How far is Waterbury, CT from Chester, CT?

The driving distance from Waterbury, CT to Chester, CT is about 40.1 miles (64.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 54m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 32.9 miles (52.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 48m 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
40.17 mi
00h 54m
Flight
32.88 mi
52.92 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Waterbury.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
32.88 mi
Kilometers
52.92 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
40.17 mi
Kilometers
64.65 km
Drive Time
00h 54m

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 54m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chester
Sat, May 30, 6:12 AM EDT
Return by in Waterbury
Sat, May 30, 7:06 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Waterbury
2026-05-30T05:18
Arrive Chester
Sat, May 30, 6:12 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 54m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:54 AM to 10:54 AM EDT

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

Leave by
4:42 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Waterbury
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
Middlefield
CT

Town in Connecticut, USA

From Waterbury
20.1 mi
00h 27m
To Chester
20.1 mi
00h 27m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
59°F
Saturday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
14 to 20 mph N
Destination
Chester Weather
CT
Live fallback forecast
64°F
Saturday
Using East Haddam as the closest live forecast in the Middlesex County weather hub.

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
13 to 21 mph N

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Waterbury and Chester.

  1. 1

    Start on West Main Street

    1383 ft · 26 sec · West Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Meadow Street

    2052 ft · 44 sec · Meadow Street

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 84 East: Hartford

    1901 ft · 49 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left

    7.2 mi · 9 min

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward I 691 East: Meriden

    2821 ft · 54 sec

  6. 6

    Continue straight

    8.1 mi · 10 min

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    7 mi · 12 min

  8. 8

    Take the ramp slight right toward CT 9 South, CT 17 South: Old Saybrook, New Haven

    40 m · 3 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    14.6 mi · 18 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward CT 148: Chester

    1993 ft · 55 sec

  11. 11

    Turn left onto West Main Street

    1.3 mi · 2 min · West Main Street

  12. 12

    Turn straight onto Water Street

    1 m · 1 sec · Water Street

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Water Street

Car Route Details

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

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
13 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
32.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 691 East
15.6 mi · 39%
CT 9 South
14.6 mi · 36%
I 84 East
7.55 mi · 19%
West Main Street
1.61 mi · 4%
Meadow Street
0.39 mi · 1%
CT 148
0.38 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

CT 9 South

Merge slight left

14.6 mi · 00h 18m

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 54m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 48m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+7.2 mi
32.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Middlefield
00h 27m from Waterbury
Leave By
4:42 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Waterbury 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 Waterbury to Chester?

The road trip is about 40.1 miles (64.6 km) and usually takes 00h 54m 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?

Middlefield is a useful midpoint, sitting about 20.1 miles from Waterbury and 20.1 miles from Chester.

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

The direct path is about 32.9 miles (52.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 7.2 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 4:42 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.60 one way or $11.20 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 12.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Waterbury and Mostly Sunny near Chester.

Stop Ideas Near Middlefield

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

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

RAIL

Meriden Transit Center

8 mi away
60 State Street
RAIL

Wallingford station

12 mi away
37 Hall Avenue
RAIL

Berlin

14 mi away
51 Depot Road
RAIL

Hartford Union Station

28 mi away
One Union Place

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Waterbury and Chester. Straight-line distance: 32.88 mi (52.92 km).

Waterbury

#1 Waterbury

The second most populous city in Connecticut.

Population106,826
Coordinates41.5581500, -73.0515000
Altitude82
CountryUnited States
Chester

#2 Chester

Town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States

Population4,175
Coordinates41.4031500, -72.4509200
Altitude5
CountryUnited States
Start: Waterbury (-73.0515, 41.55815)
End: Chester (-72.45092, 41.40315)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 65 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 20m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 00m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 48m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 40m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 34m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 30m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.42 gal
5.37 L · about $5.60
Round trip
$11.20
2.84 gal · 10.74 L
Estimated CO2
12.6 kg one way
Round trip: 25.2 kg / 56 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $5.60 $11.20
Mid-grade $4.46 $6.33 $12.66
Premium $4.86 $6.90 $13.80
Diesel $6.00 $8.52 $17.03

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 · May 30, 2026

There is no time difference between Waterbury and Chester. The current time is 05:18:18.

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.