Origin
West Hartford, CT
Morning in West Hartford on Sunday
Local time
6:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Hartford, CT to North Branford, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
35.6 mi
57 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Hartford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
North Branford, CT
David Kanigan
Trip Overview
West Hartford, CT to North Branford, CT is 35.6 miles and takes about 52 minutes via CT 9 and I-91, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Connecticut, transitioning from the Northeast's more populated areas to a slightly less developed region. Expect a straightforward trip that's perfect for a quick excursion or a component of a larger New England adventure. It's a manageable distance, making it ideal for a same-day round trip or a simple one-way transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 9 | 7.9 mi | 8m |
| I 91 | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| Forest Road | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| North Broad Street | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Berlin Turnpike | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Woodhouse Avenue | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| South Main Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Foxon Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
CT 9
— 7.9 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Hartford, CT and North Branford, 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
7.9 mi
·
8 min
·
CT 9
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 32
Toward CT 372: East Berlin
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
306 ft
·
7 sec
10
Merge onto US 5; CT 15
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Berlin Turnpike
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on US 5; CT 15
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
North Broad Street
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 64A
Toward I 91 South: New Haven, New York City
Use the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto I 91
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
I 91
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 14
Toward CT 150: Wallingford
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn right onto East Center Street
137 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Center Street
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto South Airline Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South Airline Road
Use the left lane.
17
Turn left onto CT 150
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Woodhouse Avenue
18
Turn left onto CT 22
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Clintonville Road
19
Turn right onto Old Post Road
431 ft
·
8 sec
·
Old Post Road
20
Turn straight onto CT 17; CT 22
243 ft
·
6 sec
·
Middletown Avenue
21
Turn slight left onto CT 22
4.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Forest Road
22
Turn left onto CT 22; CT 80
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Foxon Road
23
Turn right
102 ft
·
7 sec
24
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.8 miles from West Hartford, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 25 — 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
11.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward CT 372: East Berlin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 32
Toward CT 372: East Berlin
8
19.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward I 91 South: New Haven, New York City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 64A
Toward I 91 South: New Haven, New York City
7
25 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward CT 150: Wallingford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 14
Toward CT 150: Wallingford
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.73 one way
$11.46 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.31 | $12.61 |
| premium | $4.86 | $6.82 | $13.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.86 | $15.72 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.24
Berlin Turnpike
(3.4 mi)
$0.24
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$0
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 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 | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
| Efficient EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.11 | $1.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.98 | $2.28 |
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
North Branford, CT
Morning in North Branford on Sunday
Local time
6:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
82°F
Kensington, CT
18 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
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
52m 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 half of this 35.6-mile drive is on highways, with the longest continuous stretch on CT 9 covering 7.9 miles. You'll experience a mix of high-speed cruising and surface road driving. Expect to transition from highway speeds to local traffic patterns as you approach your destination. The latter part of the route involves navigating surface roads like Forest Road, which will likely involve more frequent stops and lower speeds.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.9 mi on CT 9.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 early in the drive near South Main Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 35.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
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 11.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Between West Hartford, CT and North Branford, CT, road signs point toward New Britain and New York City.
New Britain
3.3 mi in
|
~5m
New York City
19.4 mi in
|
~25m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 35.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.9 miles on CT 9. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.24 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.
Yes — we found about 3 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 North Branford, 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 (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 11.8 miles: 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 North Branford, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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