Origin
Wallingford, CT
Morning in Wallingford on Tuesday
Local time
8:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wallingford, CT to New Britain, 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
24m
Distance
16.9 mi
27 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wallingford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
New Britain, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick commute or a local transit between Wallingford and New Britain, you are looking at a brief 21.1-mile journey. Typically, you can expect to reach your destination in about 25 minutes, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via North Colony Road, CT 15 North, and the Wilbur Cross Parkway. With fuel costs estimated at just $3, this is an incredibly budget-friendly trip to navigate within the Northeast. Since the entire drive stays within Connecticut, you can rely on familiar local road conditions throughout the excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Wilbur Cross Parkway | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| Berlin Turnpike | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| North Colony Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| CT 9 | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Frontage Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| New Britain Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Whiting Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Wilbur Cross Parkway
— 6.6 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wallingford, CT and New Britain, CT.
1
Start on this road
216 ft
·
17 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto US 5
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
North Colony Road
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward CT 15 North: Hartford
4
Merge onto CT 15
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Wilbur Cross Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on US 5; CT 15
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Berlin Turnpike
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
514 ft
·
14 sec
7
Turn slight right
291 ft
·
7 sec
8
Turn slight right onto CT 372
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Frontage Road
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward CT 9 North: New Britain
Use the left lane.
10
Merge onto CT 9
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CT 9
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 1
Toward CT 71: Kensington
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto CT 71
241 ft
·
4 sec
·
New Britain Road
14
Continue on CT 71
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
15
Turn right
195 ft
·
21 sec
16
Turn left onto Whiting Street
154 ft
·
4 sec
·
Whiting Street
17
Arrive at destination
Whiting Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 15.7 — 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
|
US 5 / North Colony Road
Turn right onto US 5 / North Colony Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway
Merge onto CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
13.5 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the ramp toward CT 9 North: New Britain
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward CT 9 North: New Britain
6
15.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
15.7 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward CT 71: Kensington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1
Toward CT 71: Kensington
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.72 one way
$5.44 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $2.99 | $5.99 |
| premium | $4.86 | $3.24 | $6.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.73 | $7.46 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.26
Berlin Turnpike
(3.7 mi)
$0.26
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.77 | $0.81 |
| Efficient EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.37 | $1.08 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
New Britain, CT
Morning in New Britain on Tuesday
Local time
8:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
3 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
24m 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 trip is best described as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. You will find that the route focuses on local navigation, as highway-based travel accounts for 0% of the total distance. Because you are navigating through town roads rather than long, open stretches, you should be prepared for frequent turns and steady attention to traffic patterns. The character of the drive remains consistent from start to finish, emphasizing local connectivity over long-distance highway miles. Expect a hands-on driving experience that demands your focus as you transition between these two Connecticut cities.
70% 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: 6.6 mi on Wilbur Cross Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Wilbur Cross Parkway and Berlin Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 5 / North Colony 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 11 decision points packed into just 16.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 5 / North Colony Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
321 ft
60 ft
Total Climb
357 ft
Total Descent
261 ft
Highest Point
321 ft
~4.8 mi in
Elevation Range
261 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Wallingford, CT
Full guide →Wallingford is a city in Connecticut.
Arriving in New Britain, CT
Full guide →Founded 1850
New Britain is a city in Connecticut. The "Hardware City" is the official nickname of the city.
Top landmarks
- • New Britain Museum of American Art — art museum in New Britain, Connecticut
- • Walnut Hill Park — a large public park west of downtown New Britain, Connecticut, United States of...
- • Sloper-Wesoly House — historic house in Connecticut, United States
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 24m. Total distance: 16.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.6 miles on Wilbur Cross Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.26 in tolls one way, starting with Berlin Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 New Britain, 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: near the start (US 5 / North Colony Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at New Britain, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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