Origin
Farmington, CT
Morning in Farmington on Tuesday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
28°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Farmington, CT to Waterbury, 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
26m
Distance
21 mi
34 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Farmington, CT
David Kanigan
Waterbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Farmington, CT to Waterbury, CT is 21 miles and takes about 26 minutes via I 84, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick drive stays within Connecticut, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward, highway-focused trip, making it ideal for a short hop. You'll primarily be on major roads, so expect a functional rather than a scenic journey. This route is perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 13.2 mi | 16m |
| Main Street | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| East Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Farmington Avenue | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Queen Street | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Meadow Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 13.2 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Farmington, CT and Waterbury, CT.
1
Start on CT 10
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
2
Continue on CT 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Farmington Avenue
3
Continue on CT 10
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on CT 10
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Queen Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 84 West: Waterbury
6
Merge onto I 84
13 mi
·
16 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 21
Toward Meadow Street, Bank Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto Meadow Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Meadow Street
9
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
West Main Street
10
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 6.4 and 20.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
6.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 84 West: Waterbury
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 84 West: Waterbury
5
6.8 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 84
Merge onto I 84
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
20 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward Meadow Street, Bank Street
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 21
Toward Meadow Street, Bank Street
4
20.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
Meadow Street
Turn right onto Meadow Street
Navigation decision point
3
20.7 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
West Main Street
Turn left onto West Main Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.38 one way
$6.76 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $3.72 | $7.44 |
| premium | $4.86 | $4.02 | $8.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.64 | $9.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 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 | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.01 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.84 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
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.
Destination
Waterbury, CT
Morning in Waterbury on Tuesday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°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
30 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
26m 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 predominantly highway-focused, with 63% of the journey on major interstates like I 84. You'll experience a consistent pace for the longest stretch of 13.2 miles on I 84, offering a smooth, uninterrupted cruise. As you get closer to Waterbury, you'll transition from the interstate onto local roads like Main Street and East Street, which will slow your speed and change the driving environment. It's a practical route that prioritizes directness over winding backroads or scenic detours.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.2 mi on I 84.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 84 and Main Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 6.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 26m 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: at 6.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 6.8 miles (I 84): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Farmington, CT
Full guide →Farmington is a town in Connecticut.
Arriving in Waterbury, CT
Full guide →Waterbury is a small city in Connecticut that calls itself Brass City because its industrial base was built on metal industries, including silver, but particularly brass. It is a pleasant city to visit, with a historic downtown, nearby parks, and culinary attractions like a chocolate factory and artisanal bakeries.
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 26m. Total distance: 21 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.2 miles on I 84. 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: at 6.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 6.8 miles (I 84): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Waterbury, 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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