Traveling from Brattleboro to Burlington covers 152.6 miles across the heart of Vermont. You can expect a drive time of approximately 3 hours and 2 minutes, making this a very manageable single-day trip. With a fuel budget of about $24, it is a cost-effective way to traverse the state from the Southeast to the Northwest. Since the entire journey stays within the Northeast region, you will experience a consistent New England atmosphere throughout the trip. Whether you are heading north for a weekend getaway or a quick business trip, the route is straightforward and efficient. There is no need to split this into an overnight stay unless you prefer a leisurely pace.
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
76.3 miles from Brattleboro, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 31m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 89
88.2 mi
1h 42m
I 91
60.6 mi
1h 10m
Main Street
1.3 mi
3m
Western Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Williston Road
0.4 mi
<1m
Green Street
0.3 mi
1m
Elliot Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Church Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 88.2 mi, about 1h 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brattleboro, VT and Burlington, VT.
1
Start on this road
110 ft·9 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto US 5
54 ft·3 sec·Canal Street
3
Turn left onto US 5
504 ft·23 sec·Main Street
4
Turn left onto Elliot Street
0.1 mi·20 sec·Elliot Street
5
Turn right onto Church Street
357 ft·15 sec·Church Street
6
Turn slight left onto Green Street
0.3 mi·1 min·Green Street
7
Continue on VT 9
0.6 mi·1 min·Western Avenue
8
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
9
Merge onto I 91
61 mi·1 hr 10 min·I 91
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Toward I 89 North
11
Merge onto I 89
88 mi·1 hr 42 min·I 89
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·51 sec
Toward US 2 West: Burlington
13
Turn straight onto US 2
0.4 mi·52 sec·Williston Road
14
Continue on US 2
1.2 mi·3 min·Main Street
Use the straight lane.
15
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
To keep your 3-hour journey stress-free, aim to depart during off-peak hours to avoid potential congestion on the main interstates. You should plan for at least one stop during the drive to stretch your legs, especially given the lengthy 88.2-mile stretch on I-89. Since the total trip is relatively short, you have plenty of flexibility to adjust your departure time based on your personal schedule. Keep your fuel budget of $24 in mind as you plan your stops along the highway corridor. A concrete tip for this route: since you are spending nearly all your time on I-91 and I-89, ensure your vehicle is cruise-control ready to maintain a steady speed across the Vermont landscape.
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 76.3 miles from Brattleboro, VT, or about 1h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 88.2 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 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.3 miles or 1h 31m 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 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Burlington, VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Brattleboro, 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 Brattleboro, VT
This is one driving day of about 152.6 miles and 3h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Brattleboro, 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 89 for about 88.2 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 62.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 5 / Canal Street
Turn left onto US 5 / Canal Street
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 5 / Main Street
Turn left onto US 5 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Elliot Street
Turn left onto Elliot Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Church Street
Turn right onto Church Street
Navigation decision point
4
62.4 mi into trip|~1h 15m in
Take the exit toward I 89 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 89 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.57 one way
$49.13 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg53 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$27.03
$54.06
premium
$4.86
$29.22
$58.44
diesel
$5.61
$33.69
$67.38
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
45.8
0
$16.02
$7.32
Efficient EV
38.2
0
$13.35
$6.10
EV Truck/SUV
61
0
$21.36
$9.77
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 kg (66% 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 Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Brattleboro, VT
Night
in Brattleboro on Saturday
Local time
9:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Burlington, VT
Night
in Burlington on Saturday
Local time
9:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
S 2 to 6 mph78% chanceLive forecast
51°F
Hartford, VT
76 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
23 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 2m 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...
8 mi from route
~19 min detour
Free
near mile 68.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This 152.6-mile journey is heavily highway-focused, with 98% of your time spent on major arteries. You will primarily navigate via I-91 and I-89, transitioning onto Main Street as you reach your destination. Expect a consistent, efficient pace, especially during the longest uninterrupted stretch of 88.2 miles on I-89. Because the route relies so heavily on interstates, it offers a predictable driving experience rather than a winding, technical road. You should be prepared for a steady, high-speed drive that prioritizes direct travel over local sightseeing detours.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 88.2 mi on I 89.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 89 and I 91. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 5 / Canal Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 2m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 5 / Canal Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (US 5 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Elliot Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 2m. Total distance: 152.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 88.2 miles on I 89. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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: near the start (US 5 / Canal Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (US 5 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Elliot Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Burlington, VT, but most travelers stay overnight.
