Origin
Stafford, CT
Afternoon in Stafford on Friday
Local time
12:28 PM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Stafford, CT to Norwich, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
39.6 mi
64 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Stafford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Norwich, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 39.6-mile drive from Stafford to Norwich, Connecticut, is a manageable 1-hour and 6-minute journey. It's perfect for a single-day trip, allowing ample time to explore your destination without feeling rushed. You'll primarily be on River Road and Stafford Road, transitioning onto Route 32. With an estimated fuel cost of around $6, this route is budget-friendly. The drive offers a local feel, making it a relaxed way to travel between these two towns in the Northeast region. Given its short duration, you won't need to worry about overnight stays, giving you flexibility in your schedule.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 39.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (26%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for most of this trip, with about 26% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9 miles along River Road. This route is characterized by its frequent turns and transitions between local roads and higher-speed sections. As you move from Stafford onto Stafford Road and then Route 32, the character of the drive shifts, offering a varied driving experience rather than a monotonous highway cruise. It’s a route that keeps you engaged behind the wheel.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
River Road is the longest continuous segment at about 9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near CT 32 / River Road.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 6m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (CT 32 / River Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 22.9 miles (CT 32 / Pleasant Street): Navigation decision point; at 35.4 miles (CT 32): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CT 32 / River Road
Enter roundabout onto CT 32 / River Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
22.9 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
CT 32 / Pleasant Street
Turn left onto CT 32 / Pleasant Street
Navigation decision point
5
35.4 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
CT 32
Take the exit onto CT 32 toward CT 2 East, CT 32 South: Norwich
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CT 2 East, CT 32 South: Norwich
5
37.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
CT 2; CT 32
Take the exit onto CT 2; CT 32 toward Downtown: CT 2 East, CT 32 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Downtown: CT 2 East, CT 32 South
5
39.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
CT 2 / Chelsea Harbor Drive
Turn left onto CT 2 / Chelsea Harbor Drive
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| River Road | 9 mi | 14m |
| Stafford Road | 8.8 mi | 13m |
| Route 32 | 7.1 mi | 11m |
| Windham Road | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| CT 32 | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| East Street | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Valley Street | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
River Road
— 9 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stafford, CT and Norwich, CT.
1
Start on CT 19
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
East Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto CT 190
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
East Main Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto CT 190
140 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
4
Enter roundabout onto CT 32
97 ft
·
8 sec
·
River Road
5
Continue on CT 32
9.0 mi
·
14 min
·
River Road
6
Continue on CT 32
8.8 mi
·
13 min
·
Stafford Road
7
Continue on CT 32
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
8
Turn left onto West Avenue
453 ft
·
12 sec
·
West Avenue
9
Turn right onto Valley Street
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Valley Street
10
Turn right onto Jackson Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Jackson Street
11
Continue on South Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
South Street
12
Turn left onto CT 32
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Pleasant Street
13
Continue on CT 32
4.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Windham Road
14
Continue on CT 32
7.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Route 32
15
Continue on CT 32
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Franklin Turnpike
16
Continue on CT 32
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
West Town Street
17
Take the exit onto CT 32
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
CT 32
Toward CT 2 East, CT 32 South: Norwich
18
Take the exit onto CT 2; CT 32
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CT 2; CT 32
Toward Downtown: CT 2 East, CT 32 South
19
Turn slight left onto Broadway
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway
20
Continue on Union Street
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Union Street
21
Turn right onto Broadway
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Broadway
22
Turn right onto Main Street
333 ft
·
6 sec
·
Main Street
23
Turn slight left onto Market Street
503 ft
·
18 sec
·
Market Street
24
Turn left onto CT 2
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Chelsea Harbor Drive
25
Arrive at destination
Courthouse Square
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.8 mi from Stafford, CT · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.8 miles from Stafford, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Norwich, CT
The final approach into Norwich, 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
$6.37 one way
$12.75 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $7.01 | $14.03 |
| premium | $4.86 | $7.58 | $15.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.74 | $17.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
| Efficient EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.47 | $1.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.54 | $2.53 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Norwich, CT
Afternoon in Norwich on Friday
Local time
12:28 PM
EDT
Current temp
40°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
1h 6m 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 Stafford, CT to Norwich, CT covers 39.6 miles and takes about 1h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are River Road, Stafford Road, Route 32. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.8 miles from Stafford, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.37 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 straightforward 1h 6m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (CT 32 / River Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 22.9 miles (CT 32 / Pleasant Street): Navigation decision point; at 35.4 miles (CT 32): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Stafford, CT to Norwich, CT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include New England National Scenic Trail.
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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