Origin
Waterbury, CT
Late night in Waterbury on Tuesday
Local time
4:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waterbury, CT to Simsbury, 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
51m
Distance
33.3 mi
54 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waterbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Simsbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Waterbury to Simsbury is 33.3 miles and takes about 51 minutes via I 84 and Waterville Road, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region, specifically Connecticut, offering a straightforward connection between two cities. It's a practical option for a quick transfer or a short excursion, with a modest fuel cost. Given its brevity, it's well-suited for a same-day trip with plenty of time for activities at your destination.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 13.4 mi | 16m |
| Waterville Road | 5.6 mi | 10m |
| Hopmeadow Street | 4.2 mi | 9m |
| Main Street | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| East Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Queen Street | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Farmington Avenue | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Simsbury Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 13.4 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterbury, CT and Simsbury, CT.
1
Start on West Main Street
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
West Main Street
2
Turn right onto Meadow Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Meadow Street
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 84 East: Hartford
4
Merge onto I 84
13 mi
·
16 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 32
Toward CT 10: Queen Street
Use the right lane.
6
Turn sharp right onto CT 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Queen Street
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on CT 10
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on CT 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Farmington Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on CT 10
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Main Street
10
Continue on CT 10
5.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Waterville Road
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn left onto US 44; CT 10
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto US 202; CT 10
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Simsbury Road
13
Continue on US 202; CT 10
4.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Hopmeadow Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Arrive at destination
US 202; CT 10
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 Waterbury, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 27.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Meadow Street
Turn right onto Meadow Street
Navigation decision point
5
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 84
Merge onto I 84
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
14.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward CT 10: Queen Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 32
Toward CT 10: Queen Street
7
14.7 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
CT 10 / Queen Street
Turn sharp right onto CT 10 / Queen Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
27.5 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
US 44; CT 10 / East Main Street
Turn left onto US 44; CT 10 / East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.36 one way
$10.72 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $5.90 | $11.80 |
| premium | $4.86 | $6.38 | $12.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.35 | $14.70 |
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 | $3.50 | $1.60 |
| Efficient EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.66 | $2.13 |
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
Simsbury, CT
Late night in Simsbury on Tuesday
Local time
4:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°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
5 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
51m 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?
About 40% of this 33.3-mile drive is on highways, primarily I 84. You'll encounter a 13.4-mile stretch on I 84 before transitioning to surface roads like Waterville Road and Hopmeadow Street. Expect a mix of highway cruising and local road driving as you navigate Connecticut's landscape. The shift from faster highway speeds to surface streets is noticeable as you approach your destination.
40% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.4 mi on I 84.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Meadow Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 51m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Meadow Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (I 84): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 33.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (40%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.4 miles on I 84. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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.
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 0.3 miles (Meadow Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (I 84): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Simsbury, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Simsbury, CT
Explore more options from Waterbury, CT or browse trips ending in Simsbury, CT.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CT road trips.