles (70.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 7.4 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 4:04 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $7.35 one way or $14.71 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 16 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Paterson and Sunny near Washington.

Stop Ideas Near Wharton

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

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

RAIL

Newark Liberty International Airport

39 mi away
Newark Liberty International Airport
RAIL

Pennsylvania Station

39 mi away
1 Raymond Plaza West
RAIL

Metropark station

42 mi away
100 Middlesex-Essex Turnpike
RAIL

New Brunswick station

46 mi away
French and Albany Streets

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Paterson and Washington. Straight-line distance: 43.61 mi (70.18 km).

Paterson

#1 Paterson

The third most populous city in New Jersey.

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

#2 Washington

Borough in Warren County, New Jersey, United States

Population6,498
Coordinates40.7584300, -74.9793400
Altitude139
CountryUnited States
Start: Paterson (-74.17181, 40.91677)
End: Washington (-74.97934, 40.75843)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 82 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 41m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 16m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 01m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 50m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 43m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 38m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.8 gal
6.81 L · about $7.35
Round trip
$14.71
3.6 gal · 13.62 L
Estimated CO2
16 kg one way
Round trip: 32 kg / 71 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $7.35 $14.71
Mid-grade $4.60 $8.28 $16.56
Premium $4.95 $8.92 $17.83
Diesel $5.98 $10.76 $21.53

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Paterson and Washington. The current time is 10:03:02.

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.