Origin
Stratford, CT
Late night in Stratford on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Stratford, CT to Meriden, 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
46m
Distance
33.4 mi
54 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 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Stratford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Meriden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 33.4-mile drive from Stratford to Meriden, Connecticut, will take you about 46 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll spend most of your time on the Wilbur Cross Parkway, with some sections on Main Street and South Broad Street. With a highway share of 72%, it's a predominantly highway-focused journey. The estimated fuel cost is around $5, which is quite budget-friendly. Since it's a short trip within the Northeast region, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. This route offers a straightforward way to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Wilbur Cross Parkway | 23.5 mi | 28m |
| Main Street | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| South Broad Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| North Colony Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Merritt Parkway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Wells Place | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Wilbur Cross Parkway
— 23.5 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stratford, CT and Meriden, CT.
1
Start on Jane Street
159 ft
·
12 sec
·
Jane Street
2
Turn left onto East Street
209 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Street
3
Turn right onto Wells Place
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Wells Place
4
Turn left onto CT 113
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on CT 110
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
7
Merge onto CT 15
0.7 mi
·
59 sec
·
Merritt Parkway
8
Continue on CT 15
23 mi
·
28 min
·
Wilbur Cross Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 61
Toward US 5: Wallingford, Meriden
Use the right lane.
10
Turn right onto US 5
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Colony Road
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 5
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
South Broad Street
12
Turn sharp left onto East Main Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
Use the left lane.
13
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.7 miles from Stratford, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 32.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Street
Turn left onto East Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Wells Place
Turn right onto Wells Place
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 113 / Main Street
Turn left onto CT 113 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
29.2 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward US 5: Wallingford, Meriden
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 61
Toward US 5: Wallingford, Meriden
7
32.6 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
East Main Street
Turn sharp left onto East Main Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.38 one way
$10.75 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $5.92 | $11.83 |
| premium | $4.86 | $6.40 | $12.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.37 | $14.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.7 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 | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.60 |
| Efficient EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.92 | $1.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.68 | $2.14 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Meriden, CT
Late night in Meriden on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°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
16 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
46m 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?
This drive leans heavily into highway travel, with 72% of the route utilizing higher-speed roads. You'll experience a significant uninterrupted stretch of 23.5 miles on the Wilbur Cross Parkway, offering a consistent pace. The transition from the parkway to Main Street and South Broad Street will introduce more local road conditions. Expect a mix of efficient highway cruising and brief encounters with more town-centric driving as you approach Meriden. The overall feel is one of getting there efficiently, with the parkway providing the bulk of the driving experience.
72% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.5 mi on Wilbur Cross Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Wilbur Cross Parkway and Main Street. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 33.4 miles you will encounter 8 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: near the start (East Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Wells Place): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (CT 113 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Stratford, CT
Full guide →Stratford is a town in Connecticut. Stratford, Connecticut was founded in 1639. It is in New England and located on the Long Island Sound. It is east of the Housatonic River and it also part of Fairfield County. Stratford is 18.7 miles and has a population of 51,384 people. Stratford is only an hour in driving distance from parts New York. Stratford consists of multiple public bathing beaches, five marinas, fishing piers, and two public boat launching facilities. Stratfords' mission statement is as follows, "To enhance the quality of life within the community by providing services with professionalism and a commitment to excellence." It is quite noticeable driving through the town of Stratford that the town sticks to their mission statement.
Arriving in Meriden, CT
Full guide →Meriden is a city in the Connecticut River Valley. Although not a major tourist destination, it does have an architecturally notable center.
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 46m. Total distance: 33.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.5 miles on Wilbur Cross Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (East Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Wells Place): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (CT 113 / Main Street): 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 Meriden, 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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