PLAN
GETTING HERE
Our town is nestled along Connecticut’s Gold Coast, convenient to all of the surrounding metro areas. Take a day trip from New York City, pop up for dinner and take in a show from Westchester County or come down from Boston and spend the weekend at an inn near the beach. Wherever you’re coming from, it’s an accessible destination filled with possibility and you’re sure to return fulfilled.
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Fairfield is roughly an hour’s drive from Metro New York and within easy driving distance of most of the other major cities on the eastern seaboard. Fairfield is accessible via car from both Interstate-95 and the Merritt Parkway, a four-lane National Scenic Byway.
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National Charter Bus provides 24/7 group transportation services in and around Fairfield, Stamford and New Haven. Shuttle services are also provided to airports nearby such as Bradley International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and John F. Kennedy airport. To rent a private charter bus rental, contact 203-875-0008 or visit their website.
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There are seven airports located within roughly an hour and a half drive of Fairfield, including Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia International Airports in New York, Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, NJ., as well as Tweed/New Haven Airport, Westchester County Airport in White Plains N.Y. and Sikorsky Airport in Stratford. The region is served by more than 100 airlines that provide approximately 1200 inbound flights daily.
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Fairfield has three stations—Southport, Fairfield and Fairfield Metro—on the Metro North New Haven line, providing convenient rail connections to New York’s Grand Central terminal, and points beyond. Nearby Bridgeport and Stamford are serviced by Amtrak. The Fairfield Station is walkable to downtown.
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The Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company provides daily service connecting Bridgeport, CT to Port Jefferson, Long Island. There are 11 to 16 crossings daily, which depart from 330 Water Street Dock in Bridgeport, with transit time approximately 1.25 hours.
PARKING
For more parking details and information on beach passes, contact the Fairfield Parking Authority.
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Day Parking is available at the Fairfield Center train station for $6.50 / day. Parking is free after 5:00 pm on weekdays and on weekends and holidays. See map for info on where to park.
Day parking fees are assessed Monday to Friday, 5am through 5pm. Payment must be made at the kiosk or on the mobile app within one hour of entering the lot. A valid license plate must face the aisle so a License Plate Reader may scan your vehicle.
There is a 5-day consecutive overnight maximum in a Day Parking Area space. Day parkers may not park overnight in a permit space.
There is one EV charging station parking space in the Mill Plain Lot for train station customers' use only. Customers parking in the charging station space must display a Fairfield Center Train Station parking permit or they will be subject to the same $6.50 Day Parking Fee.
If you are interested in purchasing a permit, please visit the Parking Authority website here.
Fairfield Center (Downtown) Parking
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30 minute parking week days.
All day on weekends
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Please note: 2 hour parking unless street signs or property says otherwise.
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Day parking is available at Southport Station on the Westbound (NY) and Eastbound (New Haven) sides of the track and at Trinity Church Parking Lot on Center Street in designated areas marked with green signs with yellow writing and yellow line striping for $6.50 / day.
Day parking fees are assessed Monday to Friday, 5am through 5pm. Payment must be made at the kiosk or on the mobile app within 1 hour of entering the lot. A valid license plate must face the aisle so a License Plat Reader vehicle may scan your plate.
There is a 5-day consecutive overnight maximum in a Day Parking Area space. Day parkers may not park overnight in a permit space.
If you are interested in purchasing a permit, please visit the Parking Authority website here.
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If you are visiting a shop or restaurant in the Brick Walk on the East End of Fairfield, there is a large customer parking lot behind the buildings. Parking is free in this lot.
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Daily parking is $6.00 / day. Park in any open space.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Not necessarily. If you take the train to the Fairfield train station, you do not need a car to shop dine, tour historic sites, exercise or visit a beach. Also, you can walk from the Southport train station to Southport Center and Southport harbor. You will need a car if you plan to visit neighborhoods north of downtown, Fairfield University, Sacred Heart University or Lake Mohegan.
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The Metro North Fairfield station.
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Yes. Its right in the middle of downtown and only 1 block from the Post Rd.
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No. The Fairfield Metro train station is one stop East of the Fairfield station and serves the Grasmere, Tunxis Hill, Stratfield and Commerce Drive neighborhoods and the Black Rock neighborhood in Bridgeport.
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No. Bridgeport is the closest Amtrak station to Fairfield.
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Restaurants. There are about 40 serving a variety of cuisines at various price points. There are many popular retail shops too.
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Yes. Based on FBI crime data, Fairfield is one of the safest communities in America. You should, of course, take normal precautions such as locking your car when its parked and keeping personal possessions in sight.
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Yes. Penfield Beach is the closest beach, 1.25 miles from the Fairfield train station on flat terrain.
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Only to park. Entrance to all 5 Fairfield Beaches is free and open to the public except from Memorial Day Saturday to Labor Day a beach sticker is required to park. Jennings and Penfield Beaches may be accessed with a sticker or by paying a daily parking fee at the gate. Access to Southport, Sasco and South Pine Creek Beaches is for residents who have purchased a beach sticker. Daily fees for Penfield and Jennings beaches: $40.00 - Weekdays $50.00 - Weekends & Holidays (for the July 4th Fireworks).
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Day parking is available at the Fairfield Center Metro North station for $6.00 per day. From Northbound on I-95 (from New York City) to Exit 21: Take a right at the bottom of the exit ramp. The entrance to the Train Station’s main parking area is 200 yards on the left. From Southbound on I-95 (from Bridgeport/New Haven) to Exit 21: Take a left at the bottom of the exit ramp. The entrance to the Train Station (main parking area) is 200 yards on the left. Park in designated areas marked with green signs with yellow writing and yellow line striping. Go to this website for details. Walk over the bridge on Unquowa Rd. If you plan to have dinner or shop in the Brickwalk on the East end of downtown, drive through one of the entrances to the Brickwalk area and you can park for free.
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Yes. Fairfield is popular for visitors with bicycles. Visit our Fairfield Biking Tours ideas. Bring your own bike because there are no bike rental shops in Fairfield.
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Fairfield is a town operating under a Representative Town Meeting form of government. The administration of town affairs lies with a three-member Board of Selectmen. The First Selectman/Selectwoman is the town's chief administrative officer and highest elected official.
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62,045 according to the 2019 estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau.