Origin
Stratford, CT
Morning in Stratford on Friday
Local time
11:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Stratford, CT to Meriden, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
33.4 mi
54 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Stratford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Meriden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 33.4-mile drive from Stratford to Meriden, Connecticut, will take you about 46 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll spend most of your time on the Wilbur Cross Parkway, with some sections on Main Street and South Broad Street. With a highway share of 72%, it's a predominantly highway-focused journey. The estimated fuel cost is around $5, which is quite budget-friendly. Since it's a short trip within the Northeast region, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. This route offers a straightforward way to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 33.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive leans heavily into highway travel, with 72% of the route utilizing higher-speed roads. You'll experience a significant uninterrupted stretch of 23.5 miles on the Wilbur Cross Parkway, offering a consistent pace. The transition from the parkway to Main Street and South Broad Street will introduce more local road conditions. Expect a mix of efficient highway cruising and brief encounters with more town-centric driving as you approach Meriden. The overall feel is one of getting there efficiently, with the parkway providing the bulk of the driving experience.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Wilbur Cross Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 23.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Wilbur Cross Parkway and Main Street. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Street.
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 33.4 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: near the start (East Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Wells Place): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (CT 113 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Street
Turn left onto East Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Wells Place
Turn right onto Wells Place
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 113 / Main Street
Turn left onto CT 113 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
29.2 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward US 5: Wallingford, Meriden
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 61
Toward US 5: Wallingford, Meriden
7
32.6 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
East Main Street
Turn sharp left onto East Main Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Wilbur Cross Parkway | 23.5 mi | 28m |
| Main Street | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| South Broad Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| North Colony Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Merritt Parkway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Wells Place | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Wilbur Cross Parkway
— 23.5 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stratford, CT and Meriden, CT.
1
Start on Jane Street
159 ft
·
12 sec
·
Jane Street
2
Turn left onto East Street
209 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Street
3
Turn right onto Wells Place
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Wells Place
4
Turn left onto CT 113
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on CT 110
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
7
Merge onto CT 15
0.7 mi
·
59 sec
·
Merritt Parkway
8
Continue on CT 15
23 mi
·
28 min
·
Wilbur Cross Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 61
Toward US 5: Wallingford, Meriden
Use the right lane.
10
Turn right onto US 5
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Colony Road
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 5
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
South Broad Street
12
Turn sharp left onto East Main Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
Use the left lane.
13
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.7 mi from Stratford, CT · 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.7 miles from Stratford, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Meriden, CT
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Meriden, 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
$5.38 one way
$10.75 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $5.92 | $11.83 |
| premium | $4.86 | $6.40 | $12.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.37 | $14.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.60 |
| Efficient EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.92 | $1.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.68 | $2.14 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Meriden, CT
Morning in Meriden on Friday
Local time
11:52 AM
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
46m 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 Stratford, CT to Meriden, CT covers 33.4 miles and takes about 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Wilbur Cross Parkway, Main Street, South Broad Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.7 miles from Stratford, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.38 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 33.4 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.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Wells Place): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (CT 113 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Stratford, CT to Meriden, CT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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