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Trip from New Haven, CT to New Canaan, CT

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

52m

Distance

37.2 mi

60 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 48m ★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m

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

Downtown New Haven, CT, CT

New Haven, CT

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown New Canaan, CT, CT

New Canaan, CT

David Kanigan

Trip Overview

The drive from New Haven, CT to New Canaan, CT covers 37.2 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Grove Street, Tower Parkway, Whalley Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.99 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 37.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

52m 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 52m drive with frequent turns across 37.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Grove 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 Haven, CT to New Canaan, CT is easy. At 52m 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 Haven, CT to New Canaan, CT is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Grove Street
Tower Parkway
Whalley Avenue
Amity Road
CT 15 South
Wilbur Cross Parkway
Merritt Parkway
CT 123

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Grove Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on College Street

0.3 mi · 30 sec · College Street
2

Turn left onto Grove Street

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Grove Street
3

Continue on Tower Parkway

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Tower Parkway
4

Turn slight right onto Whalley Avenue

2.8 mi · 4 min · Whalley Avenue
5

Continue on Amity Road

0.3 mi · 31 sec · Amity Road
6

Take the ramp right toward CT 15 South: New York City

0.1 mi · 17 sec · CT 15 South: New York City
7

Merge slight left onto Wilbur Cross Parkway

9.0 mi · 11 min · Wilbur Cross Parkway
8

Continue on Merritt Parkway

22 mi · 28 min · Merritt Parkway
9

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

0.1 mi · 20 sec · CT 123: New Canaan Avenue
10

Turn left onto New Canaan Avenue

377 ft · 7 sec · New Canaan Avenue
11

Continue on New Norwalk Road

1.6 mi · 2 min · New Norwalk Road
12

Turn left onto East Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Avenue
13

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

243 ft · 7 sec · Main Street
14

Turn right onto Elm Street

0.1 mi · 20 sec · Elm Street
15

Arrive at your destination

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 18.6 mi from New Haven, CT · 26m into the drive

town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Trumbull, CT

19 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

Norwalk, CT

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Trumbull, CT

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18.6 miles from New Haven, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in New Canaan, CT

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into New Canaan, CT if you are unfamiliar with the area.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.99 one way

$11.98 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $6.59 $13.18
premium $4.86 $7.12 $14.25
diesel $5.61 $8.21 $16.43

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

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

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.2 0 $3.91 $1.79
Efficient EV 9.3 0 $3.26 $1.49
EV Truck/SUV 14.9 0 $5.21 $2.38

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 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

New Haven, CT

Afternoon in New Haven on Thursday

Local time

12:14 PM

EDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

New Canaan, CT

Afternoon in New Canaan on Thursday

Local time

12:14 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

1 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

52m 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 Haven, CT to New Canaan, CT covers 37.2 miles and takes about 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Grove Street, Tower Parkway, Whalley Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.6 miles from New Haven, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.99 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 Haven, CT to New Canaan, CT is easy. At 52m 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 Haven, CT to New Canaan, CT is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from New Haven, CT to New Canaan, CT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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