Origin
Norwalk, CT
Late night in Norwalk on Tuesday
Local time
4:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Norwalk, CT to Orange, 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
38m
Distance
27.6 mi
44 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Norwalk, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Orange, CT
André Cogez
Trip Overview
Norwalk to Orange is 27.6 miles and takes about 38m via I 95, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Connecticut, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's mostly highway driving, making it a quick hop between destinations. Given the short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a same-day trip with minimal time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 12.4 mi | 16m |
| CT 8 | 5 mi | 5m |
| Wilbur Cross Parkway | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Merritt Parkway | 3 mi | 4m |
| East Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Old Grassy Hill Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Orange Center Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 12.4 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Norwalk, CT and Orange, CT.
1
Start on East Avenue
272 ft
·
12 sec
·
East Avenue
2
Continue on East Avenue
267 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Avenue
3
Continue on East Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 95 North: New Haven
5
Merge onto I 95
12 mi
·
16 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 27A
Toward CT 25, CT 8: Trumbull, Waterbury
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on CT 8; CT 25
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
CT 8; CT 25
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 8
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
CT 8
Toward CT 8 North: Waterbury, New Haven
9
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 6
Toward CT 15 North: Merritt Parkway, New Haven
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto CT 15
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Merritt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on CT 15
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Wilbur Cross Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 41
Toward CT 121: Orange
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on Old Grassy Hill Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Grassy Hill Road
14
Turn right onto CT 152
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Orange Center Road
15
Arrive at destination
CT 152
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 26.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 North: New Haven
Navigation decision point
Toward I 95 North: New Haven
8
13.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward CT 25, CT 8: Trumbull, Waterbury
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 27A
Toward CT 25, CT 8: Trumbull, Waterbury
6
17.3 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
CT 8
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 8 toward CT 8 North: Waterbury, New Haven
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CT 8 North: Waterbury, New Haven
8
19 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward CT 15 North: Merritt Parkway, New Haven
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 6
Toward CT 15 North: Merritt Parkway, New Haven
7
26.5 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward CT 121: Orange
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 41
Toward CT 121: Orange
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.44 one way
$8.89 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $4.89 | $9.78 |
| premium | $4.86 | $5.29 | $10.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.09 | $12.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.90 | $1.32 |
| Efficient EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11 | 0 | $3.86 | $1.77 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Orange, CT
Late night in Orange on Tuesday
Local time
4:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°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
4 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
38m 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?
With 87% of this route on highways, you'll spend most of your time on high-speed roads like I 95 and CT 8. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 12.4 miles on I 95. Expect dense exits and merging traffic as you navigate these major arteries. You'll transition to surface roads for the final portion of the trip.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.4 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and CT 8. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 9 decision points packed into just 27.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.3 miles (CT 8): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Norwalk, CT and Orange, CT, road signs point toward Waterbury and New Haven.
Waterbury
13.4 mi in
|
~18m
New Haven
17.3 mi in
|
~23m
|
via CT 8
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 27.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.4 miles on I 95. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 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.
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 Orange, 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 0.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.3 miles (CT 8): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Orange, 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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