How far is Hartford, CT from Sterling, CT?

The driving distance from Hartford, CT to Sterling, CT is about 60.3 miles (97 km), with a travel time of about 01h 16m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 44.3 miles (71.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 32m 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
60.29 mi
01h 16m
Flight
44.32 mi
71.33 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Hartford.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
44.32 mi
Kilometers
71.33 km
Flight Time
00h 05m

Driving Distance

Road route
60.29 mi
Kilometers
97.02 km
Drive Time
01h 16m

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 16m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Sterling
Thu, Apr 23, 6:11 AM EDT
Return by in Hartford
Thu, Apr 23, 7:28 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Hartford
2026-04-23T04:55
Arrive Sterling
Thu, Apr 23, 6:11 AM EDT
Route Timing
01h 16m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:16 AM to 11:16 AM EDT

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

Leave by
3:58 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Hartford
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 Hartford
30.1 mi
00h 38m
To Sterling
30.2 mi
00h 38m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin

Forecast data is not available for this endpoint yet.

Destination

Forecast data is not available for this endpoint yet.

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Armory Road

    34 m · 15 sec · Armory Road

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Capitol Avenue

    117 m · 11 sec · Capitol Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Broad Street

    921 ft · 21 sec · Broad Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp right toward I 84

    1193 ft · 30 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Grand Army of the Republic Highway

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway

  6. 6

    Continue on Yankee Expressway

    1686 ft · 29 sec · Yankee Expressway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward CT 2 East: Norwich

    1092 ft · 26 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight right

    4.3 mi · 6 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight right

    19.3 mi · 22 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left

    12.7 mi · 15 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 395 North: Providence

    1070 ft · 36 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    15.8 mi · 17 min

  13. 13

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

    1007 ft · 36 sec

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Plainfield Pike

    4.4 mi · 8 min · Plainfield Pike

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Church Street

    1.2 mi · 3 min · Church Street

  16. 16

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

    72 m · 5 sec · Sterling Road

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Sterling Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Hartford 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
17 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
28.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
CT 2 East
36.5 mi · 61%
I 395 North
16 mi · 26%
Plainfield Pike
4.38 mi · 7%
Church Street
1.2 mi · 2%
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
1.16 mi · 2%
Yankee Expressway
0.32 mi · 1%
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 16m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 32m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+16 mi
44.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Colchester
00h 38m from Hartford
Leave By
3:58 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Forecast cards are syncing for this route.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 60.3 miles (97 km) and usually takes 01h 16m 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 30.1 miles from Hartford and 30.2 miles from Sterling.

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

The direct path is about 44.3 miles (71.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 16 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 3:58 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $8.40 one way or $16.81 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 18.9 kg one way.

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 Hartford and Sterling. Straight-line distance: 44.32 mi (71.33 km).

Hartford

#1 Hartford

The capital of Connecticut.

Population121,535
Coordinates41.7637100, -72.6850900
Altitude18
CountryUnited States
Sterling

#2 Sterling

Town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States

Population3,764
Coordinates41.7076000, -71.8286800
Altitude91
CountryUnited States
Start: Hartford (-72.68509, 41.76371)
End: Sterling (-71.82868, 41.7076)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 97 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 00m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 30m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 12m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 00m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 51m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 45m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.13 gal
8.05 L · about $8.40
Round trip
$16.81
4.26 gal · 16.1 L
Estimated CO2
18.9 kg one way
Round trip: 37.9 kg / 84 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $8.40 $16.81
Mid-grade $4.46 $9.49 $18.99
Premium $4.86 $10.35 $20.70
Diesel $6.00 $12.77 $25.55

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Hartford and Sterling. The current time is 04:55:27.

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.