Origin
Meriden, CT
Late night in Meriden on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Meriden, CT to Groton, 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
1h 9m
Distance
51.5 mi
83 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Meriden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Groton, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to zip across Connecticut, the 51.5-mile journey from Meriden to Groton is a straightforward, efficient trek. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 9 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via CT 9, I-95, and CT 66, keeping your travel costs predictable with an estimated fuel budget of just $8. Since the route stays entirely within the Northeast, you will experience a consistent regional feel from start to finish. This drive is designed for those who prioritize speed and convenience over scenic meandering, serving as a reliable connector between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 9 | 23.3 mi | 27m |
| I 95 | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| CT 66 | 7 mi | 11m |
| I 691 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Lewis Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Mitchell Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| US 1 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CT 9
— 23.3 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Meriden, CT and Groton, CT.
1
Start on West Main Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
West Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Turn right onto Lewis Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Lewis Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 691 East: Middletown
4
Merge onto I 691
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
I 691
5
Continue on CT 66
7.0 mi
·
11 min
·
CT 66
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
132 ft
·
3 sec
Toward CT 9 South, CT 17 South: Old Saybrook, New Haven
7
Merge onto CT 9; CT 17
23 mi
·
27 min
·
CT 9; CT 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 North, US 1 North: New London, Providence
9
Merge onto I 95; US 1
16 mi
·
20 min
·
I 95; US 1
10
Take the exit onto US 1
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
US 1
Exit 85
Toward US 1 North: Thames Street, Downtown Groton
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
12
Keep slight left at fork
226 ft
·
9 sec
13
Continue on North Street
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
North Street
14
Continue on Mitchell Street
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Mitchell Street
15
Turn right onto Ledyard Avenue
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Ledyard Avenue
16
Turn sharp right onto Smith Street
27 ft
·
1 sec
·
Smith Street
17
Arrive at destination
Smith Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.8 miles from Meriden, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 51.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Lewis Avenue
Turn right onto Lewis Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 691 East: Middletown
Navigation decision point
Toward I 691 East: Middletown
6
33.3 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North, US 1 North: New London, Providence
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 North, US 1 North: New London, Prov...
6
50.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
US 1
Take the exit onto US 1 toward US 1 North: Thames Street, Downtown Groton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 85
Toward US 1 North: Thames Street, Downtown Grot...
6
51.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
Smith Street
Turn sharp right onto Smith Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.29 one way
$16.58 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $9.12 | $18.24 |
| premium | $4.86 | $9.86 | $19.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.37 | $22.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.41 | $2.47 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.51 | $2.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.21 | $3.30 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Groton, CT
Late night in Groton on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
59°F
Middletown, CT
26 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
18 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 9m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 94% of your journey spent on high-speed roads. You will find yourself cruising along CT 9 for the longest uninterrupted stretch of the trip, covering 23.3 miles of pavement. The transition between the primary arteries keeps the pace brisk, though you should be prepared for the typical flow of interstate traffic as you merge onto I-95. Because the route relies so heavily on major thoroughfares, the driving experience is consistent and utilitarian rather than technical or winding. It is a no-nonsense path that gets you to your destination with minimal fuss.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.3 mi on CT 9.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CT 9 and I 95. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Lewis Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.5 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: at 0.1 miles (Lewis Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 33.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
376 ft
12 ft
Total Climb
406 ft
Total Descent
474 ft
Highest Point
376 ft
~22.1 mi in
Elevation Range
364 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 Meriden, CT and Groton, CT, road signs point toward New Haven and Providence.
New Haven
10 mi in
|
~16m
Providence
33.3 mi in
|
~43m
About the Cities
Starting in Meriden, CT
Full guide →Meriden is a city in the Connecticut River Valley. Although not a major tourist destination, it does have an architecturally notable center.
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 1h 9m. Total distance: 51.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.3 miles on CT 9. 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 Groton, 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 (Lewis Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 33.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Groton, 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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