Origin
New London, CT
Late night in New London on Saturday
Local time
4:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New London, 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
1h 17m
Distance
60.4 mi
97 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
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 30m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New London, CT
MART PRODUCTION
Bristol, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from New London, CT to Bristol, CT covers 60.4 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 CT 9, I 95, CT 72 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 33.4 miles on CT 9. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.72 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: 60.4 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 (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 17m highway drive covering 60.4 miles, with most of the trip on CT 9 and I 95. The longest continuous stretch is about 33.4 miles on CT 9.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 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 33.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CT 9 and I 95. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.4 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 2.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
2.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
15.5 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward CT 9 North: Essex, Hartford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 69
Toward CT 9 North: Essex, Hartford
7
15.8 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CT 9 North: Essex, Hartford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CT 9 North: Essex, Hartford
7
52.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the ramp toward CT 72 West: Bristol
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward CT 72 West: Bristol
7
54.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m 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
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from New London, CT to Bristol, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Hartford along the way.
Hartford
15.5 mi in
|
~20m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 9 | 33.4 mi | 40m |
| I 95 | 13.2 mi | 16m |
| CT 72 | 6 mi | 8m |
| Broad Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| Corbin Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Riverside Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| School Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Hartford Turnpike | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CT 9
— 33.4 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New London, CT and Bristol, CT.
1
Start on Huntington Street
52 ft
·
9 sec
·
Huntington Street
2
Turn left onto Broad Street
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Broad Street
3
Continue on CT 85
505 ft
·
17 sec
·
Hartford Turnpike
Use the left lane.
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 95
13 mi
·
16 min
·
I 95
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 69
Toward CT 9 North: Essex, Hartford
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward CT 9 North: Essex, Hartford
8
Continue on CT 9
33 mi
·
40 min
·
CT 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
1.5 mi
·
1 min
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Continue on CT 372
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Corbin Avenue
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward CT 72 West: Bristol
Use the left lane.
12
Merge onto CT 72
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
CT 72
13
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 72
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
CT 72
Exit 33
Use the slight right lane.
14
Take the exit onto CT 72
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Riverside Avenue
Use the straight / slight right / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto CT 72
276 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto CT 72
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
School Street
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto CT 69
71 ft
·
1 sec
·
West Street
Use the left lane.
18
Arrive at destination
CT 69
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 30.2 mi from New London, CT · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 30.2 miles from New London, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bristol, CT
The final approach into Bristol, 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
$9.72 one way
$19.45 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $10.70 | $21.40 |
| premium | $4.86 | $11.57 | $23.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.34 | $26.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.34 | $2.90 |
| Efficient EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.28 | $2.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.2 | 0 | $8.46 | $3.87 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (67% 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
4:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
42°F
Middletown, CT
30 mi in
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
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 New London, CT to Bristol, CT covers 60.4 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 CT 9, I 95, CT 72. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 30.2 miles from New London, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.72 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 60.4 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 2.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from New London, CT to Bristol, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Hartford along the way.
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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