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Trip from Franklin, WI to Hartford, WI

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

58m

Distance

42.2 mi

68 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 54m ★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Franklin, WI, WI

Franklin, WI

Tom Fisk

Downtown Hartford, WI, WI

Hartford, WI

Quang Vuong

Trip Overview

Franklin, WI to Hartford, WI is 42.2 miles and takes about 58 minutes via Zoo Freeway and I 41, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, moving from the Midwest region to the same region. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on highways, making it a convenient option for a quick excursion or commute. You can expect a fairly direct journey with minimal fuss, ideal if you're looking for an easy transit between these two points.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Zoo Freeway 24.1 mi 29m
I 41 5.2 mi 5m
South Lovers Lane Road 4.4 mi 8m
State Highway 60 3.2 mi 5m
East Commerce Boulevard 2 mi 3m
East Sumner Street 1.5 mi 2m
US 45 1 mi 2m
Rock Freeway 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Zoo Freeway — 24.1 mi, about 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Franklin, WI and Hartford, WI.

1

Start on this road

141 ft · 11 sec · this road
2

Turn right

89 ft · 8 sec
3

At end of road, turn right onto US 45

384 ft · 16 sec · US 45
4

Turn left onto US 45; WI 100

0.1 mi · 14 sec · West Saint Martins Road
5

Continue on US 45; WI 100

4.4 mi · 8 min · South Lovers Lane Road
6

Take the ramp onto US 45

0.4 mi · 52 sec · US 45
Toward I 43 North, US 45 North
7

Merge onto I 43; US 45

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Rock Freeway
8

Take the exit onto US 45

0.6 mi · 55 sec · US 45
Exit 61 Toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison
9

Merge onto I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45

24 mi · 29 min · Zoo Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41

5.2 mi · 5 min · I 41; US 41
Toward US 41 North: Fond du Lac, Appleton Use the slight left lane.
11

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 58 sec
Exit 64B Toward WI 60 West: Slinger, Hartford Use the straight / right lanes.
12

Turn straight onto WI 60

0.5 mi · 48 sec · State Highway 60
13

Continue on WI 60

2.0 mi · 3 min · East Commerce Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
14

Continue on WI 60

2.7 mi · 4 min · State Highway 60
15

Continue on WI 60

0.2 mi · 20 sec · East Sumner Street
16

Keep slight right at fork onto WI 60

1.4 mi · 2 min · East Sumner Street
17

Turn right onto CTH K

25 ft · 0 sec · North Main Street
18

Arrive at destination

CTH K

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Butler, WI, WI

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Butler, WI

21 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

Slinger, WI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Butler, WI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.1 miles from Franklin, WI, 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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 35.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 45

At end of road, turn right onto US 45

Navigation decision point

6
5.3 mi into trip | ~10m in | US 45

Take the exit onto US 45 toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 61 Toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fon...
5
5.9 mi into trip | ~11m in | I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45 / Zoo Freeway

Merge onto I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45 / Zoo Freeway

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

Use the slight right lane.
8
30 mi into trip | ~41m in | I 41; US 41

Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41 toward US 41 North: Fond du Lac, Appleton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward US 41 North: Fond du Lac, Appleton
8
35.1 mi into trip | ~46m in

Take the exit toward WI 60 West: Slinger, Hartford

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / right lanes. Exit 64B Toward WI 60 West: Slinger, Hartford

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.60 one way

$13.19 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $7.24 $14.49
premium $4.89 $8.12 $16.24
diesel $5.61 $9.32 $18.63

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.7 0 $4.43 $2.03
Efficient EV 10.6 0 $3.69 $1.69
EV Truck/SUV 16.9 0 $5.91 $2.70

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Franklin, WI

Late night in Franklin on Sunday

Local time

1:01 AM

CDT

Current temp

40°F

Cloudy

W 15 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Watch

Flash Flood Watch issued April 18 at 12:10AM CDT until April 19 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 17 at 11:18PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Destination

Hartford, WI

Late night in Hartford on Sunday

Local time

1:01 AM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

47°F

Butler, WI

21 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

27 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

58m 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 route is predominantly highway-focused, with 80% of the drive utilizing major roadways like Zoo Freeway and I 41. Expect a consistent pace for much of the journey, especially during the longest stretch of 24.1 miles on Zoo Freeway. While the majority is high-speed, you'll experience some transitions as you navigate between these main arteries. The profile suggests a drive where efficiency is key, rather than winding scenic byways.

80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.1 mi on Zoo Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Zoo Freeway and I 41. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 45.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 42.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 45): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (US 45): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.9 miles (I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45 / Zoo Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Franklin, WI and Hartford, WI, road signs point toward Madison and Appleton.

Madison

5.3 mi in | ~10m | via US 45

Appleton

30 mi in | ~41m | via I 41; US 41

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 42.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

58m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 24.1 miles on Zoo Freeway. 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 Hartford, WI 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 (US 45): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (US 45): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.9 miles (I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45 / Zoo Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

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