Origin
Middletown, CT
Late night in Middletown on Saturday
Local time
5:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Middletown, CT to Bristol, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
21.3 mi
34 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Middletown, CT
David Kanigan
Bristol, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Middletown, CT to Bristol, CT is 21.3 miles and takes about 29 minutes via CT 9, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Connecticut, making it a convenient hop between towns in the Northeast region. With a high percentage of highway driving, expect a straightforward commute rather than a winding scenic journey. It's a quick drive, perfect for a day trip or as part of a larger itinerary without demanding significant time or resources.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 21.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 74% of the journey taking place on faster roads. You'll encounter stretches like 9.7 miles on CT 9, offering a consistent pace. While the majority is highway, you'll also utilize CT 72 and Corbin Avenue, which may introduce more local traffic and varied speed limits as you approach your destination. Expect a generally efficient commute with moments of transition to more urban road conditions.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
CT 9 is the longest continuous segment at about 9.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CT 9 and CT 72. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near CT 9.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 21.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (CT 9): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CT 9
At end of road, turn left onto CT 9
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
10.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
13.3 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the ramp toward CT 72 West: Bristol
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward CT 72 West: Bristol
7
15 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
CT 72
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 72
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 33
6
20.9 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
CT 72 / School Street
Turn right onto CT 72 / School Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 9 | 9.7 mi | 11m |
| CT 72 | 6 mi | 8m |
| Corbin Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Riverside Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| School Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Saint John's Square | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Washington Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CT 9
— 9.7 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Middletown, CT and Bristol, CT.
1
Start on Washington Street
86 ft
·
6 sec
·
Washington Street
2
Turn right onto CT 66
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
3
Turn right onto CT 17
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Saint John's Square
4
At end of road, turn left onto CT 9
9.7 mi
·
11 min
·
CT 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
1.5 mi
·
1 min
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Continue on CT 372
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Corbin Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward CT 72 West: Bristol
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto CT 72
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
CT 72
9
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 72
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
CT 72
Exit 33
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit onto CT 72
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Riverside Avenue
Use the straight / slight right / right lanes.
11
Turn left onto CT 72
276 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto CT 72
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
School Street
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto CT 69
71 ft
·
1 sec
·
West Street
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
CT 69
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.43 one way
$6.86 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $3.77 | $7.55 |
| premium | $4.86 | $4.08 | $8.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.70 | $9.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.5 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 | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.86 | $0.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Bristol, CT
Late night in Bristol on Saturday
Local time
5:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
33°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
9 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
29m 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 Middletown, CT to Bristol, CT covers 21.3 miles and takes about 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are CT 9, CT 72, Corbin Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.6 miles from Middletown, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.43 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 short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 21.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (CT 9): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Middletown, CT to Bristol, 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.
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