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

The driving distance from Waterbury, CT to New Canaan, CT is about 45.9 miles (73.8 km), with a travel time of about 01h 01m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 36.5 miles (58.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 02m 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
45.84 mi
01h 01m
Flight
36.56 mi
58.84 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
36.56 mi
Kilometers
58.84 km
Flight Time
00h 04m

Driving Distance

Road route
45.84 mi
Kilometers
73.77 km
Drive Time
01h 01m

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 01m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in New Canaan
Thu, Apr 23, 1:44 AM EDT
Return by in Waterbury
Thu, Apr 23, 2:45 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Waterbury
2026-04-23T00:43
Arrive New Canaan
Thu, Apr 23, 1:44 AM EDT
Route Timing
01h 01m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:01 AM to 11:01 AM EDT

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

Leave by
4:28 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
Trumbull
CT

Town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States

From Waterbury
22.9 mi
00h 30m
To New Canaan
22.9 mi
00h 30m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 9 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 Waterbury and New Canaan.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on West Main Street

    1403 ft · 50 sec · West Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Riverside Street

    35 m · 2 sec · Riverside Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Riverside Street

    1863 ft · 40 sec · Riverside Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp straight toward CT 8 South: Bridgeport

    1266 ft · 31 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight right

    23.7 mi · 29 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward CT 15 South: Merritt Parkway, New York City

    1.3 km · 1 min

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Merritt Parkway

    18 mi · 24 min · Merritt Parkway

  8. 8

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

    546 ft · 20 sec

  9. 9

    Turn left onto New Canaan Avenue

    115 m · 7 sec · New Canaan Avenue

  10. 10

    Continue on New Norwalk Road

    1.6 mi · 3 min · New Norwalk Road

  11. 11

    Turn left onto East Avenue

    2925 ft · 1 min · East Avenue

  12. 12

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

    74 m · 7 sec · Main Street

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Elm Street

    728 ft · 20 sec · Elm Street

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Elm Street

Car Route Details

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

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
14 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
30.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
CT 8 South
23.9 mi · 52%
Merritt Parkway
18 mi · 39%
New Norwalk Road
1.61 mi · 4%
CT 15 South
0.83 mi · 2%
East Avenue
0.55 mi · 1%
Riverside Street
0.37 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

CT 8 South

Merge slight right

23.7 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 01m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.4 mi
36.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Trumbull
00h 30m from Waterbury
Leave By
4:28 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Waterbury 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 Waterbury to New Canaan?

The road trip is about 45.9 miles (73.8 km) and usually takes 01h 01m 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?

Trumbull is a useful midpoint, sitting about 22.9 miles from Waterbury and 22.9 miles from New Canaan.

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

The direct path is about 36.5 miles (58.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 9.4 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 4:28 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $6.39 one way or $12.78 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 14.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Trumbull

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

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

RAIL

Bridgeport

7 mi away
525 Water St.
RAIL

Union Station

24 mi away
50 Union Avenue
RAIL

Stamford Transportation Center

36 mi away
Washington Blvd and South State St.
RAIL

Wallingford station

39 mi away
37 Hall Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Waterbury and New Canaan. Straight-line distance: 36.56 mi (58.84 km).

Waterbury

#1 Waterbury

The second most populous city in Connecticut.

Population106,826
Coordinates41.5581500, -73.0515000
Altitude82
CountryUnited States
New Canaan

#2 New Canaan

Town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States

Population20,115
Coordinates41.1467600, -73.4948400
Altitude97
CountryUnited States
Start: Waterbury (-73.0515, 41.55815)
End: New Canaan (-73.49484, 41.14676)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 74 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 31m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 08m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 55m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 45m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 39m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 34m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.62 gal
6.12 L · about $6.39
Round trip
$12.78
3.24 gal · 12.24 L
Estimated CO2
14.4 kg one way
Round trip: 28.8 kg / 63 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $6.39 $12.78
Mid-grade $4.46 $7.22 $14.44
Premium $4.86 $7.87 $15.74
Diesel $6.00 $9.72 $19.43

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 Waterbury and New Canaan. The current time is 00:43:34.

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.