Origin
Windsor, WI
Afternoon in Windsor on Thursday
Local time
3:05 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Windsor, WI to Madison, WI
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
27m
Distance
12.7 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Windsor, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Madison, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Windsor, WI to Madison, WI covers 12.7 miles and takes about 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Packers Avenue, County Highway CV, East Gorham Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 2.9 miles on Packers Avenue. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 12.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (11%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 27m drive with frequent turns across 12.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
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.
Packers Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 2.9 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 5 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CTH CV / Lake Road.
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 12.7 miles you will encounter 5 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 (CTH CV / Lake Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles (I 39; I 90; I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CTH CV / Lake Road
Turn left onto CTH CV / Lake Road
Navigation decision point
8
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Turn left toward I 39 South, I 90 East, I 94 East: Madison
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 39 South, I 90 East, I 94 East: Madiso...
3
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 39; I 90; I 94
Merge onto I 39; I 90; I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining
8
3.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward US-51: Madison, De Forest
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 132
Toward US-51: Madison, De Forest
5
3.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US-51 SOUTH
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US-51 SOUTH
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 Windsor, WI to Madison, WI, road signs begin pointing toward De Forest along the way.
De Forest
3.2 mi in
|
~5m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Packers Avenue | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| County Highway CV | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| East Gorham Street | 1.7 mi | 5m |
| Lake Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| I 39 | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Johnson Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| University Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Packers Avenue
— 2.9 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Windsor, WI and Madison, WI.
1
Start on 2nd Street
489 ft
·
26 sec
·
2nd Street
2
Turn left onto CTH CV
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Lake Road
3
Turn straight
208 ft
·
9 sec
4
Turn slight right onto WI 19
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
State Highway 19
5
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 39 South, I 90 East, I 94 East: Madison
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 39; I 90; I 94
0.8 mi
·
53 sec
·
I 39; I 90; I 94
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 132
Toward US-51: Madison, De Forest
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward US-51 SOUTH
9
Turn straight onto US 51; CTH CV
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
US Highway 51
10
Turn right onto CTH CV
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
County Highway CV
11
Continue on CTH CV
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Packers Avenue
12
Turn straight onto WI 113
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
State Highway 113
13
Continue on WI 113
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Packers Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on WI 113
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
15
Continue on WI 113
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Johnson Street
16
Continue on East Gorham Street
1.7 mi
·
5 min
·
East Gorham Street
17
Continue on CTH MS
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
University Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
CTH MS
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 6.4 mi from Windsor, WI · 11m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
6 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 12.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 6.4 miles from Windsor, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Madison, WI
The final approach into Madison, WI usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Madison, WI.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.99 one way
$3.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.18 | $4.36 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.44 | $4.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.80 | $5.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.33 | $0.61 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.11 | $0.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.78 | $0.81 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Madison, WI
Afternoon in Madison on Thursday
Local time
3:05 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
27m 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 Windsor, WI to Madison, WI covers 12.7 miles and takes about 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Packers Avenue, County Highway CV, East Gorham Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.4 miles from Windsor, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.99 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 12.7 miles you will encounter 5 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 0.1 miles (CTH CV / Lake Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles (I 39; I 90; I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining.
On the drive from Windsor, WI to Madison, WI, road signs begin pointing toward De Forest along the way.
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