Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
41.5 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Orange, CT
André Cogez
Hartford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
This 41.5-mile drive from Orange to Hartford, Connecticut, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 55 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a day trip, with a modest fuel cost of around $7. The route primarily follows major roadways, making it a convenient option for getting between these two Northeast locations. You'll spend most of your time on highways, so expect a direct and efficient journey. This drive is ideal when you want to get from point A to point B without much fuss, offering a no-nonsense travel experience.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Wilbur Cross Parkway | 26.6 mi | 32m |
| Berlin Turnpike | 11 mi | 14m |
| Broad Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Maple Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Old Grassy Hill Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Orange Center Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Capitol Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Armory Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Orange, CT and Hartford, CT.
Start on CT 152
Turn left onto Old Grassy Hill Road
Take the ramp
At end of road, turn right onto CT 15
Continue on US 5; CT 15
Continue on CT 314
Continue on Maple Avenue
Turn left onto Broad Street
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue
Turn left onto Armory Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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.
A short stop after about 41.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 20.8 miles from Orange, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 41.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Old Grassy Hill Road
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn right onto CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Broad Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Armory Road
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$6.68 one way
$13.36 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $7.35 | $14.70 |
| premium | $4.86 | $7.95 | $15.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.16 | $18.33 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.77
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 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 | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.63 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.81 | $2.66 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Orange on Tuesday
Local time
4:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Partly Sunny
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 1:57PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Destination
Late night in Hartford on Tuesday
Local time
4:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a highway-focused drive for 90% of this 41.5-mile journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 26.6 miles on the Wilbur Cross Parkway, setting the tone for a largely high-speed experience. You'll transition from the Wilbur Cross Parkway to the Berlin Turnpike and then to Broad Street, indicating a shift from parkway to a more arterial road as you approach your destination. The character of the drive is predominantly efficient and direct, minimizing time spent on slower, local roads.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Wilbur Cross Parkway and Berlin Turnpike. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Old Grassy Hill Road.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 55m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Old Grassy Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 39.5 miles (Broad Street): Navigation decision point.
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 41.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Straightforward navigation.
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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