Origin
New Haven, CT
Late night in New Haven on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Haven, CT to Danbury, 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
59m
Distance
34.8 mi
56 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Haven, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Danbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
New Haven, CT to Danbury, CT is 34.8 miles and takes about 59m via I 84, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily within Connecticut's Northeast region. You'll experience a mixed drive, offering a blend of highway speeds and more local road conditions. It's a practical option for a short journey, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your schedule. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to travel between these two Connecticut cities without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 10.5 mi | 12m |
| Roosevelt Drive | 7.9 mi | 15m |
| Berkshire Road | 4.8 mi | 9m |
| Derby Turnpike | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| Derby Avenue | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| New Haven Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Chapel Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 10.5 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Haven, CT and Danbury, CT.
1
Start on College Street
343 ft
·
9 sec
·
College Street
2
Turn right onto Chapel Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Chapel Street
3
Turn slight left onto Derby Avenue
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Derby Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on CT 34
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Derby Turnpike
5
Continue on CT 34
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
New Haven Avenue
6
Continue on CT 34
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Derby Avenue
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn left onto CT 34
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on CT 34
7.9 mi
·
15 min
·
Roosevelt Drive
9
Continue on CT 34
4.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Berkshire Road
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
12
Merge onto I 84; US 6
10 mi
·
12 min
·
I 84; US 6
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 5
Toward CT 39, CT 53: Downtown Danbury, Bethel
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn right onto CT 39
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
15
Turn right onto Library Place
234 ft
·
10 sec
·
Library Place
16
Arrive at destination
Library Place
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.4 miles from New Haven, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 33.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Chapel Street
Turn right onto Chapel Street
Navigation decision point
5
9.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
CT 34 / Main Street
Turn left onto CT 34 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
22.6 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
23.3 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
I 84; US 6
Merge onto I 84; US 6
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
33.8 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward CT 39, CT 53: Downtown Danbury, Bethel
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 5
Toward CT 39, CT 53: Downtown Danbury, Bethel
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.60 one way
$11.20 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.16 | $12.33 |
| premium | $4.86 | $6.66 | $13.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.68 | $15.37 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.33
Derby Turnpike
(4.7 mi)
$0.33
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$0
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.65 | $1.67 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.87 | $2.23 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Danbury, CT
Late night in Danbury on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Chance Rain Showers
NW 6 mph
29% chance
Live forecast
59°F
Oxford, CT
17 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
19 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
59m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This 34.8-mile drive presents a mixed profile, with 44% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches of I 84, including a continuous segment of 10.5 miles, which allows for steady progress. As you move away from the interstate, the route transitions to roads like Roosevelt Drive and Berkshire Road. These sections likely offer a different driving experience, potentially with more turns and varied speed limits compared to the main highway. Expect the character of the drive to evolve as you cover the distance, shifting from faster travel to a more localized feel.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.5 mi on I 84.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Chapel Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 34.8 miles you will encounter 8 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 (Chapel Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.1 miles (CT 34 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Starting in New Haven, CT
Full guide →New Haven is a city in Connecticut that is best known as the home of Yale University.
Arriving in Danbury, CT
Full guide →Danbury - nicknamed Hat City - is a city in the interior of Fairfield County, Connecticut, making it part of the Litchfield Hills region.
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 59m. Total distance: 34.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.5 miles on I 84. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.33 in tolls one way, starting with Derby 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 Danbury, 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 (Chapel Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.1 miles (CT 34 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Weir Farm National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Danbury, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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