Origin
Norwalk, CT
Morning in Norwalk on Saturday
Local time
9:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Norwalk, CT to Danbury, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
21.6 mi
35 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Norwalk, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Danbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Norwalk to Danbury is 21.6 miles and takes about 39 minutes via Danbury Road/Ethan Allen Highway/Sugar Hollow Road, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Connecticut, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a local, turn-heavy drive that feels more like navigating through towns than a long-distance haul. Given its brief duration, this route is ideal for a quick trip or as part of a larger exploration of the area, offering a straightforward connection between these two Connecticut cities.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 21.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This drive is characterized by frequent turns, offering a local feel rather than a highway experience, as it has a 0% highway share. You'll navigate primarily along Danbury Road, Ethan Allen Highway, and Sugar Hollow Road. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 8.4 miles on Danbury Road. Prepare for a driving experience that involves more attention to local traffic and intersections, making the 39-minute journey engaging as you transition through different local road environments.
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.
Danbury Road is the longest continuous segment at about 8.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.1 miles in near US 7 / Main Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 21.6 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: at 3.1 miles (US 7 / Main Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4.8 miles (US 7; CT 33 / Danbury Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
US 7 / Main Avenue
Turn right onto US 7 / Main Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
4.8 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 7; CT 33 / Danbury Road
Merge onto US 7; CT 33 / Danbury Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
7
19.5 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Park Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8
Toward Park Avenue
5
21.1 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
West Street
At end of road, turn right onto West Street
Navigation decision point
5
21.6 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
Library Place
Turn right onto Library Place
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Danbury Road | 8.4 mi | 14m |
| Ethan Allen Highway | 4.5 mi | 8m |
| Sugar Hollow Road | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| West Rocks Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Park Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| West Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| France Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Danbury Road
— 8.4 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Norwalk, CT and Danbury, CT.
1
Start on East Avenue
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
East Avenue
2
Continue on US 1
516 ft
·
15 sec
·
North Avenue
3
Turn right onto France Street
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
France Street
4
Continue on West Rocks Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
West Rocks Road
5
Turn right onto US 7
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Main Avenue
6
Continue on US 7
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Danbury Road
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn slight left onto CT 33
444 ft
·
10 sec
·
Westport Road
8
Merge onto US 7; CT 33
6.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Danbury Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on US 7
4.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Ethan Allen Highway
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on US 7
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Danbury Road
11
Continue on US 7
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Sugar Hollow Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 8
Toward Park Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto Park Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Park Avenue
14
At end of road, turn left onto Division Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Division Street
15
At end of road, turn right onto West Street
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
West Street
16
Turn left onto Terrace Place
0.1 mi
·
36 sec
·
Terrace Place
17
Turn right onto Library Place
234 ft
·
10 sec
·
Library Place
18
Arrive at destination
Library Place
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.48 one way
$6.95 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $3.83 | $7.65 |
| premium | $4.86 | $4.14 | $8.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.77 | $9.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.27 | $1.04 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Danbury, CT
Morning in Danbury on Saturday
Local time
9:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°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
3 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
39m 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 Norwalk, CT to Danbury, CT covers 21.6 miles and takes about 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Danbury Road, Ethan Allen Highway, Sugar Hollow Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.8 miles from Norwalk, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.48 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 21.6 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: at 3.1 miles (US 7 / Main Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4.8 miles (US 7; CT 33 / Danbury Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Norwalk, CT to Danbury, CT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Weir Farm National Historical Park.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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