Origin
Meriden, CT
Morning in Meriden on Tuesday
Local time
6:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Meriden, CT to Manchester, 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
26 mi
42 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good 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 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Meriden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Manchester, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 26-mile drive from Meriden to Manchester, Connecticut, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 36 minutes to complete. With a highway share of 74%, you'll spend most of your time on well-trafficked roads, making it a quick and efficient trip. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $4, which is quite budget-friendly. Given its short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion without the need for an overnight stop. You'll be traveling within the Northeast region, staying entirely within Connecticut.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Berlin Turnpike | 15.7 mi | 20m |
| Broad Street | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| I 84 | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| Center Street | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| East Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| US 6 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Middle Turnpike West | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Hanover Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Berlin Turnpike
— 15.7 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Meriden, CT and Manchester, CT.
1
Start on West Main Street
119 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Main Street
2
Turn left onto CT 71
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Cook Avenue
3
Turn sharp left onto Hanover Street
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Hanover Street
Use the left lane.
4
At end of road, turn right onto Perkins Street
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Perkins Street
5
Turn right onto East Main Street
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
East Main Street
6
Turn left onto US 5
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Broad Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on US 5; CT 15
16 mi
·
20 min
·
Berlin Turnpike
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 84; US 6
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
I 84; US 6
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 84; US 6
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
I 84; US 6
Toward I 84 East: Boston
10
Take the exit onto US 6
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
US 6
Exit 60
Toward US 6, US 44: Middle Turnpike West, Manchester
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto US 6; US 44
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Middle Turnpike West
Use the right lane.
12
Turn right onto US 6; US 44
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Center Street
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on US 6; US 44
336 ft
·
12 sec
·
East Center Street
14
Arrive at destination
US 6; US 44
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 23.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Hanover Street
Turn sharp left onto Hanover Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Perkins Street
At end of road, turn right onto Perkins Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 5 / Broad Street
Turn left onto US 5 / Broad Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
22.9 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6, US 44: Middle Turnpike West, Manchester
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 60
Toward US 6, US 44: Middle Turnpike West, Manch...
6
23.3 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
US 6; US 44 / Middle Turnpike West
Turn right onto US 6; US 44 / Middle Turnpike West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.19 one way
$8.37 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $4.61 | $9.21 |
| premium | $4.86 | $4.98 | $9.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.74 | $11.48 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.10
Berlin Turnpike
(15.7 mi)
$1.10
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.1 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 | 7.8 | 0 | $2.73 | $1.25 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.66 |
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
Manchester, CT
Morning in Manchester on Tuesday
Local time
6:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
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
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?
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this trip, with 74% of the mileage on interstates. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 15.7 miles along the Berlin Turnpike, offering a consistent pace. While primarily a highway experience, the route incorporates sections of local roads like Broad Street, providing a slight variation in scenery and speed. This blend means you'll experience both efficient interstate travel and brief periods on more community-oriented roadways.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.7 mi on Berlin Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Berlin Turnpike and Broad Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Hanover Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 26 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Hanover Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (Perkins Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (US 5 / Broad Street): Lane positioning matters here.
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 36m. Total distance: 26 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 (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.7 miles on Berlin Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.10 in tolls one way, starting with Berlin Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Manchester, 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 0.2 miles (Hanover Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (Perkins Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (US 5 / Broad Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Manchester, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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