Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
18.6 mi
30 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bristol, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Hartford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Bristol, CT to Hartford, CT is 18.6 miles and takes about 26 minutes via I 84 and local roads, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Connecticut, connecting two points in the Northeast region. You'll primarily be on highway, making it a quick and efficient journey. Given the brief duration, this is an ideal route for a quick commute or a simple hop between towns without requiring an overnight stay.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 18.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 61% of the journey on major roadways like I 84. You can expect stretches of consistent speed, including an uninterrupted segment of 11.4 miles on I 84. The route begins and ends with some time on local roads, specifically Pine Street and Riverside Avenue, before merging onto the interstate. This blend offers a mix of faster travel and more typical town driving.
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.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 18.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
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.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto CT 72 / School Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto CT 72 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto CT 72 / Pine Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Capitol Avenue, Asylum Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Capitol Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 11.4 mi | 15m |
| Pine Street | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| Riverside Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| School Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Capitol Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Armory Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bristol, CT and Hartford, CT.
Start on CT 69
Turn right onto CT 72
Turn left onto CT 72
Turn right onto CT 72
Turn left onto CT 72
Keep slight right at fork onto I 84
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn sharp right onto Capitol Avenue
Turn right onto Armory Road
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$2.99 one way
$5.99 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $3.29 | $6.59 |
| premium | $4.86 | $3.56 | $7.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.11 | $8.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.95 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.63 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Bristol on Friday
Local time
10:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Partly Sunny then Chance Light Rain
Destination
Night in Hartford on Friday
Local time
10:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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