Origin
Stafford Springs, CT
Afternoon in Stafford Springs on Saturday
Local time
4:08 PM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Stafford Springs, CT to Meriden, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
44.7 mi
72 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Stafford Springs, CT
David Kanigan
Meriden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Stafford Springs, CT to Meriden, CT covers 44.7 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 84, CT 15, River Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.7 miles on I 84. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.20 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 20.7 mi | 23m |
| CT 15 | 16.7 mi | 21m |
| River Road | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| North Broad Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| East Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Liberty Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 20.7 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stafford Springs, CT and Meriden, CT.
1
Start on CT 190
169 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Continue on CT 190
140 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
3
Enter roundabout onto CT 32
97 ft
·
8 sec
·
River Road
4
Continue on CT 32
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
River Road
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 84 West: Hartford
6
Merge onto I 84
13 mi
·
14 min
·
I 84
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 84
8.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto CT 15
17 mi
·
21 min
·
CT 15
Toward CT 15 South: New York City
Use the slight left lane.
9
Continue on US 5
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
North Broad Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn right onto Liberty Street
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Liberty Street
11
Turn straight onto East Main Street
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
East Main Street
Use the straight lane.
12
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.3 miles from Stafford Springs, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 25.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 32 / River Road
Enter roundabout onto CT 32 / River Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 32 / River Road
Sharp right onto CT 32 / River Road
Navigation decision point
4
4.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 84 West: Hartford
Navigation decision point
Toward I 84 West: Hartford
6
17.1 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 84
Keep slight right at fork onto I 84
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
25.1 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
CT 15
Keep slight left at fork onto CT 15 toward CT 15 South: New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward CT 15 South: New York City
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.20 one way
$14.39 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $7.92 | $15.84 |
| premium | $4.86 | $8.56 | $17.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.87 | $19.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.69 | $2.15 |
| Efficient EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.91 | $1.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Meriden, CT
Afternoon in Meriden on Saturday
Local time
4:08 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°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
2 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
57m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
44.7 mi in 57m, mostly highway — 20.7 mi of that is on I 84.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.7 mi on I 84.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 84 and CT 15. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CT 32 / River Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 44.7 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (CT 32 / River Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.1 miles (CT 32 / River Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 44.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.7 miles on I 84. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Meriden, CT before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CT 32 / River Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.1 miles (CT 32 / River Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes — New England National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Meriden, CT before heading back.
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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