Origin
Manchester, CT
Morning in Manchester on Tuesday
Local time
8:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Manchester, CT to Durham, 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
42m
Distance
29.1 mi
47 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Manchester, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Durham, CT
MART PRODUCTION
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward trip within Connecticut, driving from Manchester to Durham is an efficient 29.1-mile journey. You can expect to spend about 42 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. Budgeting roughly $5 for fuel should cover your needs for this short haul. Because the route stays entirely within the Northeast region, you will experience a familiar, consistent driving environment from start to finish. Since the duration is under an hour, there is no need to worry about overnight logistics, allowing you to focus on a quick and simple transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 91 | 8.4 mi | 10m |
| CT 9 | 5.4 mi | 7m |
| South Main Street | 5.3 mi | 10m |
| CT 15 | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| I 84 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| West Center Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East Center Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Spencer Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 91
— 8.4 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Manchester, CT and Durham, CT.
1
Start on US 6; US 44
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Center Street
2
Continue on West Center Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
West Center Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on Spencer Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Spencer Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn right onto Cemetery Road
352 ft
·
8 sec
·
Cemetery Road
5
Take the ramp
241 ft
·
5 sec
Toward I 84 West, I 84 East, I 291: Hartford, Boston
6
Keep slight left at fork
1.4 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 84 West: Hartford
Use the slight left lane.
7
Merge onto I 84; US 6
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 84; US 6
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto CT 15
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
CT 15
Toward CT 15 South: New York City
Use the slight left lane.
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 86
Toward I 91 South: New Haven, New York City
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 91
8.4 mi
·
10 min
·
I 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 22S
Toward CT 9 South: Middletown, Old Saybrook
Use the slight left lane.
12
Merge onto CT 9
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
CT 9
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit onto CT 17
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
CT 17
Exit 23A
Toward CT 17 South: South Main Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto CT 17
5.3 mi
·
10 min
·
South Main Street
Use the left / right lanes.
15
Turn left
130 ft
·
9 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 23.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 84 West: Hartford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 84 West: Hartford
7
6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
CT 15
Keep slight left at fork onto CT 15 toward CT 15 South: New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward CT 15 South: New York City
8
7.9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward I 91 South: New Haven, New York City
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 86
Toward I 91 South: New Haven, New York City
8
16.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward CT 9 South: Middletown, Old Saybrook
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 22S
Toward CT 9 South: Middletown, Old Saybrook
7
23.2 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
CT 17
Take the exit onto CT 17 toward CT 17 South: South Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 23A
Toward CT 17 South: South Main Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.68 one way
$9.37 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $5.15 | $10.31 |
| premium | $4.86 | $5.57 | $11.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.42 | $12.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.06 | $1.40 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.55 | $1.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.07 | $1.86 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Durham, CT
Morning in Durham on Tuesday
Local time
8:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°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.
Road read
42m 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 42-minute trip is a highway-focused drive, with 62% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will navigate via I-91, CT-9, and South Main Street, experiencing a mix of high-speed interstate travel and local road transitions. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on I-91, covering 8.4 miles of the total distance. As you move away from Manchester, the road transitions from the interstate pace onto smaller stretches, requiring you to adjust your speed as you approach the destination in Durham.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.4 mi on I 91.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 91 and CT 9. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 29.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (CT 15): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
219 ft
16 ft
Total Climb
341 ft
Total Descent
241 ft
Highest Point
219 ft
~29.1 mi in
Elevation Range
203 ft
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.
Between Manchester, CT and Durham, CT, road signs point toward Boston, New York City and Old Saybrook.
Boston
2.8 mi in
|
~5m
New York City
7.9 mi in
|
~11m
Old Saybrook
16.9 mi in
|
~23m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 29.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.4 miles on I 91. 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 Durham, 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 2.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (CT 15): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Durham, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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