Origin
Danbury, CT
Morning in Danbury on Tuesday
Local time
9:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Danbury, CT to Thomaston, 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
47m
Distance
36.5 mi
59 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Danbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Thomaston, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Danbury to Thomaston is 36.5 miles and takes about 47m via I 84 and CT 8, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Connecticut, moving from the Northeast region to itself. The route is predominantly highway driving, making it a quick and efficient trip. It's a straightforward drive that's ideal for a single-day excursion, getting you between these two locations with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 23.2 mi | 26m |
| CT 8 | 8.9 mi | 11m |
| Newtown Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| White Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| US 6 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Library Place | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 23.2 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Danbury, CT and Thomaston, 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
23 mi
·
26 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 20
Toward CT 8 North: Torrington
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Merge onto CT 8
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
CT 8
9
Take the exit onto US 6
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
US 6
Exit 39
Toward US 6 East, CT 222: Thomaston, Bristol
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn left onto US 6
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
East Main Street
11
Turn sharp left onto Park Street
40 ft
·
1 sec
·
Park Street
12
Arrive at destination
Park Street
Where to Stop
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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 36.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.2 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 36.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
White Street
Turn right onto White Street
Navigation decision point
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
26.4 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward CT 8 North: Torrington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 20
Toward CT 8 North: Torrington
8
35.8 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6 East, CT 222: Thomaston, Bristol
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 39
Toward US 6 East, CT 222: Thomaston, Bristol
5
36.5 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
Park Street
Turn sharp left onto Park Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.88 one way
$11.75 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.47 | $12.93 |
| premium | $4.86 | $6.99 | $13.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.06 | $16.12 |
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, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Thomaston, CT
Morning in Thomaston on Tuesday
Local time
9:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°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
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
47m 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 drive is mostly highway, with 88% of the 36.5 miles on freeways like I 84 and CT 8. You'll experience a long stretch of 23.2 miles on I 84, which means consistent cruising. Expect the transition to surface roads to occur later in the trip as you approach your destination. The high highway percentage suggests frequent exits and merges as you navigate the main thoroughfares.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.2 mi on I 84.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 84 and CT 8. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near White Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 36.5 miles you will encounter 9 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 (White Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.2 miles (I 84): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
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 47m. Total distance: 36.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.2 miles on I 84. 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 Thomaston, 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: at 0.1 miles (White Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.2 miles (I 84): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Thomaston, 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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