Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
32 mi
52 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Middletown, CT
David Kanigan
Orange, CT
André Cogez
The drive from Middletown, CT to Orange, CT covers 32 miles and takes about 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on CT 15, Meriden Road, Washington Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23 miles on CT 15. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 15 | 23 mi | 28m |
| Meriden Road | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Washington Street | 2.5 mi | 5m |
| Old Grassy Hill Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Orange Center Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Grassy Hill Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| I 91 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Middletown, CT and Orange, CT.
Start on Washington Street
Continue on CT 66
Take the exit
Merge onto I 91
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto CT 15
Take the exit
Turn right
At end of road, turn right onto CT 121
Turn left onto Old Grassy Hill Road
Turn right onto CT 152
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 6.7 and 30.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 91 South, CT 15 South: New Haven
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward CT 15 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward CT 15 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CT 121: Orange
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn right onto CT 121 / Grassy Hill Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Regular Gas
$5.33 one way
$10.66 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.70 | $5.91 | $11.83 |
| premium | $5.07 | $6.38 | $12.76 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $7.05 | $14.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.48 | $2.05 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Late night in Middletown on Wednesday
Local time
1:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Orange on Wednesday
Local time
1:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Mostly Sunny
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.
32 mi in 44m, mostly highway — 23 mi of that is on CT 15.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CT 15 and Meriden Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.7 miles in.
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 11 decision points packed into just 32 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
718 ft
Total Descent
553 ft
Highest Point
378 ft
~4.6 mi in
Elevation Range
365 ft
Founded 1651
Middletown is a a moderately-sized college and business town, with a few interesting remnants of 19th-century churches, graveyards, and mills. It is in Connecticut on the Connecticut River, about 20 miles (32 km) south of Hartford.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 32 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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