Origin
Fairfield, CT
Morning in Fairfield on Friday
Local time
8:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfield, CT to Darien, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
17m
Distance
12.3 mi
20 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfield, CT
David Kanigan
Darien, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Fairfield, CT to Darien, CT covers 12.3 miles and takes about 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 95, Post Road, Jelliff Lane for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.4 miles on I 95. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.98 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 17m. Total distance: 12.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 17m highway drive covering 12.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 95 and Post Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 9.4 miles on I 95.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 8 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 95 is the longest continuous segment at about 9.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Post Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 17m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
4 of 4 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 South: New York City
Navigation decision point
Toward I 95 South: New York City
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
11.2 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Post Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 13
Toward US 1: Post Road
4
12.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 9.4 mi | 12m |
| Post Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Jelliff Lane | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 9.4 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield, CT and Darien, CT.
1
Start on US 1
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Post Road
2
Turn slight left onto Jelliff Lane
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Jelliff Lane
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 95 South: New York City
4
Merge onto I 95
9.4 mi
·
12 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 13
Toward US 1: Post Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn left onto US 1
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Post Road
7
Turn right
192 ft
·
14 sec
8
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.98 one way
$3.96 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $2.18 | $4.36 |
| premium | $4.86 | $2.36 | $4.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.72 | $5.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.29 | $0.59 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.08 | $0.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Darien, CT
Morning in Darien on Friday
Local time
8:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
17m 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 Fairfield, CT to Darien, CT covers 12.3 miles and takes about 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 95, Post Road, Jelliff Lane. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.1 miles from Fairfield, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.98 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 17m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Fairfield, CT to Darien, CT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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