How far is Waterbury, CT from Portland, CT?

The driving distance from Waterbury, CT to Portland, CT is about 25 miles (40.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 35m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 21.3 miles (34.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 11m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
24.97 mi
00h 35m
Flight
21.26 mi
34.22 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Waterbury.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
21.26 mi
Kilometers
34.22 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
24.97 mi
Kilometers
40.19 km
Drive Time
00h 35m

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 35m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Portland
Sat, May 30, 4:57 AM EDT
Return by in Waterbury
Sat, May 30, 5:33 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Waterbury
2026-05-30T04:22
Arrive Portland
Sat, May 30, 4:57 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 35m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:36 AM to 7:36 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:18 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Waterbury
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
Meriden
CT

The most populous city in New Haven County, Connecticut.

From Waterbury
12.5 mi
00h 17m
To Portland
12.5 mi
00h 17m

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
62°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

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

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    6.2 mi · 10 min

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Newfield Street

    758 ft · 18 sec · Newfield Street

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Liberty Street

    778 ft · 21 sec · Liberty Street

  10. 10

    Continue on Prospect Street

    560 ft · 16 sec · Prospect Street

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Grand Street

    2225 ft · 1 min · Grand Street

  12. 12

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

    1 mi · 2 min · Main Street

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right

    60 m · 5 sec

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
56 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 691 East
14.9 mi · 60%
I 84 East
7.55 mi · 30%
Main Street
1.05 mi · 4%
Grand Street
0.42 mi · 2%
Meadow Street
0.39 mi · 2%
West Main Street
0.26 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 691 East

Continue straight

8.13 mi · 00h 10m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 35m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.7 mi
21.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Meriden
00h 17m from Waterbury
Leave By
7:18 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Waterbury and Mostly Sunny near Portland.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Waterbury to Portland?

The road trip is about 25 miles (40.2 km) and usually takes 00h 35m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Meriden is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.5 miles from Waterbury and 12.5 miles from Portland.

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

The direct path is about 21.3 miles (34.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.7 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:18 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.47 one way or $6.94 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Meriden

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

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

RAIL

Meriden Transit Center

60 State Street
RAIL

Wallingford station

9 mi away
37 Hall Avenue
RAIL

Berlin

11 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 Portland. Straight-line distance: 21.26 mi (34.22 km).

Waterbury

#1 Waterbury

The second most populous city in Connecticut.

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

#2 Portland

Town in Connecticut, United States

Population9,213
Coordinates41.5728800, -72.6406500
Altitude24
CountryUnited States
Start: Waterbury (-73.0515, 41.55815)
End: Portland (-72.64065, 41.57288)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 40 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 49m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 37m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 29m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 24m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.88 gal
3.34 L · about $3.47
Round trip
$6.94
1.76 gal · 6.68 L
Estimated CO2
7.8 kg one way
Round trip: 15.6 kg / 34 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $3.47 $6.94
Mid-grade $4.46 $3.92 $7.84
Premium $4.86 $4.28 $8.55
Diesel $6.00 $5.28 $10.55

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 · May 30, 2026

There is no time difference between Waterbury and Portland. The current time is 04:22:09.

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.