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Trip from New Britain, CT to New Canaan, CT

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 20m

Distance

61.6 mi

99 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 14m ★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m

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

city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States

New Britain, CT

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown New Canaan, CT, CT

New Canaan, CT

David Kanigan

Trip Overview

The drive from New Britain, CT to New Canaan, CT covers 61.6 miles and takes about 1h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on South Main Street, Ellis Street, Columbus Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.92 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 61.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 20m drive with frequent turns across 61.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from New Britain, CT to New Canaan, CT is easy. At 1h 20m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from New Britain, CT to New Canaan, CT is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Main Street
Ellis Street
Columbus Boulevard
CT 372
Berlin Turnpike
North Broad Street
Merritt Parkway
CT 123

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: South Main Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between New Britain, CT and New Canaan, CT.

1

Start on Whiting Street

36 ft · 8 sec · Whiting Street
2

Turn left onto South Main Street

0.3 mi · 35 sec · South Main Street
3

Turn left onto Ellis Street

0.1 mi · 23 sec · Ellis Street
4

Turn right onto Columbus Boulevard

161 ft · 4 sec · Columbus Boulevard
5

Take the ramp straight

0.4 mi · 48 sec
6

Merge slight left

2.4 mi · 2 min
7

Take the exit slight right toward CT 372: East Berlin

0.4 mi · 58 sec · CT 372: East Berlin
8

Keep slight right

305 ft · 8 sec
9

Merge slight left onto Berlin Turnpike

3.4 mi · 4 min · Berlin Turnpike
10

Continue on North Broad Street

30 mi · 37 min · North Broad Street
11

Continue on Merritt Parkway

22 mi · 28 min · Merritt Parkway
12

Take the exit slight right toward CT 123: New Canaan Avenue

0.1 mi · 20 sec · CT 123: New Canaan Avenue
13

Turn left onto New Canaan Avenue

377 ft · 7 sec · New Canaan Avenue
14

Continue on New Norwalk Road

1.6 mi · 2 min · New Norwalk Road
15

Turn left onto East Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Avenue
16

At the end of the road, turn left onto Main Street

243 ft · 7 sec · Main Street
17

Turn right onto Elm Street

0.1 mi · 20 sec · Elm Street
18

Arrive at your destination

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 30.8 mi from New Britain, CT · 40m into the drive

town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hamden, CT

31 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

Kensington, CT

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hamden, CT

Meal break

The midpoint is around 30.8 miles from New Britain, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in New Canaan, CT

The final approach into New Canaan, 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

$9.92 one way

$19.83 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $10.91 $21.82
premium $4.86 $11.80 $23.59
diesel $5.61 $13.60 $27.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.5 0 $6.47 $2.96
Efficient EV 15.4 0 $5.39 $2.46
EV Truck/SUV 24.6 0 $8.62 $3.94

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (68% 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 Jun 23, 2022

Origin

New Britain, CT

Afternoon in New Britain on Thursday

Local time

2:59 PM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

New Canaan, CT

Afternoon in New Canaan on Thursday

Local time

2:59 PM

EDT

Current temp

44°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

17 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

1h 20m 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 New Britain, CT to New Canaan, CT covers 61.6 miles and takes about 1h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Main Street, Ellis Street, Columbus Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 30.8 miles from New Britain, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.92 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.
The drive from New Britain, CT to New Canaan, CT is easy. At 1h 20m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from New Britain, CT to New Canaan, CT is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from New Britain, CT to New Canaan, CT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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