Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 24, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
55.3 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Groton, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Hamden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Groton, CT to Hamden, CT covers 55.3 miles and takes about 1h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 95, Whitney Avenue, Forbes Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 44.5 miles on I 95. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.56 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 44.5 mi | 54m |
| Whitney Avenue | 5.5 mi | 8m |
| Forbes Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| East Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Edwards Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Frontage Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Mitchell Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,860 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~217 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 35 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Groton, CT and Hamden, CT.
Start on Smith Street
Turn right onto Allen Street
Turn left onto Mitchell Street
Continue on North Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 95; US 1
Take the exit
Merge onto US 1
Continue on US 1
Continue on US 1
Turn right onto East Street
At end of road, turn left onto State Street
Turn right onto Edwards Street
Turn right onto Whitney Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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.
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 27.6 miles from Groton, CT, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 49.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Allen Street
Navigation decision point
Merge onto I 95; US 1
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 1: Frontage Road, Lighthouse Point
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
At end of road, turn left onto State Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Whitney Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$9.56 one way
$19.12 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.90 | $10.67 | $21.33 |
| premium | $5.27 | $11.48 | $22.95 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $13.66 | $27.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.81 | $2.65 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.84 | $2.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.1 | 0 | $7.74 | $3.54 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Groton on Saturday
Local time
1:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
35°F
Patchy Frost
Destination
Afternoon in Hamden on Saturday
Local time
1:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
33°F
Areas Of Frost
44°F
Madison, CT
28 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
55.3 mi in 1h 14m, mostly highway — 44.5 mi of that is on I 95.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Whitney Avenue. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Allen Street.
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 55.3 miles you will encounter 9 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: at 0.1 miles (Allen Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (I 95; US 1): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
344 ft
Total Descent
326 ft
Highest Point
175 ft
~3.9 mi in
Elevation Range
167 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Groton, CT to Hamden, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Lighthouse Point along the way.
Lighthouse Point
Founded 1705
Groton is a city in Connecticut. The tourist village of Mystic lies in the eastern part of Groton.
Top landmarks
Founded 1786
Hamden is a suburb of the city of New Haven, Connecticut. Quinnipiac University has a significant impact on the town. The town's nickname is "The Land of the Sleeping Giant". It had about 59,500 in 2025.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 55.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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