How far is Bristol, CT from Sterling, CT?

The driving distance from Bristol, CT to Sterling, CT is about 75 miles (120.7 km), with a travel time of about 01h 39m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 57.8 miles (93.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 19m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
75 mi
01h 39m
Flight
57.87 mi
93.13 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Bristol.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
57.87 mi
Kilometers
93.13 km
Flight Time
00h 06m

Driving Distance

Road route
75 mi
Kilometers
120.7 km
Drive Time
01h 39m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 01h 39m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Sterling
Sun, Sep 27, 2:28 PM EDT
Return by in Bristol
Sun, Sep 27, 4:07 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Bristol
2026-09-27T12:48
Arrive Sterling
Sun, Sep 27, 2:28 PM EDT
Route Timing
01h 39m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:40 AM to 11:40 AM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
3:10 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Bristol
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Colchester
CT

Town in the U.

From Bristol
37.4 mi
00h 49m
To Sterling
37.6 mi
00h 49m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
Bristol Weather
CT
Live fallback forecast
65°F
Sunday
Using Wolcott as the closest live forecast in the Connecticut weather hub.

Rain

Starts
Sun, Sep 27 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
18 to 24 mph NE
Destination
Sterling Weather
CT
Live fallback forecast
69°F
Sunday
Using Norwich as the closest live forecast in the Connecticut weather hub.

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, Sep 27 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
13 to 22 mph E

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Bristol and Sterling.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bristol and Sterling.

  1. 1

    Start on West Street

    22 m · 8 sec · West Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto School Street

    1910 ft · 35 sec · School Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Main Street

    84 m · 8 sec · Main Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Riverside Avenue

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Riverside Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Pine Street

    4.9 mi · 7 min · Pine Street

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on CT 72 East: New Britain

    2.9 mi · 4 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on CT 9 North: Newington

    2899 ft · 56 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight right

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward CT 175: Newington

    1137 ft · 35 sec

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Cedar Street

    2.8 mi · 5 min · Cedar Street

  11. 11

    Continue on Wells Road

    2.4 mi · 5 min · Wells Road

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Spring Street

    2720 ft · 1 min · Spring Street

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Maple Street

    3 mi · 4 min · Maple Street

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on CT 2 East: Norwich

    1622 ft · 34 sec

  15. 15

    Merge slight left

    2125 ft · 33 sec

  16. 16

    Keep slight right

    19.3 mi · 22 min

  17. 17

    Keep slight left

    12.7 mi · 15 min

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward I 395 North: Providence

    1070 ft · 36 sec

  19. 19

    Merge slight left

    15.8 mi · 17 min

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward CT 14A: Plainfield, Oneco

    1007 ft · 36 sec

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Plainfield Pike

    4.4 mi · 8 min · Plainfield Pike

  22. 22

    Turn left onto Church Street

    1.2 mi · 3 min · Church Street

  23. 23

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Sterling Road

    72 m · 5 sec · Sterling Road

  24. 24

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Sterling Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Bristol and Sterling.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
24 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
32 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
CT 2 East
32.8 mi · 44%
I 395 North
16 mi · 21%
Pine Street
4.94 mi · 7%
Plainfield Pike
4.38 mi · 6%
Maple Street
2.96 mi · 4%
CT 72 East
2.88 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

CT 2 East

Keep slight right

19.3 mi · 00h 22m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 39m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 20m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+17.2 mi
57.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Colchester
00h 49m from Bristol
Leave By
3:10 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Rain leaving Bristol and Showers And Thunderstorms near Sterling.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Bristol to Sterling?

The road trip is about 75 miles (120.7 km) and usually takes 01h 39m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Colchester is a useful midpoint, sitting about 37.4 miles from Bristol and 37.6 miles from Sterling.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 57.8 miles (93.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 17.2 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 3:10 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $11.93 one way or $23.86 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 23.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain around Bristol and Showers And Thunderstorms near Sterling.

Stop Ideas Near Colchester

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Colchester, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Colchester.

RAIL

Old Saybrook station

31 mi away
455 Boston Post Road
RAIL

New London Union Station

32 mi away
27 Water Street
BUS

Foxwoods Casino, Connecticut

33 mi away
39 Norwich Westerley Rd.
RAIL

Hartford Union Station

36 mi away
One Union Place

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Bristol and Sterling. Straight-line distance: 57.87 mi (93.13 km).

Bristol

#1 Bristol

The most populous city in Hartford County, Connecticut.

Population59,734
Coordinates41.6717600, -72.9492700
Altitude93
CountryUnited States
Sterling

#2 Sterling

Town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States

Population3,764
Coordinates41.7076000, -71.8286800
Altitude91
CountryUnited States
Start: Bristol (-72.94927, 41.67176)
End: Sterling (-71.82868, 41.7076)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 121 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 29m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 52m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 29m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 15m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 04m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 56m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.65 gal
10.02 L · about $11.93
Round trip
$23.86
5.3 gal · 20.04 L
Estimated CO2
23.6 kg one way
Round trip: 47.1 kg / 104 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.50 $11.93 $23.86
Mid-grade $5.09 $13.49 $26.98
Premium $5.51 $14.60 $29.20
Diesel $6.49 $17.20 $34.40

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Connecticut · Sep 27, 2026

There is no time difference between Bristol and Sterling. The current time is 12:48:35.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.