Origin
Mystic, CT
Morning in Mystic on Tuesday
Local time
8:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mystic, CT to Hartford, 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 16m
Distance
55.1 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mystic, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Hartford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a trip from Mystic to Hartford? This straightforward drive covers 55.1 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 16 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. The route is predominantly highway-focused, with 86% of it on interstates and major roads like CT 2 and I-95. You can expect a fuel cost of around $9 for this journey. Given its relatively short distance and highway profile, it offers a convenient and efficient way to travel between these two Connecticut locations within the Northeast region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 2 | 24.5 mi | 30m |
| I 95 | 8 mi | 9m |
| CT 11 | 7.7 mi | 9m |
| Hartford Turnpike | 4.3 mi | 7m |
| Hartford-New London Turnpike | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| New London Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| Allyn Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East Haddam Road | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
CT 2
— 24.5 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mystic, CT and Hartford, CT.
1
Start on US 1
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
2
Continue on US 1
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
New London Road
3
Turn right onto Allyn Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Allyn Street
4
Continue on Mystic Street
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Mystic Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
6
Merge onto I 95
8.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I 95
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 82
Toward CT 85: Broad Street, Waterford
8
Turn right onto CT 85
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Hartford Turnpike
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on CT 85
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Hartford-New London Turnpike
10
Continue on CT 85
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
New London Road
11
Enter roundabout onto CT 82
169 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Haddam Road
12
Continue on CT 82
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Haddam Road
13
Take the exit onto CT 11
7.7 mi
·
9 min
·
CT 11
Toward CT 11 North: Colchester, Hartford
14
Merge onto CT 2
24 mi
·
30 min
·
CT 2
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on State Street
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
State Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Continue on American Row
525 ft
·
18 sec
·
American Row
17
Turn left onto Main Street
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Capitol Avenue
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn right onto Armory Road
111 ft
·
9 sec
·
Armory Road
20
Arrive at destination
Armory Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.6 miles from Mystic, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 10.4 and 54.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
10.4 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward CT 85: Broad Street, Waterford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 82
Toward CT 85: Broad Street, Waterford
5
10.6 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
CT 85 / Hartford Turnpike
Turn right onto CT 85 / Hartford Turnpike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
21.8 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
CT 11
Take the exit onto CT 11 toward CT 11 North: Colchester, Hartford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CT 11 North: Colchester, Hartford
5
29.5 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
CT 2
Merge onto CT 2
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
54.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
Capitol Avenue
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.87 one way
$17.74 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $9.76 | $19.52 |
| premium | $4.86 | $10.55 | $21.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.17 | $24.33 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.52
Hartford Turnpike
(4.3 mi)
$0.30
Hartford-New London Turnpike
(3.1 mi)
$0.22
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$1
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.82 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.71 | $3.53 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Hartford, CT
Morning in Hartford on Tuesday
Local time
8:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°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
25 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 16m 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 drive is characterized by its highway-focused profile, with 86% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on routes like CT 2 and I-95, making for a generally fast-paced experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 24.5 miles on CT 2, offering a good period of consistent driving. While not overly complex, the route provides a mix of highway speeds and transitions, allowing for a smooth progression towards your destination without significant detours or slow-downs.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.5 mi on CT 2.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CT 2 and I 95. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 10.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 55.1 miles you will encounter 10 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 10.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 miles (CT 85 / Hartford Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.8 miles (CT 11): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
543 ft
7 ft
Total Climb
1,129 ft
Total Descent
1,086 ft
Highest Point
543 ft
~39.4 mi in
Elevation Range
536 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.
On the drive from Mystic, CT to Hartford, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Waterford along the way.
Waterford
10.4 mi in
|
~14m
About the Cities
Arriving in Hartford, CT
Full guide →Hartford is the capital of the state of Connecticut in the United States of America. It is home to the country's oldest public art museum (Wadsworth Atheneum), and the Mark Twain House, in which the author wrote his most famous works and raised his family. Mark Twain wrote in 1868, "Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief."
Top landmarks
- • Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art — art museum in Hartford, Connecticut
- • Connecticut State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Connecticut
- • Mark Twain House — non-profit organization in the USA
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 16m. Total distance: 55.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.5 miles on CT 2. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.52 in tolls one way, starting with Hartford 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.
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 10.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 miles (CT 85 / Hartford Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.8 miles (CT 11): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hartford, 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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