Greenwich to Old Lyme is 78.1 miles and takes about 1h 45m via I 95, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Connecticut, moving from the Northeast region to itself. Given that 93% of this route is highway, expect a fairly straightforward drive. It's a short enough distance that you can easily complete it in one day, making it ideal for a quick getaway or a practical transit.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.1 miles from Greenwich, CT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
72.5 mi
1h 32m
Forbes Avenue
1.2 mi
2m
Long Wharf Drive
0.9 mi
2m
Frontage Road
0.7 mi
<1m
Shore Road
0.4 mi
<1m
Ferry Road
0.3 mi
1m
Lyme Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Field Point Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 72.5 mi, about 1h 32m
Traffic on I-95
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 70 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,863 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~685 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 35 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Greenwich, CT and Old Lyme, CT.
1
Start on West Elm Street
53 ft·5 sec·West Elm Street
2
Turn left onto Field Point Road
0.2 mi·26 sec·Field Point Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn slight left onto Sound View Drive
0.2 mi·23 sec·Sound View Drive
4
Continue on Arch Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·Arch Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward I 95 North: New Haven
6
Merge onto I 95
44 mi·59 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·1 min
Exit 46Toward Long Wharf Drive, Sargent DriveUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto Long Wharf Drive
0.9 mi·2 min·Long Wharf Drive
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on East Street
0.1 mi·16 sec·East Street
10
Turn right onto US 1
0.1 mi·9 sec·Water Street
11
Continue on US 1
1.2 mi·2 min·Forbes Avenue
12
Turn right onto US 1
0.7 mi·48 sec·Frontage Road
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward I 95 North
14
Merge onto I 95
29 mi·33 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit onto US 1
0.2 mi·30 sec·US 1
Exit 70Toward US 1, CT 156: Old Lyme
16
Turn right onto CT 156
0.4 mi·54 sec·Shore Road
17
Turn left onto Ferry Road
0.3 mi·1 min·Ferry Road
18
At end of road, turn left onto Lyme Street
0.2 mi·45 sec·Lyme Street
19
Turn right onto Library Lane
206 ft·14 sec·Library Lane
20
Turn left
33 ft·2 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 1h 45m drive, leaving in the morning is recommended to avoid potential afternoon traffic. Since it's a relatively short trip at just 78.1 miles, you have the flexibility to stop as needed, though no specific stops are noted in the data. The estimated fuel cost is around $13, so plan accordingly. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 72.5-mile stretch on I 95, as services might be less frequent than in more developed areas.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.1 miles from Greenwich, CT, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 17 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.1 miles or 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Old Lyme, CT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Greenwich, CT so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Greenwich, CT
This is one driving day of about 78.1 miles and 1h 45m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Greenwich, CT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 95 for about 72.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 77.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Field Point Road
Turn left onto Field Point Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
44.7 mi into trip|~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward Long Wharf Drive, Sargent Drive
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 46
Toward Long Wharf Drive, Sargent Drive
6
44.9 mi into trip|~1h 2m in|Long Wharf Drive
Turn left onto Long Wharf Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
76.9 mi into trip|~1h 41m in|US 1
Take the exit onto US 1 toward US 1, CT 156: Old Lyme
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 70
Toward US 1, CT 156: Old Lyme
6
77.9 mi into trip|~1h 44m in|Lyme Street
At end of road, turn left onto Lyme Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.50 one way
$27.01 round trip
$4.39/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.90
$15.06
$30.13
premium
$5.27
$16.21
$32.41
diesel
$6.28
$19.30
$38.59
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.4
0
$8.20
$3.75
Efficient EV
19.5
0
$6.83
$3.12
EV Truck/SUV
31.2
0
$10.93
$5.00
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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 Oct 10, 2026
Origin
Greenwich, CT
Afternoon
in Greenwich on Saturday
Local time
12:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Mostly Cloudy
NW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Old Lyme, CT
Afternoon
in Old Lyme on Saturday
Local time
12:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Partly Cloudy
NW 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
1h 45m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Weir Farm National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Visit the home and studio of America's most beloved Impressionist, J. Alden Weir, and walk in the footsteps of generations of world-class artists. Set amidst more than 60 acres of painterly woods, fie...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 16.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is overwhelmingly highway, with 93% of the 78.1 miles spent on the interstate. You'll experience a long stretch of 72.5 miles on I 95 before transitioning to Forbes Avenue and Long Wharf Drive for the final segment. Expect a high volume of exits and traffic merging as you navigate the interstate portion.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 72.5 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Forbes Avenue. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Field Point Road.
Driving Effort6/10
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 78.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 (Field Point Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 44.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.9 miles (Long Wharf Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Greenwich is a town of about 60,000 in Fairfield County, southwestern Connecticut. It is one of the wealthiest communities in America and is blessed with lush and beautiful scenery and many large and impressive houses.
Top landmarks
•Bruce Museum — museum in Greenwich, Connecticut
•Great Captain Island Light — lighthouse built 1868 in Connecticut, United States
•Cos Cob station — Railway station in Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
Old Lyme is a coastal town in Mystic-Eastern region of Connecticut. Old Lyme is a quaint little town at the bottom of the Connecticut River on the East banks. It is generally regarded as a summering destination as it has many gorgeous beaches.
Top landmarks
•Florence Griswold Museum — museum in Olde Lyme, Connecticut
•Old Lyme Historic District — historic center of Old Lyme, Connecticut
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 45m. Total distance: 78.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 72.5 miles on I 95. 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 Old Lyme, 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 (Field Point Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 44.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.9 miles (Long Wharf Drive): 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 Old Lyme, CT before heading back.
