How far is Princeton, NJ from Lakewood, NJ?

The driving distance from Princeton, NJ to Lakewood, NJ is about 46.4 miles (74.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 52m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 29 miles (46.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 45m 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
46.34 mi
00h 52m
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 Princeton.

Flight Distance

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

Driving Distance

Road route
46.34 mi
Kilometers
74.57 km
Drive Time
00h 52m

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 52m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lakewood
Tue, Sep 15, 10:17 PM EDT
Return by in Princeton
Tue, Sep 15, 11:09 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Princeton
2026-09-15T21:24
Arrive Lakewood
Tue, Sep 15, 10:17 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 52m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:53 AM to 10:53 AM EDT

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

Leave by
4:44 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Princeton
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 Princeton
16.8 mi
00h 26m
To Lakewood
29.6 mi
00h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
52°F
Overnight

Mostly Clear

Starts
Tue, Sep 15 3:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 mph
Destination
55°F
Overnight

Mostly Clear

Starts
Tue, Sep 15 5:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph N

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Nassau Street

    714 ft · 27 sec · Nassau Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Washington Road

    1.6 mi · 4 min · Washington Road

  3. 3

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Washington Road

    53 m · 5 sec · Washington Road

  4. 4

    Exit the rotary onto Washington Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Washington Road

  5. 5

    Continue on Washington Road

    25 m · 2 sec · Washington Road

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Princeton-Hightstown Road

    5.9 mi · 10 min · Princeton-Hightstown Road

  7. 7

    Continue on Stockton Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · Stockton Street

  8. 8

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Main Street

    108 m · 12 sec · Main Street

  9. 9

    Turn slight right

    29 m · 4 sec

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Franklin Street

    13.1 mi · 19 min · Franklin Street

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward US 9 South: Lakewood

    1129 ft · 28 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto US Highway 9

    9.6 mi · 15 min · US Highway 9

  13. 13

    Continue on Madison Avenue

    1.6 km · 2 min · Madison Avenue

  14. 14

    Turn left onto 8th Street

    14 m · 2 sec · 8th Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 8th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Princeton 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
15 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
32.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Franklin Street
13.1 mi · 28%
US Highway 9
9.58 mi · 21%
Princeton-Hightstown Road
5.88 mi · 13%
Washington Road
2.77 mi · 6%
Madison Avenue
0.96 mi · 2%
Stockton Street
0.85 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Franklin Street

Turn right onto Franklin Street

13.1 mi · 00h 19m

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 52m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 46m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+17.4 mi
29 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Manalapan
00h 26m from Princeton
Leave By
4:44 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Clear leaving Princeton and Mostly Clear near Lakewood.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 46.4 miles (74.6 km) and usually takes 00h 52m 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 16.8 miles from Princeton and 29.6 miles from Lakewood.

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 17.4 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 4:44 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $7.25 one way or $14.50 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 14.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

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 Princeton and Lakewood. Straight-line distance: 29.03 mi (46.72 km).

Princeton

#1 Princeton

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

Population30,879
Coordinates40.3487200, -74.6590500
Altitude62
CountryUnited States
Lakewood

#2 Lakewood

Township in Ocean County, New Jersey

Population107,439
Coordinates40.0978900, -74.2176400
Altitude23
CountryUnited States
Start: Chapel Drive (-74.658709, 40.348041)
End: 8th Street (-74.217623, 40.097792)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 75 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 32m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 09m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 55m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 46m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 39m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 34m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.64 gal
6.19 L · about $7.25
Round trip
$14.50
3.28 gal · 12.38 L
Estimated CO2
14.6 kg one way
Round trip: 29.1 kg / 64 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.42 $7.25 $14.50
Mid-grade $4.96 $8.13 $16.27
Premium $5.25 $8.61 $17.22
Diesel $6.17 $10.11 $20.22

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 Princeton and Lakewood. The current time is 21:24:30.

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.