Origin
Darien, CT
Morning in Darien on Tuesday
Local time
6:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Darien, CT to Fairfield, 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
17m
Distance
12.3 mi
20 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
5 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Darien, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Fairfield, CT
David Kanigan
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick connection between Darien and Fairfield, this 12.3-mile trip is an incredibly efficient transit through Connecticut. Expect to spend about 17 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of just $2, the drive is remarkably economical for those traveling within the Northeast region. While the route is short, it serves as a reliable link for commuters or casual travelers moving between these two coastal towns. You won’t need to worry about planning for stops, as the duration is brief enough to complete in one comfortable push. It is a straightforward, no-nonsense journey that gets you to your destination with minimal time investment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 9.7 mi | 12m |
| Post Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Rennell Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Old Kings Highway North | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 9.7 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Darien, CT and Fairfield, CT.
1
Start on this road
192 ft
·
19 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto US 1
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
Post Road
3
Turn right onto Old Kings Highway North
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Old Kings Highway North
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 95 North: New Haven
5
Merge onto I 95
9.7 mi
·
12 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 19
Toward Center Street, Southport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on Rennell Drive
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
Rennell Drive
8
Turn slight right onto US 1
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Post Road
9
Arrive at destination
US 1
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 1 / Post Road
Turn left onto US 1 / Post Road
Navigation decision point
3
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Old Kings Highway North
Turn right onto Old Kings Highway North
Navigation decision point
6
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 North: New Haven
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward I 95 North: New Haven
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
10.6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward Center Street, Southport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 19
Toward Center Street, Southport
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.98 one way
$3.96 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $2.18 | $4.36 |
| premium | $4.86 | $2.36 | $4.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.72 | $5.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.29 | $0.59 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.08 | $0.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Fairfield, CT
Morning in Fairfield on Tuesday
Local time
6:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Partly Cloudy
W 6 mph
9% chance
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
8 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
17m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 79% of this trip is spent on the interstate. You will spend the bulk of your time on I-95, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 9.7 miles. The transition from the highway onto local roads like Post Road and Rennell Drive provides a slight shift in pace as you reach Fairfield. Because the drive is dominated by high-speed transit, the personality of the route is utilitarian rather than leisurely. You can anticipate a steady, consistent flow of traffic as you navigate the primary arteries connecting these two Connecticut communities.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.7 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Post Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 1 / Post Road.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 17m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 1 / Post Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Old Kings Highway North): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Darien, CT to Fairfield, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Southport along the way.
Southport
10.6 mi in
|
~14m
About the Cities
Starting in Darien, CT
Full guide →Darien is a town in Connecticut.
Arriving in Fairfield, CT
Full guide →Fairfield is a city in Connecticut.
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 17m. Total distance: 12.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.7 miles on I 95. 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 (US 1 / Post Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Old Kings Highway North): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Yes — Weir Farm National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fairfield, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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