Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
36.7 mi
59 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chester, CT
Wikimedia Commons
West Hartford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Chester, CT to West Hartford, CT is 36.7 miles and takes about 48 minutes via CT 9, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, short hop within Connecticut, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The route is predominantly highway, making it a quick and efficient way to travel between these locations. Given its short duration, it’s ideal for a same-day trip, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 9 | 30.9 mi | 36m |
| South Main Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| West Main Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| I 84 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| LaSalle Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Brace Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Dale Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Pelham Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Chester, CT and West Hartford, CT.
Start on CT 148
Continue on CT 148
Take the ramp
Merge onto CT 9
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 9
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 84; US 6
Take the exit
Turn left onto CT 173
Turn left onto Pelham Road
Turn right onto LaSalle Road
At end of road, turn left onto Farmington Avenue
Turn right onto Dale Street
Turn right onto Brace Road
At end of road, turn right onto North Main Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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.
A short stop after about 36.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Chester, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 26.3 and 36.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 9
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward I 84 East: Hartford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward South Main Street, Elmwood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
At end of road, turn left onto Farmington Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
At end of road, turn right onto North Main Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Regular Gas
$6.11 one way
$12.23 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.70 | $6.78 | $13.57 |
| premium | $5.07 | $7.32 | $14.64 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $8.09 | $16.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.85 | $1.76 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.21 | $1.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.14 | $2.35 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Chester on Tuesday
Local time
8:15 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Evening in West Hartford on Tuesday
Local time
8:15 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Partly Cloudy
82°F
Kensington, CT
18 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive is mostly highway, with 87% of the 36.7 miles on faster roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 30.9 miles on CT 9 before transitioning to surface streets. Expect a high density of exits along the highway portion, which can make merging and navigating interchanges a constant consideration. The shift to South Main Street and West Main Street signals the end of highway cruising and the beginning of local traffic.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CT 9 and South Main Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 26.3 miles in near CT 9.
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 36.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 26.3 miles (CT 9): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
288 ft
Total Descent
436 ft
Highest Point
373 ft
~5.3 mi in
Elevation Range
342 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Chester, CT to West Hartford, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Elmwood along the way.
Elmwood
Founded 1836
Founded 1854
West Hartford is a town in Connecticut.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 36.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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