Origin
Bristol, CT
Late night in Bristol on Sunday
Local time
12:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bristol, CT to Clinton, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
43.8 mi
71 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bristol, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Clinton, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Bristol, CT to Clinton, CT is 43.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via CT 9 and Pine Street/Higganum Road, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Connecticut, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a relatively short journey, ideal for a single-day excursion. The drive offers a mixed experience, so you won't be stuck on one type of road for too long. Consider this route if you're looking for a straightforward drive with a clear destination and a manageable time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 9 | 19.7 mi | 23m |
| Pine Street | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| Higganum Road | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| Killingworth Road | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| Killingworth Turnpike | 3 mi | 5m |
| CT 72 | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Clinton Road | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Riverside Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
CT 9
— 19.7 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bristol, CT and Clinton, CT.
1
Start on CT 69
71 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Street
2
Turn right onto CT 72
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
School Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto CT 72
276 ft
·
7 sec
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto CT 72
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Riverside Avenue
Use the right lane.
5
Turn left onto CT 72
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Pine Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto CT 72
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
CT 72
Exit 35
Toward CT 72 East: New Britain
Use the slight left lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 1B
Toward CT 9 South: Middletown
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto CT 9
20 mi
·
23 min
·
CT 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 15
Toward CT 81: Killingworth, Clinton
10
Turn right onto CT 81
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Killingworth Road
11
Continue on CT 81
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Higganum Road
12
Enter roundabout onto CT 81
149 ft
·
2 sec
·
Clinton Road
13
Continue on CT 81
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Clinton Road
14
Continue on CT 81
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Killingworth Turnpike
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on CT 81
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
High Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto CT 81
483 ft
·
17 sec
·
Hull Street
17
Turn left onto US 1
112 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Main Street
Use the left lane.
18
Arrive at destination
US 1
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 21.9 miles from Bristol, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 43.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 72 / School Street
Turn right onto CT 72 / School Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 72 / Main Street
Turn left onto CT 72 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
6.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
CT 72
Keep slight left at fork onto CT 72 toward CT 72 East: New Britain
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 35
Toward CT 72 East: New Britain
8
9.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CT 9 South: Middletown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1B
Toward CT 9 South: Middletown
7
43.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
US 1 / West Main Street
Turn left onto US 1 / West Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.05 one way
$14.10 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $7.76 | $15.52 |
| premium | $4.86 | $8.39 | $16.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.67 | $19.34 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.21
Killingworth Turnpike
(3 mi)
$0.21
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$0
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.60 | $2.10 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.13 | $2.80 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Clinton, CT
Late night in Clinton on Sunday
Local time
12:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
42°F
Middletown, CT
22 mi in
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
10 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 3m 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?
This route features a mixed drive profile, with 58% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 19.7 miles on CT 9, offering a period of consistent travel. The remainder of the drive will likely involve navigating local roads like Pine Street and Higganum Road, which will require more attention to speed limits and turns. Expect the driving experience to shift between more open highway speeds and slower, more winding sections as you transition between these road types.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.7 mi on CT 9.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CT 72 / School Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 (CT 72 / School Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (CT 72 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles (CT 72): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 43.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.7 miles on CT 9. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.21 in tolls one way, starting with Killingworth Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Clinton, 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: near the start (CT 72 / School Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (CT 72 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles (CT 72): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Clinton, CT before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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