Origin
Fairfield, CT
Late night in Fairfield on Tuesday
Local time
4:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfield, CT to Danbury, 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
45m
Distance
24.4 mi
39 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfield, CT
David Kanigan
Danbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Fairfield, CT to Danbury, CT is 24.4 miles and takes about 45m via Black Rock Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Connecticut, traversing the Northeast region. Expect a mixed drive that blends main roads with some highway time. It's a straightforward journey, ideal for a quick excursion or as part of a larger regional exploration. Given its brevity, you'll likely find this drive offers a convenient connection between these two Connecticut locales without demanding extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Black Rock Turnpike | 13.8 mi | 23m |
| Putnam Park Road | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Mill Plain Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Greenwood Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Coal Pit Hill Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Brookside Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Samp Mortar Drive | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Black Rock Turnpike
— 13.8 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield, CT and Danbury, CT.
1
Start on US 1
186 ft
·
12 sec
·
Post Road
2
Turn left onto Mill Plain Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Mill Plain Road
3
Turn right onto Brookside Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Brookside Drive
4
Turn straight onto Samp Mortar Drive
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Samp Mortar Drive
5
At end of road, turn left onto CT 58
14 mi
·
23 min
·
Black Rock Turnpike
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on CT 58
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Putnam Park Road
7
Continue on CT 302
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Milwaukee Avenue
8
Keep slight left at fork onto CT 302
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Greenwood Avenue
9
Turn right onto CT 53
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Grassy Plain Street
10
Turn left onto Fleetwood Avenue
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Fleetwood Avenue
11
Keep slight left at fork onto Fleetwood Avenue
149 ft
·
4 sec
·
Fleetwood Avenue
12
Continue on Mansfield Street
441 ft
·
12 sec
·
Mansfield Street
13
Continue on Coal Pit Hill Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Coal Pit Hill Road
14
Continue on CT 53
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
South Street
15
Turn right onto CT 53
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
16
Turn left onto West Street
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
West Street
17
Turn right onto Terrace Place
0.1 mi
·
36 sec
·
Terrace Place
18
Turn right onto Library Place
234 ft
·
10 sec
·
Library Place
19
Arrive at destination
Library Place
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 24.3 — 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
|
Mill Plain Road
Turn left onto Mill Plain Road
Navigation decision point
6
3.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
CT 58 / Black Rock Turnpike
At end of road, turn left onto CT 58 / Black Rock Turnpike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
20.4 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
CT 302 / Greenwood Avenue
Keep slight left at fork onto CT 302 / Greenwood Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
22.3 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
Fleetwood Avenue
Keep slight left at fork onto Fleetwood Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
24.3 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
Library Place
Turn right onto Library Place
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.93 one way
$7.86 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $4.32 | $8.64 |
| premium | $4.86 | $4.67 | $9.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.39 | $10.77 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.96
Black Rock Turnpike
(13.8 mi)
$0.96
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
| Efficient EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.14 | $0.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.42 | $1.56 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Danbury, CT
Late night in Danbury on Tuesday
Local time
4:07 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
14 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
45m 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 offers a mixed driving experience, with 56% of it on highways. You'll encounter stretches of faster travel, but also periods on more local roads. The longest continuous segment you'll navigate is 13.8 miles along Black Rock Turnpike, providing a consistent experience for that portion. As you progress, the drive transitions between these different road types, offering a varied feel behind the wheel. Expect a dynamic journey that keeps you engaged without being overly demanding.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.8 mi on Black Rock Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Mill Plain Road.
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 24.4 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (Mill Plain Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles (CT 58 / Black Rock Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.4 miles (CT 302 / Greenwood Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Starting in Fairfield, CT
Full guide →Fairfield is a city in Connecticut.
Arriving 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 45m. Total distance: 24.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.8 miles on Black Rock Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.96 in tolls one way, starting with Black Rock Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Danbury, 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: near the start (Mill Plain Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles (CT 58 / Black Rock Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.4 miles (CT 302 / Greenwood Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Danbury, 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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