How far is Meriden, CT from New Canaan, CT?

The driving distance from Meriden, CT to New Canaan, CT is about 51.5 miles (82.9 km), with a travel time of about 01h 09m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 44.7 miles (72 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 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
51.52 mi
01h 09m
Flight
44.77 mi
72.05 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Meriden.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
44.77 mi
Kilometers
72.05 km
Flight Time
00h 05m

Driving Distance

Road route
51.52 mi
Kilometers
82.92 km
Drive Time
01h 09m

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 09m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in New Canaan
Thu, Apr 23, 2:08 AM EDT
Return by in Meriden
Thu, Apr 23, 3:17 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Meriden
2026-04-23T00:58
Arrive New Canaan
Thu, Apr 23, 2:08 AM EDT
Route Timing
01h 09m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:10 AM to 11:10 AM EDT

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

Leave by
4:10 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Meriden
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
Orange
CT

Town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States

From Meriden
25.7 mi
00h 34m
To New Canaan
25.8 mi
00h 34m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
65°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph NW
Destination
New Canaan Weather
CT
Live fallback forecast
65°F
Thursday
Using North Stamford as the closest live forecast in the Fairfield County weather hub.

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 12 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Meriden and New Canaan.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Meriden and New Canaan.

  1. 1

    Start on West Main Street

    36 m · 9 sec · West Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Cook Avenue

    1.6 km · 2 min · Cook Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on Old Colony Road

    808 ft · 24 sec · Old Colony Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Hall Avenue

    2690 ft · 1 min · Hall Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn right onto South Broad Street

    1.2 mi · 2 min · South Broad Street

  6. 6

    Continue on North Colony Road

    1.4 km · 1 min · North Colony Road

  7. 7

    Take the ramp right toward CT 15 South: New Haven

    802 ft · 20 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Wilbur Cross Parkway

    23.4 mi · 29 min · Wilbur Cross Parkway

  9. 9

    Continue on Merritt Parkway

    21.8 mi · 28 min · Merritt Parkway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward CT 123: New Canaan Avenue

    546 ft · 20 sec

  11. 11

    Turn left onto New Canaan Avenue

    115 m · 7 sec · New Canaan Avenue

  12. 12

    Continue on New Norwalk Road

    1.6 mi · 3 min · New Norwalk Road

  13. 13

    Turn left onto East Avenue

    2925 ft · 1 min · East Avenue

  14. 14

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Main Street

    74 m · 7 sec · Main Street

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Elm Street

    728 ft · 20 sec · Elm Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Elm Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Meriden and New Canaan.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
16 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
31.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Wilbur Cross Parkway
23.4 mi · 45%
Merritt Parkway
21.8 mi · 42%
New Norwalk Road
1.61 mi · 3%
South Broad Street
1.2 mi · 2%
Cook Avenue
0.97 mi · 2%
North Colony Road
0.85 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Wilbur Cross Parkway

Merge slight left onto Wilbur Cross Parkway

23.4 mi · 00h 29m

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 09m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 20m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.8 mi
44.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Orange
00h 34m from Meriden
Leave By
4:10 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Meriden and Mostly Sunny near New Canaan.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Meriden to New Canaan?

The road trip is about 51.5 miles (82.9 km) and usually takes 01h 09m 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?

Orange is a useful midpoint, sitting about 25.7 miles from Meriden and 25.8 miles from New Canaan.

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

The direct path is about 44.7 miles (72 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.8 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 4:10 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $7.18 one way or $14.36 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 16.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Meriden and Mostly Sunny near New Canaan.

Stop Ideas Near Orange

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

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

RAIL

Union Station

9 mi away
50 Union Avenue
RAIL

Bridgeport

18 mi away
525 Water St.
RAIL

Wallingford station

26 mi away
37 Hall Avenue
RAIL

Meriden Transit Center

34 mi away
60 State Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Meriden and New Canaan. Straight-line distance: 44.77 mi (72.05 km).

Meriden

#1 Meriden

The most populous city in New Haven County, Connecticut.

Population58,981
Coordinates41.5381500, -72.8070400
Altitude54
CountryUnited States
New Canaan

#2 New Canaan

Town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States

Population20,115
Coordinates41.1467600, -73.4948400
Altitude97
CountryUnited States
Start: Meriden (-72.80704, 41.53815)
End: New Canaan (-73.49484, 41.14676)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 83 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 43m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 01m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 51m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 44m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 38m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.82 gal
6.88 L · about $7.18
Round trip
$14.36
3.64 gal · 13.76 L
Estimated CO2
16.2 kg one way
Round trip: 32.3 kg / 71 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $7.18 $14.36
Mid-grade $4.46 $8.11 $16.22
Premium $4.86 $8.84 $17.68
Diesel $6.00 $10.91 $21.83

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 Meriden and New Canaan. The current time is 00:58:24.

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.