Origin
Stafford, CT
Late night in Stafford on Sunday
Local time
3:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Stafford, CT to Hartford, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
31.1 mi
50 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Stafford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Hartford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 31.1-mile drive from Stafford, CT, to Hartford, CT, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 41 minutes. Primarily following I-84, with brief stints on River Road and East Street, this route is heavily highway-focused. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $5, it’s an economical option for a quick trip. Given its short duration and minimal stops, you can easily complete this journey without needing an overnight stay. The drive stays within the Northeast region, offering a convenient connection between these two Connecticut locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 23.5 mi | 27m |
| River Road | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| East Street | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| East Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Broad Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Capitol Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Spring Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Farmington Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 23.5 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stafford, CT and Hartford, CT.
1
Start on CT 19
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
East Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto CT 190
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
East Main Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto CT 190
140 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
4
Enter roundabout onto CT 32
97 ft
·
8 sec
·
River Road
5
Continue on CT 32
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
River Road
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 84 West: Hartford
7
Merge onto I 84
13 mi
·
14 min
·
I 84
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 84
8.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 84; US 6
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 84; US 6
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 48
Toward Asylum Street
Use the slight right lane.
11
Continue on Spring Street
370 ft
·
14 sec
·
Spring Street
12
At end of road, turn right onto Asylum Avenue
197 ft
·
3 sec
·
Asylum Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Turn slight left onto Farmington Avenue
347 ft
·
11 sec
·
Farmington Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto Broad Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Broad Street
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn left onto Capitol Avenue
382 ft
·
16 sec
·
Capitol Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left onto Armory Road
111 ft
·
9 sec
·
Armory Road
17
Arrive at destination
Armory Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 2.5 and 30.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CT 32 / River Road
Enter roundabout onto CT 32 / River Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
19.5 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 84
Keep slight right at fork onto I 84
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
27.6 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
I 84; US 6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 84; US 6
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
30.4 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward Asylum Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 48
Toward Asylum Street
7
30.6 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
Asylum Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Asylum Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.01 one way
$10.01 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $5.51 | $11.02 |
| premium | $4.86 | $5.96 | $11.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.87 | $13.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.27 | $1.49 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.72 | $1.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.35 | $1.99 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Hartford, CT
Late night in Hartford on Sunday
Local time
3:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°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
27 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
41m 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 primarily highway-focused experience on this 31.1-mile trip, with 76% of the drive utilizing interstate travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 23.5 miles on I-84, providing a consistent pace. While the majority of the route is on the interstate, you will transition to River Road and East Street, offering a slight change of scenery before reaching your destination. This mix means you'll get a solid dose of highway driving with brief moments on local roads.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.5 mi on I 84.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 84 and River Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near CT 32 / River Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 31.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (CT 32 / River Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 19.5 miles (I 84): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.6 miles (I 84; US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Hartford, CT
Full guide →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."
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 41m. Total distance: 31.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.5 miles on I 84. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Hartford, 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 2.5 miles (CT 32 / River Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 19.5 miles (I 84): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.6 miles (I 84; US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — New England National Scenic Trail. 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 Hartford, 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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