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Trip from East Haven, CT to Manchester, CT

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 1m

Distance

46.9 mi

75 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 56m ★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States

East Haven, CT

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Manchester, CT, CT

Manchester, CT

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from East Haven, CT to Manchester, CT covers 46.9 miles and takes about 1h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 91, I 84, Center Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 34.3 miles on I 91. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.55 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 46.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 1m highway drive covering 46.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 91 and I 84. The longest continuous stretch is about 34.3 miles on I 91.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 91 is the longest continuous segment at about 34.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 91 and I 84. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near Townsend Avenue.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.9 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (Townsend Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (East Ferry Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 38.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
1.8 mi into trip | ~2m in | Townsend Avenue

Turn right onto Townsend Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
5
2.6 mi into trip | ~4m in | East Ferry Street

Turn left onto East Ferry Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
8
38.3 mi into trip | ~48m in

Take the exit toward CT 15 North: East Hartford, Boston

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Exit 29 Toward CT 15 North: East Hartford, Boston
8
43.7 mi into trip | ~55m in | US 6

Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6, US 44: Middle Turnpike West, Manchester

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 60 Toward US 6, US 44: Middle Turnpike West, Manch...
6
44.2 mi into trip | ~56m in | US 6; US 44 / Middle Turnpike West

Turn right onto US 6; US 44 / Middle Turnpike West

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from East Haven, CT to Manchester, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Boston along the way.

Boston

38.3 mi in | ~48m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 91 34.3 mi 40m
I 84 2.8 mi 3m
Center Street 2.3 mi 3m
US 5 1.9 mi 2m
East Ferry Street 1.2 mi 2m
Frontage Road 0.7 mi <1m
Saltonstall Parkway 0.5 mi <1m
Farren Avenue 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 91 — 34.3 mi, about 40m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between East Haven, CT and Manchester, CT.

1

Start on Hemingway Avenue

0.3 mi · 32 sec · Hemingway Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
2

Turn left onto US 1

0.5 mi · 50 sec · Saltonstall Parkway
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
3

Continue on US 1

0.7 mi · 55 sec · Frontage Road
4

Continue on US 1

0.3 mi · 31 sec · Forbes Avenue
5

Turn right onto Townsend Avenue

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Townsend Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Continue on Fairmont Avenue

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Fairmont Avenue
7

Turn right onto Farren Avenue

0.4 mi · 50 sec · Farren Avenue
8

Turn left onto East Ferry Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · East Ferry Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Toward I 91 North: Hartford
10

Merge onto I 91

34 mi · 40 min · I 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 29 Toward CT 15 North: East Hartford, Boston Use the slight left / straight lanes.
12

Merge onto US 5; CT 15

1.9 mi · 2 min · US 5; CT 15
13

Merge onto I 84; US 6

1.4 mi · 1 min · I 84; US 6
14

Keep slight left at fork onto I 84; US 6

1.3 mi · 1 min · I 84; US 6
Toward I 84 East: Boston
15

Take the exit onto US 6

0.4 mi · 58 sec · US 6
Exit 60 Toward US 6, US 44: Middle Turnpike West, Manchester Use the slight right lane.
16

Turn right onto US 6; US 44

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Middle Turnpike West
Use the right lane.
17

Turn right onto US 6; US 44

2.3 mi · 3 min · Center Street
Use the right lane.
18

Continue on US 6; US 44

336 ft · 12 sec · East Center Street
19

Arrive at destination

US 6; US 44

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 23.4 mi from East Haven, CT · 30m into the drive

Downtown Newington, CT, CT

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Newington, CT

23 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

Hamden, CT

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Meriden, CT

Meal break

The midpoint is around 23.4 miles from East Haven, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Manchester, CT

The final approach into Manchester, 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

$7.55 one way

$15.10 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $8.31 $16.61
premium $4.86 $8.98 $17.96
diesel $5.61 $10.35 $20.71

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.1 0 $4.92 $2.25
Efficient EV 11.7 0 $4.10 $1.88
EV Truck/SUV 18.8 0 $6.57 $3.00

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (69% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

East Haven, CT

Afternoon in East Haven on Friday

Local time

12:33 PM

EDT

Current temp

42°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Manchester, CT

Afternoon in Manchester on Friday

Local time

12:33 PM

EDT

Current temp

--

Unavailable

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Road read

1h 1m 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 East Haven, CT to Manchester, CT covers 46.9 miles and takes about 1h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 91, I 84, Center Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 23.4 miles from East Haven, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.55 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.9 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (Townsend Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (East Ferry Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 38.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

On the drive from East Haven, CT to Manchester, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Boston along the way.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Weir Farm National Historical Park.

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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Manchester, CT to East Haven, CT

Plan the drive back the other way.

46.8 mi 1h 1m

Explore more options from East Haven, CT or browse trips ending in Manchester, CT.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CT road trips.