Origin
Danbury, CT
Late night in Danbury on Tuesday
Local time
5:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Danbury, CT to Middletown, CT
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
50.1 mi
81 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Danbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Middletown, CT
David Kanigan
Trip Overview
Danbury to Middletown is 50.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 5 minutes via I 84 and I 691, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward trip entirely within Connecticut, connecting two points in the Northeast region. With 92% of the drive on highways, you'll spend most of your time on the interstate, making for an efficient transit. It’s a short enough distance that it’s easy to tackle in one day, ideal if you’re looking for a quick connection between these two cities without a lot of fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 31.3 mi | 37m |
| I 691 | 8.1 mi | 9m |
| CT 66 | 6.8 mi | 11m |
| Newtown Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| White Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Library Place | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Washington Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 31.3 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Danbury, CT and Middletown, CT.
1
Start on Library Place
234 ft
·
12 sec
·
Library Place
2
Turn left onto CT 53
436 ft
·
20 sec
·
Main Street
3
Turn right onto White Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
White Street
4
Continue on Newtown Road
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Newtown Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 84 East: Waterbury
6
Merge onto I 84
31 mi
·
37 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 27
Toward I 691 East: Meriden
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 691
8.1 mi
·
9 min
·
I 691
9
Continue on CT 66
6.8 mi
·
11 min
·
CT 66
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Arrive at destination
Washington Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25 miles from Danbury, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 34.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 53 / Main Street
Turn left onto CT 53 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
White Street
Turn right onto White Street
Navigation decision point
3
3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 84 East: Waterbury
Navigation decision point
Toward I 84 East: Waterbury
5
3.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 84
Merge onto I 84
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
34.6 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward I 691 East: Meriden
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 691 East: Meriden
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.07 one way
$16.13 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $8.87 | $17.75 |
| premium | $4.86 | $9.59 | $19.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.06 | $22.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 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 | 15 | 0 | $5.26 | $2.40 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20 | 0 | $7.01 | $3.21 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Middletown, CT
Late night in Middletown on Tuesday
Local time
5:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 5m 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 is primarily highway driving, with 92% of the 50.1 miles on interstates like I 84 and I 691. You'll experience a long stretch of 31.3 miles on I 84 before transitioning to I 691 and finally CT 66. Expect frequent exits and merges common to busy interstate corridors for most of the trip. The highway portion means you'll be at higher speeds for the majority of your travel time.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.3 mi on I 84.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 84 and I 691. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CT 53 / Main Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Danbury, CT to Middletown, CT is easy. At 1h 5m with 92% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CT 53 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (White Street): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles: Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Danbury, CT
Full guide →Danbury - nicknamed Hat City - is a city in the interior of Fairfield County, Connecticut, making it part of the Litchfield Hills region.
Arriving in Middletown, CT
Full guide →Middletown in a small city in Connecticut on the Connecticut River, about 20 miles (32 km) south of Hartford.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 50.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.3 miles on I 84. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 53 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (White Street): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Middletown, 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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