Origin
Madison, CT
Late night in Madison on Tuesday
Local time
5:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Madison, CT to Hamden, 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
36m
Distance
25 mi
40 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Madison, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Hamden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 25-mile drive from Madison to Hamden, Connecticut, is easily manageable within a single day, taking approximately 36 minutes. The route primarily utilizes I-95 and Whitney Avenue, offering a mixed driving experience. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $4, this trip is budget-friendly for a quick excursion. Given its short duration and minimal stops, it's perfect for a spontaneous day trip rather than requiring an overnight stay. Both Madison and Hamden are located in the Northeast region of the US, keeping you within familiar territory.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 14.4 mi | 17m |
| Whitney Avenue | 5.5 mi | 8m |
| Forbes Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| East Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Durham Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Edwards Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Frontage Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Water Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 14.4 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Madison, CT and Hamden, CT.
1
Start on this road
136 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
122 ft
·
11 sec
3
Turn right onto US 1
168 ft
·
8 sec
·
Boston Post Road
4
Turn right onto CT 79
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Durham Road
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 95 South
6
Merge onto I 95
14 mi
·
17 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 51
Toward US 1: Frontage Road, Lighthouse Point
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto US 1
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
Frontage Road
9
Continue on US 1
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Forbes Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on US 1
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Water Street
11
Turn right onto East Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East Street
12
At end of road, turn left onto State Street
221 ft
·
7 sec
·
State Street
13
Turn right onto Edwards Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Edwards Street
14
Turn right onto Whitney Avenue
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Whitney Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
CT 10
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 19.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 79 / Durham Road
Turn right onto CT 79 / Durham Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
15.6 mi into trip
|
~20m in
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
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 51
Toward US 1: Frontage Road, Lighthouse Point
5
18.9 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
State Street
At end of road, turn left onto State Street
Navigation decision point
5
19.5 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
Whitney Avenue
Turn right onto Whitney Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.02 one way
$8.05 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $4.43 | $8.86 |
| premium | $4.86 | $4.79 | $9.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.52 | $11.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.19 | $1.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10 | 0 | $3.50 | $1.60 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Hamden, CT
Late night in Hamden on Tuesday
Local time
5:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
36m 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?
The journey features a blend of highway and local road driving, with 58% of the route being on highways. You'll experience a solid 14.4-mile stretch on I-95, providing a consistent pace. As you transition off the interstate onto roads like Whitney Avenue and Forbes Avenue, expect a change in scenery and traffic patterns. This mixed profile means you'll get a taste of both efficient highway travel and more typical local road navigation, making for a dynamic, though not overly complex, driving experience.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.4 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CT 79 / Durham Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 25 miles you will encounter 11 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 (CT 79 / Durham Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Madison, CT to Hamden, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Lighthouse Point along the way.
Lighthouse Point
15.6 mi in
|
~20m
About the Cities
Starting in Madison, CT
Full guide →Madison is a town in New Haven County of Connecticut. It is in the central part of the Connecticut shoreline. The population of Madison was around 18,000 as of 2014. Much of Madison is known for its pricey, historical homes and its miles of beach.
Arriving in Hamden, CT
Full guide →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.
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 36m. Total distance: 25 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.4 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 Hamden, 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 0.1 miles (CT 79 / Durham Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 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 Hamden, 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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