Origin
Bristol, CT
Evening in Bristol on Sunday
Local time
6:08 PM
EDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bristol, CT to East Hartford, CT
Drive Time
33m
Distance
23.5 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bristol, CT
MART PRODUCTION
East Hartford, CT
David Kanigan
Trip Overview
The drive from Bristol, CT to East Hartford, CT covers 23.5 miles and takes about 33m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 84, Pine Street, Riverside Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.7 miles on I 84. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.76 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
11.7 miles from Bristol, CT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 16m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 33m highway drive covering 23.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 84 and Pine Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 14.7 miles on I 84.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 84 is the longest continuous segment at about 14.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 84 and Pine Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CT 72 / School Street.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 23.5 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CT 72 / School Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (CT 72 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (CT 72 / Pine Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 72 / School Street
Turn right onto CT 72 / School Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 72 / Main Street
Turn left onto CT 72 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
1.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CT 72 / Pine Street
Turn left onto CT 72 / Pine Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
8
21.4 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward Roberts Street, Silver Lane, Burnside Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 58
Toward Roberts Street, Silver Lane, Burnside Av...
7
23.5 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
Tolland Street
Turn right onto Tolland Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 14.7 mi | 20m |
| Pine Street | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| Riverside Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Hillside Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| School Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Roberts Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Burnside Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 14.7 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bristol, CT and East Hartford, CT.
1
Start on CT 69
71 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Street
2
Turn right onto CT 72
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
School Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto CT 72
276 ft
·
7 sec
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto CT 72
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Riverside Avenue
Use the right lane.
5
Turn left onto CT 72
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Pine Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 84
14 mi
·
19 min
·
I 84
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 84; US 6
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
I 84; US 6
Use the none lane.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 58
Toward Roberts Street, Silver Lane, Burnside Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto Roberts Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Roberts Street
10
Turn left onto Hillside Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Hillside Street
11
Turn right onto US 44
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Burnside Avenue
12
Turn left onto School Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
School Street
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto Tolland Street
55 ft
·
1 sec
·
Tolland Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
Tolland Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 11.7 miles from Bristol, CT, or about 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 14.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 23.5 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 11.7 miles or 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near East Hartford, CT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bristol, CT so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bristol, CT
This is one driving day of about 23.5 miles and 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Bristol, CT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on I 84 for about 14.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 11.7 mi from Bristol, CT · 16m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
12 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 23.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 11.7 miles from Bristol, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in East Hartford, CT
The final approach into East Hartford, CT usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around East Hartford, CT.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.76 one way
$7.52 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.46 | $4.12 | $8.25 |
| premium | $4.83 | $4.47 | $8.93 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $5.22 | $10.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$29–$54
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.47 | $1.13 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.06 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
East Hartford, CT
Evening in East Hartford on Sunday
Local time
6:08 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
49°F
Brookhaven, NY
12 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
28 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
33m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Bristol, CT to East Hartford, CT covers 23.5 miles and takes about 33m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 84, Pine Street, Riverside Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.7 miles from Bristol, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.76 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 23.5 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CT 72 / School Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (CT 72 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (CT 72 / Pine Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Bristol, CT to East Hartford, CT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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