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Trip from Newington, CT to Fairfield, CT

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 9m

Distance

53.2 mi

86 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 4m ★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
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.

Downtown Newington, CT, CT

Newington, CT

David Kanigan

Downtown Fairfield, CT, CT

Fairfield, CT

David Kanigan

Trip Overview

This 53.2-mile drive from Newington, CT to Fairfield, CT is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking just about 1 hour and 9 minutes to complete. It's a straightforward journey through the Northeast region, with a fuel cost estimated at $9. The route primarily utilizes North Broad Street and the Berlin Turnpike before transitioning to CT 8, offering a mixed driving experience. With no recommended stops, this trip is ideal for those seeking a direct and efficient connection between these two Connecticut locations.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Broad Street 30.3 mi 37m
Berlin Turnpike 6.9 mi 8m
CT 8 4.5 mi 5m
I 95 4.2 mi 5m
Merritt Parkway 3 mi 3m
Main Street 2 mi 3m
Mill Plain Road 0.3 mi <1m
Post Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: North Broad Street — 30.3 mi, about 37m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Newington, CT and Fairfield, CT.

1

Start on CT 176

2.0 mi · 3 min · Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2

Turn right onto US 5; CT 15

6.9 mi · 8 min · Berlin Turnpike
Use the right lane.
3

Continue on US 5; CT 15

30 mi · 37 min · North Broad Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4

Continue on CT 15

3.0 mi · 3 min · Merritt Parkway
5

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 34 Toward CT 8, CT 108: Bridgeport, Waterbury Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Toward CT 8 South, CT 108 South: Bridgeport
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward CT 8 South: Bridgeport Use the slight left lane.
8

Merge onto CT 8

4.5 mi · 5 min · CT 8
9

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward I 95 South: New York City Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto I 95

4.2 mi · 5 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Exit 21 Toward Mill Plain Road Use the slight right lane.
12

Turn left onto Mill Plain Road

0.3 mi · 39 sec · Mill Plain Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
13

Turn right onto US 1

186 ft · 3 sec · Post Road
14

Arrive at destination

US 1

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown New Haven, CT, CT

Mid-route town

Meal stop

New Haven, CT

27 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

Meriden, CT

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hamden, CT

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26.6 miles from Newington, 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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 42.2 and 52.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
42.2 mi into trip | ~53m in

Take the exit toward CT 8, CT 108: Bridgeport, Waterbury

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 34 Toward CT 8, CT 108: Bridgeport, Waterbury
6
42.4 mi into trip | ~54m in

Keep slight left at fork toward CT 8 South, CT 108 South: Bridgeport

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward CT 8 South, CT 108 South: Bridgeport
7
42.8 mi into trip | ~55m in

Keep slight left at fork toward CT 8 South: Bridgeport

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward CT 8 South: Bridgeport
7
48.1 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South: New York City

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 95 South: New York City
7
52.6 mi into trip | ~1h 8m in

Take the exit toward Mill Plain Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 21 Toward Mill Plain Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.56 one way

$17.13 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $9.42 $18.85
premium $4.86 $10.19 $20.38
diesel $5.61 $11.75 $23.49

Estimated Tolls: $0.48

Berlin Turnpike (6.9 mi) $0.48

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Tolls

$0

Total

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.6 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 0 $5.59 $2.55
Efficient EV 13.3 0 $4.66 $2.13
EV Truck/SUV 21.3 0 $7.45 $3.40

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.

Forecast as of Jun 23, 2022

Origin

Newington, CT

Late night in Newington on Sunday

Local time

12:37 AM

EDT

Current temp

83°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fairfield, CT

Late night in Fairfield on Sunday

Local time

12:37 AM

EDT

Current temp

45°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

38 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?

Expect a varied drive on this route, as it's classified as a 'Mixed drive' with 35% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 30.3 miles on North Broad Street, which sets the initial tone before you merge onto other main roads like the Berlin Turnpike and CT 8. This blend means you'll encounter both faster-paced highway sections and potentially more varied local road conditions as you progress toward Fairfield.

35% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.3 mi on North Broad Street.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 42.2 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.2 miles you will encounter 11 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 42.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Newington, CT to Fairfield, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Waterbury along the way.

Waterbury

42.2 mi in | ~53m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 53.2 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 (35%). 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 30.3 miles on North Broad Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.48 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 Fairfield, 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 42.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Fairfield, 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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