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Trip from Farmington, CT to Manchester, CT

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

28m

Distance

18.8 mi

30 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 26m ★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 27m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Farmington, CT, CT

Farmington, CT

David Kanigan

Downtown Manchester, CT, CT

Manchester, CT

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Farmington to Manchester is 18.8 miles and takes about 28 minutes via I 84, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Connecticut and the Northeast region. It's primarily a highway-focused drive, making it a quick hop between two points. Consider this route if you need to get from Farmington to Manchester efficiently, as it's designed for straightforward travel with minimal fuss. The entire journey should be manageable within a single day, offering a simple transit option.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 84 12.4 mi 17m
Center Street 2.3 mi 3m
Farmington Avenue 0.9 mi 1m
Main Street 0.6 mi <1m
US 6 0.4 mi <1m
Middle Turnpike West 0.3 mi <1m
East Center Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 84 — 12.4 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Farmington, CT and Manchester, CT.

1

Start on CT 10

0.6 mi · 40 sec · Main Street
2

Take the exit

275 ft · 9 sec
3

Turn straight onto CT 4

0.9 mi · 1 min · Farmington Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward Hartford, Waterbury
5

Keep slight left at fork

1.3 mi · 2 min
Toward I 84 East: Hartford
6

Merge onto I 84; US 6

8.9 mi · 13 min · I 84; US 6
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 84; US 6

2.3 mi · 2 min · I 84; US 6
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 84; US 6

1.3 mi · 1 min · I 84; US 6
Toward I 84 East: Boston
9

Take the exit onto US 6

0.4 mi · 58 sec · US 6
Exit 60 Toward US 6, US 44: Middle Turnpike West, Manchester Use the slight right lane.
10

Turn right onto US 6; US 44

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Middle Turnpike West
Use the right lane.
11

Turn right onto US 6; US 44

2.3 mi · 3 min · Center Street
Use the right lane.
12

Continue on US 6; US 44

336 ft · 12 sec · East Center Street
13

Arrive at destination

US 6; US 44

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 16.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
2 mi into trip | ~3m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 84 East: Hartford

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 84 East: Hartford
5
3.2 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 84; US 6

Merge onto I 84; US 6

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
12.1 mi into trip | ~18m in | I 84; US 6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 84; US 6

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
15.7 mi into trip | ~23m in | US 6

Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6, US 44: Middle Turnpike West, Manchester

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 60 Toward US 6, US 44: Middle Turnpike West, Manch...
6
16.1 mi into trip | ~24m in | US 6; US 44 / Middle Turnpike West

Turn right onto US 6; US 44 / Middle Turnpike West

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.03 one way

$6.05 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $3.33 $6.66
premium $4.86 $3.60 $7.20
diesel $5.61 $4.15 $8.30

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.6 0 $1.97 $0.90
Efficient EV 4.7 0 $1.65 $0.75
EV Truck/SUV 7.5 0 $2.63 $1.20

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Farmington, CT

Morning in Farmington on Tuesday

Local time

6:35 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Chance Light Rain

N 2 to 9 mph 43% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 17 at 3:18PM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Destination

Manchester, CT

Morning in Manchester on Tuesday

Local time

6:35 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Partly Sunny then Chance Light Rain

N 5 to 10 mph 35% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 17 at 3:18PM EDT by NWS Upton NY

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

28m 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?

This drive leans heavily towards highway travel, with about 70% of the route on major roads like I 84. You'll experience a mostly uninterrupted stretch of 12.4 miles on I 84, which forms the backbone of this journey. While much of the drive is on the interstate, expect some transitions onto local roads like Center Street and Farmington Avenue as you approach your destination. The character is predominantly that of a functional, highway-focused transit, prioritizing speed and directness over scenic detours.

70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.4 mi on I 84.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 84 and Center Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

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 10 decision points packed into just 18.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 3.2 miles (I 84; US 6): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.1 miles (I 84; US 6): 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.

Between Farmington, CT and Manchester, CT, road signs point toward Hartford and Waterbury.

Hartford

1.5 mi in | ~2m

Waterbury

1.5 mi in | ~2m

About the Cities

Starting in Farmington, CT

Full guide →

Farmington is a town 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 28m. Total distance: 18.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

28m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 12.4 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 Manchester, 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 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 3.2 miles (I 84; US 6): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.1 miles (I 84; US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Manchester, 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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