Origin
West Hartford, CT
Morning in West Hartford on Tuesday
Local time
6:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Hartford, CT to Durham, 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
38m
Distance
26.5 mi
43 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Hartford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Durham, CT
MART PRODUCTION
Trip Overview
Traveling from West Hartford to Durham is a quick, straightforward 26.5-mile journey that typically takes about 38 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, this trip is perfectly suited as a simple day excursion that won't require an overnight stay. You will navigate a mix of I-84, South Main Street, and CT 9 to reach your destination in the Northeast region. Budgeting approximately $4 for fuel should be sufficient for a one-way trip, making this an economical commute. This route offers a practical connection between these two Connecticut towns, providing a reliable path for your travel plans.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 9 | 16.8 mi | 19m |
| South Main Street | 7.1 mi | 14m |
| I 84 | 1 mi | 1m |
| CT 17 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CT 9
— 16.8 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Hartford, CT and Durham, CT.
1
Start on North Main Street
69 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Keep slight left at fork onto South Main Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
4
Merge onto I 84; US 6
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 84; US 6
5
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 39A
Toward CT 9 South: New Britain
Use the slight right lane.
6
Continue on this road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Exit 39A
Toward CT 9 South: Newington, New Britain
7
Continue on CT 9
17 mi
·
19 min
·
CT 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto CT 17
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
CT 17
Exit 23A
Toward CT 17 South: South Main Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto CT 17
5.3 mi
·
10 min
·
South Main Street
Use the left / right lanes.
10
Turn left
130 ft
·
9 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 26.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Main Street
Keep slight left at fork onto South Main Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward CT 9 South: New Britain
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 39A
Toward CT 9 South: New Britain
7
20.7 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
CT 17
Take the exit onto CT 17 toward CT 17 South: South Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 23A
Toward CT 17 South: South Main Street
5
21.2 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
CT 17 / South Main Street
Turn left onto CT 17 / South Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
4
26.5 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.27 one way
$8.53 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $4.69 | $9.39 |
| premium | $4.86 | $5.07 | $10.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.85 | $11.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.78 | $1.27 |
| Efficient EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.32 | $1.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.71 | $1.70 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Durham, CT
Morning in Durham on Tuesday
Local time
6:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°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
39 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
38m 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 primarily a highway-focused drive, with 69% of your time spent on higher-speed roads. You will settle into the flow of traffic on the highway for your longest uninterrupted stretch of 16.8 miles while traveling along CT 9. The experience shifts from the initial interstate pace of I-84 into the more localized feel of South Main Street as you approach Durham. Expect a functional, efficient drive that prioritizes speed and directness over winding backroads. It is a no-nonsense route that keeps you moving steadily toward your destination.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.8 mi on CT 9.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CT 9 and South Main Street. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Main 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 26.5 miles you will encounter 7 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 (South Main Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles (CT 17): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
316 ft
27 ft
Total Climb
484 ft
Total Descent
394 ft
Highest Point
316 ft
~24.6 mi in
Elevation Range
288 ft
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.
On the drive from West Hartford, CT to Durham, CT, road signs begin pointing toward New Britain along the way.
New Britain
3.3 mi in
|
~5m
About the Cities
Starting in West Hartford, CT
Full guide →West Hartford is a town in Connecticut.
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 38m. Total distance: 26.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.8 miles on CT 9. 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 (South Main Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles (CT 17): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Durham, 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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