Origin
Danbury, CT
Late night in Danbury on Saturday
Local time
5:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Danbury, CT to Durham, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
50.7 mi
82 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Danbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Durham, CT
MART PRODUCTION
Trip Overview
The drive from Danbury, CT to Durham, CT covers 50.7 miles and takes about 1h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 84, I 691, Baileyville Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 31.3 miles on I 84. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.16 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 50.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 8m highway drive covering 50.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 84 and I 691. The longest continuous stretch is about 31.3 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 15 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 31.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 84 and I 691. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near White Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 8m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (White Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.2 miles (I 84): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
White Street
Turn right onto White Street
Navigation decision point
5
3.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 84
Merge onto I 84
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
34.6 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward I 691 East: Meriden
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 691 East: Meriden
5
47.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
CT 147; CT 157 / Main Street
At end of road, turn right onto CT 147; CT 157 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
50.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
CT 17 / Main Street
At end of road, turn right onto CT 17 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 31.3 mi | 37m |
| I 691 | 8.1 mi | 9m |
| Baileyville Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| CT 66 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Newtown Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| White Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Middlefield Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 31.3 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Danbury, CT and Durham, CT.
1
Start on Library Place
234 ft
·
12 sec
·
Library Place
2
Turn left onto CT 53
436 ft
·
20 sec
·
Main Street
3
Turn right onto White Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
White Street
4
Continue on Newtown Road
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Newtown Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 84 East: Waterbury
6
Merge onto I 84
31 mi
·
37 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 27
Toward I 691 East: Meriden
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 691
8.1 mi
·
9 min
·
I 691
9
Continue on CT 66
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
CT 66
10
Turn right onto CT 147
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Baileyville Road
11
At end of road, turn right onto CT 147; CT 157
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Main Street
12
Continue on CT 147
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Middlefield Road
13
At end of road, turn right onto CT 17
0.3 mi
·
57 sec
·
Main Street
14
Turn left
130 ft
·
9 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.3 mi from Danbury, CT · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.3 miles from Danbury, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Durham, CT
The final approach into Durham, CT usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.16 one way
$16.32 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $8.98 | $17.96 |
| premium | $4.86 | $9.71 | $19.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.19 | $22.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.32 | $2.43 |
| Efficient EV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.44 | $2.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.10 | $3.24 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% 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
Durham, CT
Late night in Durham on Saturday
Local time
5:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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
1h 8m 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 Danbury, CT to Durham, CT covers 50.7 miles and takes about 1h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 84, I 691, Baileyville Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.3 miles from Danbury, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.16 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 straightforward 1h 8m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (White Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.2 miles (I 84): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Danbury, CT to Durham, CT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Durham, CT
More trips to Durham, CT
Explore more options from Danbury, CT or browse trips ending in Durham, CT.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CT road trips.