Origin
Bennington, VT
Late night in Bennington on Sunday
Local time
12:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bennington, VT to Chester, VT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
51.6 mi
83 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bennington, VT
Andrea Davis
Chester, VT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 51.6 miles, this drive between Bennington and Chester, Vermont, is an efficient trip that typically takes about 1 hour and 18 minutes. It functions perfectly as a straightforward day trip, allowing you to complete the journey comfortably in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $8 for fuel to cover the distance across these Northeast towns. The route relies heavily on U.S. Route 7 and Vermont Routes 11 and 30, keeping you moving steadily toward your destination. Whether you are heading north for a quick getaway or transit, this route offers a practical and predictable path through the Vermont countryside.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Route 7 | 21.2 mi | 28m |
| Vermont Route 11 30 | 11.5 mi | 17m |
| Vermont Route 11 | 5.6 mi | 8m |
| Vermont Route 11 West | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| Simonsville Road | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Depot Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| U.S. Route 7 North | 1 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
U.S. Route 7
— 21.2 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bennington, VT and Chester, VT.
1
Start on VT 9
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto Depot Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Depot Street
3
Merge onto US 7
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
North Street
4
Continue on US 7
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
U.S. Route 7 North
5
Merge onto US 7; VT 279
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Bennington Bypass
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 7
21 mi
·
28 min
·
U.S. Route 7
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Toward VT 11, VT 30
8
Turn right onto VT 11; VT 30
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Depot Street
9
Continue on VT 11; VT 30
12 mi
·
17 min
·
Vermont Route 11 30
10
Continue on VT 100; VT 11
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
North Main Street
11
Continue on VT 11
5.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Vermont Route 11
12
Continue on VT 11
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Simonsville Road
13
Continue on VT 11
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Vermont Route 11 West
14
Continue on VT 11
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
15
Turn right onto VT 35
72 ft
·
2 sec
·
Grafton Street
16
Arrive at destination
VT 35
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.8 miles from Bennington, VT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 23.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Depot Street
Turn right onto Depot Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 7 / North Street
Merge onto US 7 / North Street
Merge point - match speed before joining
3
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 7; VT 279 / Bennington Bypass
Merge onto US 7; VT 279 / Bennington Bypass
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 7 / U.S. Route 7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 7 / U.S. Route 7
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
23.3 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward VT 11, VT 30
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward VT 11, VT 30
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.31 one way
$16.61 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $9.14 | $18.28 |
| premium | $4.86 | $9.88 | $19.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.39 | $22.79 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.42 | $2.48 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.22 | $3.30 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Chester, VT
Late night in Chester on Sunday
Local time
12:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
39°F
Londonderry, VT
26 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
17 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 18m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 84% of this 51.6-mile trip consists of highway driving. You will spend a significant portion of your time on U.S. Route 7, which features the route's longest uninterrupted stretch of 21.2 miles. As you transition from the main highway onto Vermont Route 11, the character of the drive shifts slightly, requiring you to maintain focus on the road ahead. The combination of these primary thoroughfares provides a consistent pace, making it a reliable drive for those who prefer staying on major roads. Overall, it is a functional and direct journey that balances speed with regional accessibility.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.2 mi on U.S. Route 7.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on U.S. Route 7 and Vermont Route 11 30. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Depot Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 18m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Depot Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 7 / North Street): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 1.9 miles (US 7; VT 279 / Bennington Bypass): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 51.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.2 miles on U.S. Route 7. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through VT can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Depot Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 7 / North Street): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 1.9 miles (US 7; VT 279 / Bennington Bypass): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes — Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chester, VT before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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