Bennington, VT to St Johnsbury, VT is 156.4 miles and takes about 3h 25m via I 91 and U.S. Route 7, with a fuel budget near $25 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Vermont, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast. It's a straightforward drive that covers a good chunk of the state, mostly on interstate highways. If you're looking for a direct way to get between southern and northeastern Vermont, this route is a solid choice for a single-day trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
78.2 miles from Bennington, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 54m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 91
93.4 mi
1h 48m
U.S. Route 7
21.2 mi
28m
Vermont Route 11 30
11.5 mi
17m
Rockingham Road
6.6 mi
10m
Vermont Route 11
5.6 mi
8m
Vermont Route 11 West
4.4 mi
6m
Simonsville Road
3.7 mi
5m
Vermont Route 103 South
2.5 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 91
— 93.4 mi, about 1h 48m
Traffic on I-91
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 17 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~458 veh/hr typical
· worst 574
Quietest
1 AM
~15 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
30.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 47 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bennington, VT and St Johnsbury, 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
1.2 mi·3 min·Main Street
15
Continue on VT 103
2.5 mi·4 min·Vermont Route 103 South
16
Continue on VT 103
6.6 mi·10 min·Rockingham Road
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward I 91 North: Springfield, White River Junction
18
Merge onto I 91
93 mi·1 hr 48 min·I 91
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Exit 20Toward US 5: Saint Johnsbury
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·14 sec
21
Turn straight onto US 5
1.3 mi·2 min·US 5
22
Turn sharp left onto Main Street
90 ft·3 sec·Main Street
23
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 25m estimated drive time, you can comfortably complete this trip in one day. Aim to depart Bennington in the morning to maximize daylight and allow for a leisurely pace. With only one recommended stop, plan your break strategically along I 91, perhaps around the halfway point. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the 156.4-mile distance with a $25 estimated fuel cost suggests efficient travel, but it’s always wise to top off before heading into more rural stretches. The longest continuous stretch of 93.4 miles on I 91 means you'll want to be sure you're comfortable with that duration of highway driving before you depart.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 78.2 miles from Bennington, VT, or about 1h 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 93.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 34 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 78.2 miles or 1h 54m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near St Johnsbury, VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bennington, VT so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bennington, VT
This is one driving day of about 156.4 miles and 3h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Bennington, VT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 91 for about 93.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 23.3 and 156.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
7
61.2 mi into trip|~1h 34m in
Take the exit toward I 91 North: Springfield, White River Junction
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 91 North: Springfield, White River Jun...
5
154.8 mi into trip|~3h 22m in
Take the exit toward US 5: Saint Johnsbury
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 20
Toward US 5: Saint Johnsbury
5
155 mi into trip|~3h 23m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
156.4 mi into trip|~3h 25m in|Main Street
Turn sharp left onto Main Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.65 one way
$55.29 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg55 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$30.28
$60.56
premium
$5.29
$32.57
$65.13
diesel
$5.35
$32.94
$65.89
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 54.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
46.9
0
$16.42
$7.51
Efficient EV
39.1
0
$13.69
$6.26
EV Truck/SUV
62.6
0
$21.90
$10.01
Gas CO2
55 kg
EV CO2
18 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.
Forecast as of Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Bennington, VT
Afternoon
in Bennington on Wednesday
Local time
3:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Patchy Fog
NW 1 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
St Johnsbury, VT
Afternoon
in St Johnsbury on Wednesday
Local time
3:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Chance Rain Showers
0 mph29% chanceLive forecast
67°F
Rockingham, VT
78 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 25m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Walk through one of Vermont's most beautiful landscapes under the shade of the Mount Tom Forest, the oldest continuously managed scientific forest in the United States. This is a landscape of loss, re...
9 mi from route
~23 min detour
Free
near mile 91.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway, with 90% of the 156.4 miles on interstates and major routes. You'll experience a long stretch of 93.4 miles on I 91, offering consistent cruising. The transition to surface roads will happen after this, leading you onto Vermont Route 11 30. Expect relatively fast travel for most of the trip, with fewer intersections on the highway portions.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 93.4 mi on I 91.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 91 and U.S. Route 7. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 23.3 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 156.4 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 61.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 154.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,538 ft355 ft
Total Climb
1,811 ft
Total Descent
1,884 ft
Highest Point
1,538 ft
~33.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,183 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Bennington, VT to St Johnsbury, VT, road signs begin pointing toward White River Junction along the way.
Bennington is a town in Southwestern Vermont. Boasting five covered bridges it is a classic Vermont country town, and is also home to Bennington College. This article also encompasses the neighboring town of North Bennington.
Top landmarks
•Old Bennington — village in Vermont
•Bennington Battle Monument — monument in Bennington, Vermont, United States
•Bennington Museum — museum in Bennington, Vermont, USA
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 25m. Total distance: 156.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 93.4 miles on I 91. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 8 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at St Johnsbury, VT before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 8 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 61.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 154.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.9 hours — manageable with a long break at St Johnsbury, VT, but most travelers stay overnight.
