Stamford to Washington, CT is 54.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 24 minutes via US 7, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Connecticut, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. The drive offers a mix of highway and surface roads, making it a flexible option for a day trip. You'll spend about 41% of your time on the highway, so expect a relatively quick pace for most of the journey. It's a straightforward drive with a low fuel cost, ideal for a short excursion.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 7
15.4 mi
19m
Danbury Road
8.4 mi
14m
Sugar Hollow Road
7.4 mi
11m
I 95
6.6 mi
8m
Ethan Allen Highway
4.5 mi
8m
Chestnut Land Road
3.5 mi
6m
Church Hill Road
2.2 mi
3m
Park Lane Road
0.8 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 7
— 15.4 mi, about 19m
Traffic on I-95
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 18 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~4,341 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~657 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 5 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stamford, CT and Washington, 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
6.6 mi·8 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 15Toward US 7: Norwalk, DanburyUse the slight right lane.
7
Continue on US 7
3.3 mi·4 min·US 7
8
Turn right onto US 7
0.2 mi·16 sec·Grist Mill Road
9
Turn left onto US 7
0.6 mi·1 min·Main Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Continue on US 7
1.3 mi·1 min·Danbury Road
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn slight left onto CT 33
444 ft·10 sec·Westport Road
12
Merge onto US 7; CT 33
6.2 mi·11 min·Danbury Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on US 7
4.5 mi·8 min·Ethan Allen Highway
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on US 7
0.8 mi·1 min·Danbury Road
15
Continue on US 7
7.4 mi·11 min·Sugar Hollow Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto US 7; US 202
12 mi·15 min·US 7; US 202
Toward US 7 North, US 202 East: Brookfield, New Milford
17
Turn right onto US 202; CT 67
0.5 mi·52 sec·Bridge Street
18
Turn left onto US 202
0.3 mi·22 sec·East Street
19
Continue on US 202
0.7 mi·44 sec·Poplar Street
20
Continue on US 202
0.8 mi·59 sec·Park Lane Road
21
Turn right onto CT 109
3.5 mi·6 min·Chestnut Land Road
22
Continue on CT 109
2.2 mi·3 min·Church Hill Road
23
At end of road, turn right onto CT 109
0.3 mi·35 sec·Calhoun Street
24
Continue on CT 47
0.8 mi·1 min·Green Hill Road
25
Turn left onto Wykeham Road
372 ft·11 sec·Wykeham Road
26
Turn left onto Old North Road
32 ft·1 sec·Old North Road
27
Arrive at destination
Old North Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 27.1 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 32.8 — 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.
5
0.7 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 North: New Haven
Navigation decision point
Toward I 95 North: New Haven
5
1 mi into trip|~2m in|I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.6 mi into trip|~11m in
Take the exit toward US 7: Norwalk, Danbury
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 15
Toward US 7: Norwalk, Danbury
6
32.8 mi into trip|~54m in|US 7; US 202
Keep slight left at fork onto US 7; US 202 toward US 7 North, US 202 East: Brookfield, New Milford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 7 North, US 202 East: Brookfield, New...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.51 one way
$17.01 round trip
$3.99/gal25.4 MPG avg19 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$9.55
$19.10
premium
$4.81
$10.27
$20.54
diesel
$4.80
$10.23
$20.47
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
16.3
0
$5.69
$2.60
Efficient EV
13.6
0
$4.74
$2.17
EV Truck/SUV
21.7
0
$7.59
$3.47
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Stamford, CT
Morning
in Stamford on Sunday
Local time
6:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
96°F
Areas Of Smoke
NW 13 mph21% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:02PM EDT until July 15 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:02PM EDT until July 15 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Destination
Washington, CT
Morning
in Washington on Sunday
Local time
6:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Areas Of Smoke
NW 10 mph17% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:02PM EDT until July 15 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:02PM EDT until July 15 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY
84°F
Redding, CT
27 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
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
1h 24m 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 drive is about 41% highway, meaning you'll experience some faster stretches before transitioning to surface roads. The longest continuous section on a main road is 15.4 miles along US 7. Expect to encounter a varied driving experience, transitioning from more developed areas with highway exits to more rural cruising as you head towards Washington. The profile is described as 'Mixed highway & surface,' indicating a blend of speeds and road types.
41% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.4 mi on US 7.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.2 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
857 ft14 ft
Total Climb
1,075 ft
Total Descent
355 ft
Highest Point
857 ft
~50.3 mi in
Elevation Range
843 ft
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 Washington, CT, road signs point toward Danbury and New Milford.
Danbury
7.6 mi in|~11m
New Milford
32.8 mi in|~54m|via US 7; US 202
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Stamford, Connecticut is the fourth largest city in the state, a center of regional activity in Fairfield County, and a hub of the Metro New York area. Its position between NYC and the rest of Connecticut defines Stamford’s character. Stamford takes on a big-city atmosphere in its downtown and the adjacent neighborhoods, then transitions to a more traditional suburban small-town Connecticut atmosphere in its northern sections. Stamford plays an active role in the NYC metro and Fairfield County art and music scene. It also has one of the largest and most diverse selections of restaurants and shopping in Fairfield County. Many large corporations are headquartered in Stamford, so it hosts a large reverse-commute from New York City in addition to commuters from Connecticut and nearby Westchester County, New York.
Top landmarks
•Marion Castle — historic mansion in Stamford, Connecticut, USA
•Fish Church — church building in Stamford, Connecticut
•Stamford Harbor Ledge Light — lighthouse in Stamford, Connecticut, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 54.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.4 miles on US 7. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 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 Washington, 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 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (I 95): 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 Washington, CT before heading back.
