Origin
Stamford, CT
Late night in Stamford on Sunday
Local time
12:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Stamford, CT to Hamden, 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 3m
Distance
46.3 mi
75 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Stamford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Hamden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 46.3-mile journey from Stamford, CT, to Hamden, CT, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 3 minutes to complete. The route is heavily highway-focused, with 92% of the drive utilizing major interstates and parkways, including I-95 and the Wilbur Cross Parkway. Expect a modest fuel cost of around $7 for this relatively short distance. Since both the origin and destination are within the Northeast region, you won't be crossing any major geographical or cultural divides. This drive is ideal for those looking for an efficient and direct connection between these two Connecticut cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 20.3 mi | 27m |
| Wilbur Cross Parkway | 14.1 mi | 17m |
| CT 8 | 5 mi | 5m |
| Merritt Parkway | 3 mi | 4m |
| Whitney Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Grove Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Broad Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Atlantic Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 20.3 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stamford, CT and Hamden, CT.
1
Start on Atlantic Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Atlantic Street
2
Turn right onto Broad Street
0.3 mi
·
57 sec
·
Broad Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn right onto Grove Street
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Grove Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 95 North: New Haven
5
Merge onto I 95
20 mi
·
27 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
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Wilbur Cross Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 51
Toward Whitney Avenue, Hamden
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto Whitney Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Whitney Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
CT 10
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.1 miles from 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 44.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Broad Street
Turn right onto Broad Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
21.4 mi into trip
|
~30m 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
25.2 mi into trip
|
~34m 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
27 mi into trip
|
~37m 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
8
44.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.45 one way
$14.91 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $8.20 | $16.40 |
| premium | $4.86 | $8.87 | $17.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.22 | $20.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
| Efficient EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.48 | $2.96 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Hamden, CT
Late night in Hamden on Sunday
Local time
12:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
45°F
Fairfield, CT
23 mi in
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
9 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
1h 3m 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?
Prepare for a predominantly highway-focused experience on this 46.3-mile route. With 92% of the drive on main roads like I-95 and the Wilbur Cross Parkway, expect consistent speeds and minimal interruptions. The longest uninterrupted stretch will be 20.3 miles on I-95, offering a good period of steady travel. While the Wilbur Cross Parkway may offer a slightly different feel, the overall character leans towards efficient transit rather than scenic meandering. CT 8 also plays a role, contributing to the highway-centric nature of this drive.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.3 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Wilbur Cross Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Broad Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.3 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.1 miles (Broad Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.2 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 Stamford, CT and Hamden, CT, road signs point toward Waterbury and New Haven.
Waterbury
21.4 mi in
|
~30m
New Haven
25.2 mi in
|
~34m
|
via CT 8
About the Cities
Arriving in Hamden, CT
Full guide →Hamden is a suburb of the city of New Haven, Connecticut. Quinnipiac University has a significant impact on the town. The town's nickname is "The Land of the Sleeping Giant". It had about 59,500 in 2025.
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 1h 3m. Total distance: 46.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.3 miles on I 95. 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 Hamden, 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 0.1 miles (Broad Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.2 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 Hamden, 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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