How far is Whippany, NJ from Clifton, NJ?

The driving distance from Whippany, NJ to Clifton, NJ is about 20.1 miles (32.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 27m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 13.4 miles (21.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 55m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.
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
20.16 mi
00h 27m
Flight
13.45 mi
21.64 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Whippany.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
13.45 mi
Kilometers
21.64 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
20.16 mi
Kilometers
32.44 km
Drive Time
00h 27m

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 27m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Clifton
Sun, Nov 8, 3:05 PM EST
Return by in Whippany
Sun, Nov 8, 3:33 PM EST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Whippany
2026-11-08T14:38
Arrive Clifton
Sun, Nov 8, 3:05 PM EST
Route Timing
00h 27m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:28 AM to 7:28 PM EST

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

Leave by
7:34 PM EST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Whippany
10:00 PM EST
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
Fairfield
NJ

Township in Cumberland County, New Jersey

From Whippany
9.8 mi
00h 13m
To Clifton
10.4 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
43°F
Overnight

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Sun, Nov 8 3:00 AM EST
Wind
10 mph W
Destination
47°F
Overnight

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Sun, Nov 8 2:00 AM EST
Wind
16 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Whippany and Clifton.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Whippany and Clifton.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    89 m · 22 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right

    30 m · 7 sec

  3. 3

    Turn right

    1069 ft · 23 sec

  4. 4

    Turn slight right

    51 m · 6 sec

  5. 5

    Turn slight right onto Veterans Place

    155 m · 18 sec · Veterans Place

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Parsippany Road

    1.7 mi · 3 min · Parsippany Road

  7. 7

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 287 North

    1107 ft · 27 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left

    1.2 km · 1 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80 East: Smith Road, New York City

    860 ft · 21 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 East: New York City

    1655 ft · 40 sec

  11. 11

    Continue on Interstate 80 East

    1.9 mi · 2 min · Interstate 80 East

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 East: Paterson, New York City

    897 ft · 22 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Christopher Columbus Highway

    7.3 mi · 8 min · Christopher Columbus Highway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel

    2413 ft · 59 sec

  15. 15

    Merge slight right

    2.1 mi · 2 min

  16. 16

    Continue straight

    2.4 mi · 3 min

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic

    138 m · 16 sec

  18. 18

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Grove Street

    55 m · 10 sec · Grove Street

  19. 19

    Turn left onto Van Houten Avenue

    1.3 km · 2 min · Van Houten Avenue

  20. 20

    Turn right onto Clifton Avenue

    1817 ft · 47 sec · Clifton Avenue

  21. 21

    Turn left onto St James Place

    680 ft · 32 sec · St James Place

  22. 22

    Turn right onto Donna Drive

    159 m · 28 sec · Donna Drive

  23. 23

    Turn left onto Holly Street

    157 m · 23 sec · Holly Street

  24. 24

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Holly Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Whippany and Clifton.

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
24 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
118.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Christopher Columbus Highway
7.27 mi · 36%
US 46 East
5 mi · 25%
Interstate 80 East
1.93 mi · 10%
Parsippany Road
1.66 mi · 8%
I 287 North
0.97 mi · 5%
Van Houten Avenue
0.84 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Christopher Columbus Highway

Merge slight left onto Christopher Columbus Highway

7.27 mi · 00h 08m

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 27m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 56m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.7 mi
13.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Fairfield
00h 13m from Whippany
Leave By
7:34 PM EST
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Whippany and Mostly Cloudy near Clifton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Whippany to Clifton?

The road trip is about 20.1 miles (32.4 km) and usually takes 00h 27m 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?

Fairfield is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.8 miles from Whippany and 10.4 miles from Clifton.

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

The direct path is about 13.4 miles (21.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.7 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 EST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:34 PM EST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.88 one way or $5.77 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 6.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Whippany and Mostly Cloudy near Clifton.

Stop Ideas Near Fairfield

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

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

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

30 mi away
8th Ave 31st Street / 8th Ave 33rd Street
RAIL

Yonkers station

34 mi away
5 Buena Vista Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Whippany and Clifton. Straight-line distance: 13.45 mi (21.64 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Whippany

Whippany is a place in New Jersey, United States.

Population0
Coordinates40.8245400, -74.4171000
Altitude71
CountryUnited States
Clifton

#2 Clifton

The most populous city in Passaic County, New Jersey.

Population85,025
Coordinates40.8584300, -74.1637600
Altitude57
CountryUnited States
Start: (-74.417091, 40.824516)
End: Holly Street (-74.163585, 40.858575)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 32 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 40m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 30m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 24m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 20m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 17m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 15m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.71 gal
2.69 L · about $2.88
Round trip
$5.77
1.42 gal · 5.38 L
Estimated CO2
6.3 kg one way
Round trip: 12.6 kg / 28 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.06 $2.88 $5.77
Mid-grade $4.69 $3.33 $6.66
Premium $5.01 $3.56 $7.11
Diesel $6.30 $4.47 $8.95

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 · Nov 08, 2026

There is no time difference between Whippany and Clifton. The current time is 14:38:07.

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.