How far is New Haven, CT from Chester, CT?

The driving distance from New Haven, CT to Chester, CT is about 30.6 miles (49.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 48m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 25.6 miles (41.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 37m 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
30.56 mi
00h 48m
Flight
25.61 mi
41.21 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from New Haven.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
25.61 mi
Kilometers
41.21 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
30.56 mi
Kilometers
49.18 km
Drive Time
00h 48m

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 48m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chester
Thu, Apr 23, 1:09 AM EDT
Return by in New Haven
Thu, Apr 23, 1:57 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave New Haven
2026-04-23T00:20
Arrive Chester
Thu, Apr 23, 1:09 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 48m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:49 AM to 10:49 AM EDT

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

Leave by
4:52 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in New Haven
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
Guilford
CT

Town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States

From New Haven
15.2 mi
00h 24m
To Chester
15.3 mi
00h 24m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
New Haven Weather
CT
Live fallback forecast
61°F
Thursday
Using Hamden as the closest live forecast in the New Haven County weather hub.

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph NW
Destination
Chester Weather
CT
Live fallback forecast
65°F
Thursday
Using East Haddam as the closest live forecast in the Middlesex County weather hub.

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
1 to 7 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between New Haven and Chester.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between New Haven and Chester.

  1. 1

    Start on College Street

    571 ft · 14 sec · College Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Elm Street

    1840 ft · 44 sec · Elm Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto State Street

    1726 ft · 31 sec · State Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp right toward I 91 North: Hartford

    3119 ft · 1 min

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    1.4 mi · 2 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward CT 17, CT 80: North Branford

    680 ft · 17 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on CT 80 East: North Branford

    149 m · 12 sec

  8. 8

    Turn straight onto Foxon Boulevard

    1.2 km · 2 min · Foxon Boulevard

  9. 9

    Continue on Foxon Road

    7.3 mi · 11 min · Foxon Road

  10. 10

    Continue on Old Toll Road

    5.9 mi · 9 min · Old Toll Road

  11. 11

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Old Toll Road

    100 m · 5 sec · Old Toll Road

  12. 12

    Exit the roundabout onto Old Toll Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Old Toll Road

  13. 13

    Continue on North Branford Road

    2.8 mi · 4 min · North Branford Road

  14. 14

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Deep River Road

    45 m · 3 sec · Deep River Road

  15. 15

    Exit the roundabout onto Deep River Road

    2.5 mi · 4 min · Deep River Road

  16. 16

    Continue on Winthrop Road

    3.4 mi · 5 min · Winthrop Road

  17. 17

    Turn left onto West Elm Street

    1.9 mi · 3 min · West Elm Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Main Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · Main Street

  19. 19

    Continue on Middlesex Turnpike

    2293 ft · 50 sec · Middlesex Turnpike

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Main Street

    2620 ft · 1 min · Main Street

  21. 21

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Water Street

    1 m · 1 sec · Water Street

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Water Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between New Haven and Chester.

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
22 steps
12 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
1 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
71.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Old Toll Road
7.34 mi · 24%
Foxon Road
7.27 mi · 24%
Winthrop Road
3.36 mi · 11%
North Branford Road
2.75 mi · 9%
Deep River Road
2.49 mi · 8%
I 91 North
1.99 mi · 7%
Longest Stretch

Foxon Road

Continue on Foxon Road

7.27 mi · 00h 11m

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
00h 48m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5 mi
25.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Guilford
00h 24m from New Haven
Leave By
4:52 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving New Haven and Mostly Sunny near Chester.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from New Haven to Chester?

The road trip is about 30.6 miles (49.2 km) and usually takes 00h 48m 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?

Guilford is a useful midpoint, sitting about 15.2 miles from New Haven and 15.3 miles from Chester.

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

The direct path is about 25.6 miles (41.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:52 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.26 one way or $8.52 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 9.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around New Haven and Mostly Sunny near Chester.

Stop Ideas Near Guilford

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

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

RAIL

Union Station

20 mi away
50 Union Avenue
RAIL

Wallingford station

22 mi away
37 Hall Avenue
RAIL

Old Saybrook station

26 mi away
455 Boston Post Road
RAIL

Meriden Transit Center

30 mi away
60 State Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between New Haven and Chester. Straight-line distance: 25.61 mi (41.21 km).

New Haven

#1 New Haven

The second most populous city in Connecticut.

Population130,801
Coordinates41.3081500, -72.9281600
Altitude18
CountryUnited States
Chester

#2 Chester

Town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States

Population4,175
Coordinates41.4031500, -72.4509200
Altitude5
CountryUnited States
Start: New Haven (-72.92816, 41.30815)
End: Chester (-72.45092, 41.40315)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 49 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 01m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 45m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 36m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 26m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 22m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.08 gal
4.08 L · about $4.26
Round trip
$8.52
2.16 gal · 8.16 L
Estimated CO2
9.6 kg one way
Round trip: 19.2 kg / 42 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $4.26 $8.52
Mid-grade $4.46 $4.81 $9.63
Premium $4.86 $5.25 $10.49
Diesel $6.00 $6.48 $12.95

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between New Haven and Chester. The current time is 00:20:45.

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.