Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
42.4 mi
68 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Hartford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Orange, CT
André Cogez
West Hartford to Orange is 42.4 miles and takes about 56 minutes via Wilbur Cross Parkway, Farmington Avenue, and Main Street, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Connecticut, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. Expect a route that primarily uses surface roads, offering a more local feel than a pure highway trip. It's a straightforward, short drive perfect for a single day, requiring minimal planning.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Wilbur Cross Parkway | 10 mi | 12m |
| Farmington Avenue | 6.7 mi | 10m |
| Main Street | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| Whitney Avenue | 5.4 mi | 7m |
| Highland Avenue | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| North Main Street | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Queen Street | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| East Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between West Hartford, CT and Orange, CT.
Start on North Main Street
Keep slight right at fork onto Farmington Avenue
Continue on CT 4
Turn left onto CT 10
Continue on CT 10
Continue on CT 10
Continue on CT 10
Continue on CT 10
Continue on CT 10
Continue on CT 10
Turn straight onto CT 10
Continue on CT 10
Continue on CT 10; CT 68; CT 70
Continue on CT 10
Take the ramp
Merge onto CT 15
Take the exit
Turn right
At end of road, turn right onto CT 121
Turn left onto Old Grassy Hill Road
Turn right onto CT 152
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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.
A short stop after about 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 21.2 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 41.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto Farmington Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto CT 10 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CT 121: Orange
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn right onto CT 121 / Grassy Hill Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Regular Gas
$6.83 one way
$13.65 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $7.51 | $15.02 |
| premium | $4.86 | $8.12 | $16.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.36 | $18.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.8 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 | 12.7 | 0 | $4.45 | $2.04 |
| Efficient EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.71 | $1.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17 | 0 | $5.94 | $2.71 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in West Hartford on Tuesday
Local time
5:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Partly Sunny
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 1:57PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Destination
Late night in Orange on Tuesday
Local time
5:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Partly Sunny
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 1:57PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This 42.4-mile drive is mostly surface roads, with only 24% on highways. You'll experience about 10 miles on the Wilbur Cross Parkway before transitioning to Farmington Avenue and Main Street. This means you'll encounter more local traffic and intersections than you would on a full interstate experience. Be prepared for frequent stops and starts as you navigate through towns.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Farmington Avenue.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 42.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Farmington Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles (CT 10 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 31 miles (CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
West Hartford is a town in Connecticut.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 42.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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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