Colchester, VT to Chelsea, VT is 61.3 miles and takes about 1h 32m via I 89 and VT-289, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Vermont, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a route that primarily utilizes interstate highways for efficiency, making it a straightforward and quick trip. It's a practical option when you need to get from point A to point B without extensive detours. Consider this your go-to for a simple, direct journey between these two Vermont locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
30.7 miles from Colchester, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 42m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 89
31.3 mi
36m
Vermont Route 289
4.5 mi
7m
Vermont Route 110
4.3 mi
7m
Chelsea Road
3.9 mi
9m
River Road
3.2 mi
5m
Vermont Route 117
2.8 mi
4m
Vermont Route 14
2.4 mi
4m
Vermont Route 63
1.8 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 31.3 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colchester, VT and Chelsea, VT.
1
Start on East Road
100 ft·9 sec·East Road
2
Turn left onto VT 2A
1.5 mi·2 min·Main Street
3
Continue on VT 2A
1.0 mi·1 min·Colchester Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto VT 289
4.5 mi·7 min·Vermont Route 289
Toward VT 289 EastUse the left lane.
5
At end of road, turn left onto VT 117
2.4 mi·3 min·River Road
Toward US 2, VT 289 West: Richmond
6
Continue on VT 117
2.8 mi·4 min·Vermont Route 117
7
Continue on VT 117
0.8 mi·1 min·River Road
8
At end of road, turn left onto US 2
0.3 mi·36 sec·West Main Street
9
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·15 sec
10
Merge onto I 89
31 mi·36 min·I 89
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 6Toward VT 63 East: South Barre, Barre
12
Continue on VT 63
1.8 mi·2 min·Vermont Route 63
13
Turn right onto Miller Road
166 ft·10 sec·Miller Road
14
Turn left onto West Road
0.6 mi·1 min·West Road
15
Continue on Falls Bridge Road
1.4 mi·3 min·Falls Bridge Road
16
Turn right onto VT 14
2.4 mi·4 min·Vermont Route 14
17
Turn left onto Chelsea Road
3.9 mi·9 min·Chelsea Road
18
Continue on Williamstown Road
1.8 mi·4 min·Williamstown Road
19
Turn right onto VT 110
4.3 mi·7 min·Vermont Route 110
20
Arrive at destination
VT 110
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of about 1 hour and 32 minutes, this trip offers significant flexibility. You can easily depart any time of day. There are no specified stops, so you can choose to make a quick fuel or rest stop as needed, though with a fuel cost estimate of just $10, you likely won't need to refuel mid-journey. Keep an eye on your GPS for the transition from I 89 onto Vermont Route 289, as this is a key point in your navigation for this efficient drive.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 30.7 miles from Colchester, VT, or about 42m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 31.3 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 13 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 30.7 miles or 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chelsea, VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Colchester, VT so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Colchester, VT
This is one driving day of about 61.3 miles and 1h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 13 miles from Colchester, VT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 89 for about 31.3 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 44.7 — 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|VT 2A / Main Street
Turn left onto VT 2A / Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
2.5 mi into trip|~4m in|VT 289 / Vermont Route 289
Turn left onto VT 289 / Vermont Route 289 toward VT 289 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward VT 289 East
5
7 mi into trip|~11m in|VT 117 / River Road
At end of road, turn left onto VT 117 / River Road toward US 2, VT 289 West: Richmond
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 2, VT 289 West: Richmond
4
13 mi into trip|~21m in|US 2 / West Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 2 / West Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
44.7 mi into trip|~58m in
Take the exit toward VT 63 East: South Barre, Barre
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 6
Toward VT 63 East: South Barre, Barre
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.87 one way
$19.74 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg21 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$10.86
$21.72
premium
$4.86
$11.74
$23.48
diesel
$5.61
$13.53
$27.07
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$10
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$35–$60
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
18.4
0
$6.44
$2.94
Efficient EV
15.3
0
$5.36
$2.45
EV Truck/SUV
24.5
0
$8.58
$3.92
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Colchester, VT
Late night
in Colchester on Sunday
Local time
4:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Chelsea, VT
Late night
in Chelsea on Sunday
Local time
4:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
34°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
61°F
Duxbury, VT
31 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
5 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 32m 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.
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...
25 mi from route
~62 min detour
Free
near mile 61.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 77% of your travel on faster roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 31.3 miles on I 89, providing a good opportunity to make solid time. While the majority of the route is on the interstate, you'll also navigate parts of Vermont Route 289 and Vermont Route 110. These state routes offer a slight change of pace as you transition off the main highway, allowing for a more local feel before you reach your destination.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.3 mi on I 89.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 89 and Vermont Route 289. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near VT 2A / Main 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 1h 32m drive. You will face about 12 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 (VT 2A / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (VT 289 / Vermont Route 289): Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (VT 117 / River Road): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Colchester, VT to Chelsea, VT, road signs begin pointing toward Barre along the way.
Barre
44.7 mi in|~58m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 32m. Total distance: 61.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 31.3 miles on I 89. 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: near the start (VT 2A / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (VT 289 / Vermont Route 289): Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (VT 117 / River Road): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Chelsea, VT before heading back.
