Origin
Bristol, CT
Afternoon in Bristol on Sunday
Local time
4:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bristol, CT to Essex, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
42.5 mi
68 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 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bristol, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Essex, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 42.5-mile drive from Bristol to Essex, Connecticut, is easily manageable in about 54 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll spend most of your time on highways, with 81% of the route utilizing these faster roads, including a significant 31.3-mile stretch on CT 9. Given the short duration and modest fuel cost of around $7, there's no need to split this journey. It's a straightforward drive through Connecticut's Northeast region, offering a convenient way to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 9 | 31.3 mi | 37m |
| Pine Street | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| CT 72 | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Riverside Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| School Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Middlesex Turnpike | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CT 9
— 31.3 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bristol, CT and Essex, 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
31 mi
·
37 min
·
CT 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 3
Toward CT 154, CT 153: Essex
10
Turn left onto CT 154
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Middlesex Turnpike
11
Turn left onto West Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Avenue
12
Continue on West Avenue
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
West Avenue
13
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
18 ft
·
0 sec
·
Main Street
14
Continue on Main Street
179 ft
·
13 sec
·
Main Street
15
Turn left
120 ft
·
15 sec
16
Turn left onto Pratt Street
113 ft
·
5 sec
·
Pratt Street
17
Arrive at destination
Pratt Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.3 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 9.6 — 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.
6
1.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CT 72 / Pine Street
Turn left onto CT 72 / Pine Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.84 one way
$13.68 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $7.53 | $15.06 |
| premium | $4.86 | $8.14 | $16.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.38 | $18.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.9 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 | 12.8 | 0 | $4.46 | $2.04 |
| Efficient EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.72 | $1.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17 | 0 | $5.95 | $2.72 |
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
Essex, CT
Afternoon in Essex on Sunday
Local time
4:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
82°F
Kensington, CT
21 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
9 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
54m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of this trip, as 81% of the drive utilizes faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 31.3 miles on CT 9, providing a consistent pace. You'll also navigate sections of Pine Street and CT 72, which may offer a slight change of scenery before returning to highway driving. The profile suggests a predominantly high-speed journey, so be prepared for efficient travel rather than leisurely cruising.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.3 mi on CT 9.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CT 9 and Pine Street. 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
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 42.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
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 1.7 miles (CT 72 / Pine Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 42.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.3 miles on CT 9. 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 Essex, 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 1.7 miles (CT 72 / Pine Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Essex, 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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