How far is Essex, CT from Hartford, CT?

The driving distance from Essex, CT to Hartford, CT is about 37.7 miles (60.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 38m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 32.2 miles (51.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 16m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
37.66 mi
00h 38m
Flight
32.17 mi
51.78 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Essex.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
32.17 mi
Kilometers
51.78 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
37.66 mi
Kilometers
60.6 km
Drive Time
00h 38m

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 00h 38m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Hartford
Sun, Apr 19, 1:49 AM EDT
Return by in Essex
Sun, Apr 19, 2:28 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Essex
2026-04-19T01:11
Arrive Hartford
Sun, Apr 19, 1:49 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 38m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:38 AM to 7:38 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:14 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Essex
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
Middletown
CT

A city in Middlesex County, Connecticut.

From Essex
18.8 mi
00h 19m
To Hartford
18.9 mi
00h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
61°F
Sunday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 9 mph SW
Destination
Hartford Weather
CT
Live fallback forecast
62°F
Sunday
Using Bloomfield as the closest live forecast in the Hartford County weather hub.

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Essex and Hartford.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Essex and Hartford.

  1. 1

    Start on Pratt Street

    31 m · 6 sec · Pratt Street

  2. 2

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward West Avenue

    8 m · 1 sec · West Avenue

  3. 3

    Exit the roundabout onto West Avenue

    29 m · 3 sec · West Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn slight right onto Methodist Hill

    117 m · 11 sec · Methodist Hill

  5. 5

    Continue on Prospect Street

    108 m · 10 sec · Prospect Street

  6. 6

    Continue on West Avenue

    2630 ft · 1 min · West Avenue

  7. 7

    Take the ramp right toward CT 9 North

    1493 ft · 20 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight right

    24.8 mi · 30 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 91 North: Hartford

    3056 ft · 40 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    9.7 mi · 12 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Capitol Area

    1.3 km · 2 min

  12. 12

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Pulaski Circle

    562 ft · 9 sec · Hudson Street

  13. 13

    Exit the rotary onto Hudson Street

    150 m · 17 sec · Hudson Street

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Capitol Avenue

    2372 ft · 54 sec · Capitol Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Armory Road

    34 m · 9 sec · Armory Road

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Armory Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Essex and Hartford.

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
16 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
2 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
42.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
CT 9 North
25.1 mi · 67%
I 91 North
10.3 mi · 27%
Capitol Area
0.84 mi · 2%
West Avenue
0.52 mi · 1%
Capitol Avenue
0.45 mi · 1%
Hudson Street
0.15 mi
Longest Stretch

CT 9 North

Merge slight right

24.8 mi · 00h 30m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 38m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.5 mi
32.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Middletown
00h 19m from Essex
Leave By
7:14 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Essex and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Hartford.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Essex to Hartford?

The road trip is about 37.7 miles (60.6 km) and usually takes 00h 38m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Middletown is a useful midpoint, sitting about 18.8 miles from Essex and 18.9 miles from Hartford.

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

The direct path is about 32.2 miles (51.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.5 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:14 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.25 one way or $10.49 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 11.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Essex and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Hartford.

Stop Ideas Near Middletown

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Middletown, 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 Middletown.

RAIL

Berlin

13 mi away
51 Depot Road
RAIL

Meriden Transit Center

13 mi away
60 State Street
RAIL

Wallingford station

19 mi away
37 Hall Avenue
RAIL

Hartford Union Station

23 mi away
One Union Place

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Essex and Hartford. Straight-line distance: 32.17 mi (51.78 km).

Essex

#1 Essex

Town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States

Population6,634
Coordinates41.3534300, -72.3906400
Altitude17
CountryUnited States
Hartford

#2 Hartford

The capital of Connecticut.

Population121,535
Coordinates41.7637100, -72.6850900
Altitude18
CountryUnited States
Start: Pratt Street (-72.390644, 41.353398)
End: Armory Road (-72.685307, 41.763718)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 61 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 15m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 56m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 45m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 37m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 32m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 28m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.33 gal
5.03 L · about $5.25
Round trip
$10.49
2.66 gal · 10.06 L
Estimated CO2
11.8 kg one way
Round trip: 23.6 kg / 52 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $5.25 $10.49
Mid-grade $4.46 $5.93 $11.86
Premium $4.86 $6.46 $12.92
Diesel $6.00 $7.98 $15.95

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 · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Essex and Hartford. The current time is 01:11:36.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

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