Origin
East Haven, CT
Late night in East Haven on Sunday
Local time
4:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from East Haven, CT to West Hartford, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
40.9 mi
66 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 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
East Haven, CT
Wikimedia Commons
West Hartford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from East Haven to West Hartford, you are looking at a straightforward 40.9-mile trip that typically takes about 55 minutes. This journey is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as it is efficient enough to complete in under an hour. You can expect to spend approximately $7 on fuel for the trek, making it a very budget-friendly transit across the Northeast. Because the drive is short and entirely contained within Connecticut, you do not need to worry about splitting the trip into multiple days. It serves as a practical connection between these two locations, allowing you to get where you need to go with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 91 | 16.7 mi | 19m |
| CT 9 | 7.8 mi | 8m |
| CT 15 | 7.4 mi | 9m |
| South Main Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| East Ferry Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Frontage Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| I 84 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Saltonstall Parkway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 91
— 16.7 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between East Haven, CT and West Hartford, CT.
1
Start on Hemingway Avenue
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Hemingway Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Turn left onto US 1
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Saltonstall Parkway
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on US 1
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
·
Frontage Road
4
Continue on US 1
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Forbes Avenue
5
Turn right onto Townsend Avenue
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Townsend Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on Fairmont Avenue
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Fairmont Avenue
7
Turn right onto Farren Avenue
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Farren Avenue
8
Turn left onto East Ferry Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
East Ferry Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 91 North: Hartford
10
Merge onto I 91
17 mi
·
19 min
·
I 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 17
Toward CT 15 North
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto CT 15
7.4 mi
·
9 min
·
CT 15
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
514 ft
·
14 sec
14
Turn slight right
291 ft
·
7 sec
15
Turn slight right onto CT 372
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Frontage Road
16
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward CT 9 North: New Britain
Use the left lane.
17
Merge onto CT 9
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CT 9
18
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 9
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
CT 9
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 40B
Toward I 84 East: Hartford
Use the slight right lane.
20
Merge onto I 84; US 6
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 84; US 6
21
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 41
Toward South Main Street, Elmwood
22
Turn left onto CT 173
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Turn left onto Pelham Road
359 ft
·
14 sec
·
Pelham Road
24
Turn right onto LaSalle Road
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
LaSalle Road
25
At end of road, turn left onto Farmington Avenue
134 ft
·
5 sec
·
Farmington Avenue
26
Turn right onto Dale Street
462 ft
·
24 sec
·
Dale Street
27
Turn right onto Brace Road
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Brace Road
28
At end of road, turn right onto North Main Street
287 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Main Street
29
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.5 miles from East Haven, 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 225 decision points cluster between mile 20.8 and 38.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
20.8 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward CT 15 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 17
Toward CT 15 North
8
28.9 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the ramp toward CT 9 North: New Britain
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward CT 9 North: New Britain
6
30.6 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
CT 9
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 9
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
36.9 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 84 East: Hartford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 40B
Toward I 84 East: Hartford
6
38.3 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward South Main Street, Elmwood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 41
Toward South Main Street, Elmwood
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.58 one way
$13.17 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $7.24 | $14.49 |
| premium | $4.86 | $7.83 | $15.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.03 | $18.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.29 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
West Hartford, CT
Late night in West Hartford on Sunday
Local time
4:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
82°F
Kensington, CT
20 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
40 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
55m 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, as roughly 81% of your time behind the wheel will be spent on major routes. Your journey relies on a combination of I-91, CT-9, and CT-15 to navigate the state efficiently. The longest stretch you will encounter is a 16.7-mile segment on I-91, which provides the bulk of your cruising time. While the drive is functional rather than leisurely, the mix of roads keeps the pace moving steadily. You will find that the route transitions smoothly between these highways, offering a consistent driving experience from start to finish.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.7 mi on I 91.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 91 and CT 9. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 20.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 22 decision points packed into just 40.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 20.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 30.6 miles (CT 9): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 East Haven, CT to West Hartford, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Elmwood along the way.
Elmwood
38.3 mi in
|
~49m
About the Cities
Starting in East Haven, CT
Full guide →East Haven is a town in Connecticut three minutes' drive from New Haven and 35 miles from Hartford. It is part of the Greater New Haven area, founded in 1683. The town's population was 28,000 as of 2020. While East Haven has been well-known for a large Italian-American population, the town has received many newer immigrants, particularly from Ecuador, since the late 20th century. The shape of the town is vertically long, and split into three different areas: Foxon, the Center, and Momauguin. Foxon is the northernmost section and is surrounded Branford and North Branford as well as New Haven. The Center is not geographically the center of town, but contains the town hall, library, and the green, surrounded by a suburban area. Momauguin, to the south, borders New Haven along the coastline and contains the Tweed New Haven Regional Airport.
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 55m. Total distance: 40.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m 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 16.7 miles on I 91. 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 West Hartford, 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 20.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 30.6 miles (CT 9): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 West Hartford, 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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