Origin
Fairfield, CT
Late night in Fairfield on Friday
Local time
2:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfield, CT to Hartford, CT
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
58.2 mi
94 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfield, CT
David Kanigan
Hartford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Fairfield, CT to Hartford, CT covers 58.2 miles and takes about 1h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Wilbur Cross Parkway, Berlin Turnpike, CT 8 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 30.4 miles on Wilbur Cross Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.37 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 58.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 17m highway drive covering 58.2 miles, with most of the trip on Wilbur Cross Parkway and Berlin Turnpike. The longest continuous stretch is about 30.4 miles on Wilbur Cross Parkway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Wilbur Cross Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 30.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Wilbur Cross Parkway and Berlin Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Mill Plain Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.2 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (Mill Plain Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.6 miles (CT 8): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Mill Plain Road
Turn left onto Mill Plain Road
Navigation decision point
8
4.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward CT 25, CT 8: Trumbull, Waterbury
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 27A
Toward CT 25, CT 8: Trumbull, Waterbury
6
8.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
CT 8
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 8 toward CT 8 North: Waterbury, New Haven
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CT 8 North: Waterbury, New Haven
8
10.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward CT 15 North: Merritt Parkway, New Haven
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 6
Toward CT 15 North: Merritt Parkway, New Haven
6
58.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
|
Capitol Avenue
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Fairfield, CT and Hartford, CT, road signs point toward Waterbury and New Haven.
Waterbury
4.7 mi in
|
~6m
New Haven
8.6 mi in
|
~11m
|
via CT 8
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Wilbur Cross Parkway | 30.4 mi | 37m |
| Berlin Turnpike | 11 mi | 14m |
| CT 8 | 5 mi | 5m |
| I 95 | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Merritt Parkway | 3 mi | 4m |
| Broad Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Maple Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Mill Plain Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Wilbur Cross Parkway
— 30.4 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield, CT and Hartford, CT.
1
Start on US 1
186 ft
·
12 sec
·
Post Road
2
Turn left onto Mill Plain Road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Mill Plain Road
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 95 North
4
Merge onto I 95
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 27A
Toward CT 25, CT 8: Trumbull, Waterbury
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on CT 8; CT 25
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
CT 8; CT 25
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 8
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
CT 8
Toward CT 8 North: Waterbury, New Haven
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 6
Toward CT 15 North: Merritt Parkway, New Haven
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto CT 15
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Merritt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on CT 15
30 mi
·
37 min
·
Wilbur Cross Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 5; CT 15
9.9 mi
·
12 min
·
Berlin Turnpike
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on CT 314
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Berlin Turnpike
13
Continue on Maple Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Maple Avenue
14
Turn left onto Broad Street
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Broad Street
15
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue
382 ft
·
16 sec
·
Capitol Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto Armory Road
111 ft
·
9 sec
·
Armory Road
17
Arrive at destination
Armory Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 29.1 mi from Fairfield, CT · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.1 miles from Fairfield, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Hartford, CT
The final approach into Hartford, 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
$9.37 one way
$18.74 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $10.31 | $20.62 |
| premium | $4.86 | $11.15 | $22.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.85 | $25.70 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.77
Berlin Turnpike
(9.9 mi)
$0.69
Berlin Turnpike
(1.1 mi)
$0.08
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$1
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.11 | $2.79 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.09 | $2.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.3 | 0 | $8.15 | $3.72 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Hartford, CT
Late night in Hartford on Friday
Local time
2:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°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
21 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 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 Hartford, CT covers 58.2 miles and takes about 1h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Wilbur Cross Parkway, Berlin Turnpike, CT 8. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 29.1 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 $9.37 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 58.2 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (Mill Plain Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.6 miles (CT 8): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Fairfield, CT and Hartford, CT, road signs point toward Waterbury and New Haven.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Weir Farm National Historical Park.
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