North Stamford, CT to Plainville, CT is 64.7 miles and takes about 1h 26m via Merritt Parkway and Wilbur Cross Parkway, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Connecticut, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its relatively short duration and mostly highway profile, this drive is well-suited for a single day. You'll spend most of your time on parkways, which tend to be scenic and well-maintained.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Merritt Parkway
26.7 mi
35m
Wilbur Cross Parkway
14.1 mi
17m
South Main Street
6.8 mi
8m
Whitney Avenue
5.5 mi
7m
Highland Avenue
4.4 mi
5m
Queen Street
2.4 mi
3m
East Street
1.7 mi
2m
High Ridge Road
1.7 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Merritt Parkway
— 26.7 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Stamford, CT and Plainville, CT.
1
Start on Cascade Road
139 ft·6 sec·Cascade Road
2
Turn straight onto North Stamford Road
475 ft·18 sec·North Stamford Road
3
Continue on North Stamford Road
0.2 mi·50 sec·North Stamford Road
4
Turn left onto CT 137
1.7 mi·3 min·High Ridge Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
6
Merge onto CT 15
27 mi·35 min·Merritt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on CT 15
14 mi·17 min·Wilbur Cross Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·47 sec
Exit 51Toward Whitney Avenue, HamdenUse the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn right onto Whitney Avenue
5.5 mi·7 min·Whitney Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on CT 10
3.1 mi·3 min·South Main Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on CT 10
4.4 mi·5 min·Highland Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on CT 10
0.2 mi·13 sec·Cheshire Road
13
Continue on CT 10
0.4 mi·29 sec·Norton Street
14
Continue on CT 10
3.6 mi·4 min·South Main Street
15
Continue on CT 10
2.4 mi·3 min·Queen Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Continue on CT 10
1.7 mi·2 min·East Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn right onto CT 372
62 ft·1 sec·New Britain Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
CT 372
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 32.4 miles from North Stamford, 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 43.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North Stamford Road
Continue onto North Stamford Road
Navigation decision point
3
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|CT 137 / High Ridge Road
Turn left onto CT 137 / High Ridge Road
Navigation decision point
5
2.3 mi into trip|~5m in|CT 15 / Merritt Parkway
Merge onto CT 15 / Merritt Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
43.1 mi into trip|~58m in
Take the exit toward Whitney Avenue, Hamden
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 51
Toward Whitney Avenue, Hamden
6
43.3 mi into trip|~59m in|Whitney Avenue
Turn right onto Whitney Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.15 one way
$20.31 round trip
$3.99/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$11.40
$22.80
premium
$4.81
$12.26
$24.51
diesel
$4.80
$12.22
$24.43
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
19.4
0
$6.79
$3.11
Efficient EV
16.2
0
$5.66
$2.59
EV Truck/SUV
25.9
0
$9.06
$4.14
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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 Jul 14, 2026
Origin
North Stamford, CT
Morning
in North Stamford on Sunday
Local time
10:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Clear
SW 7 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 2:20PM EDT until July 15 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 2:13PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Destination
Plainville, CT
Morning
in Plainville on Sunday
Local time
10:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Clear
SW 7 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 2:20PM EDT until July 15 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 2:13PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 26m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is 63% highway, with the longest stretch of continuous highway driving being 26.7 miles on the Merritt Parkway. You'll transition from parkway to surface streets as you approach your destination. Expect a more urban feel with frequent exits and merging traffic as you get closer to Plainville.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.7 mi on Merritt Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Merritt Parkway and Wilbur Cross Parkway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Stamford Road.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 26m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North Stamford Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (CT 137 / High Ridge Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (CT 15 / Merritt Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
343 ft94 ft
Total Climb
496 ft
Total Descent
531 ft
Highest Point
343 ft
~37 mi in
Elevation Range
249 ft
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 North Stamford, CT to Plainville, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Hamden along the way.
Hamden
43.1 mi in|~58m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
The longest stretch is about 26.7 miles on Merritt Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 9 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 (North Stamford Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (CT 137 / High Ridge Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (CT 15 / Merritt Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Plainville, CT before heading back.
