Colchester, VT to Orwell, VT is 56.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 36 minutes via Vermont Route 22A, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Vermont, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward, same-day drive that offers a practical way to travel between these two points. If you're looking for a simple transit between these areas without extensive planning, this route fits the bill. Consider it for its directness and manageable travel time.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
28.3 miles from Colchester, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Vermont Route 22A
24.9 mi
39m
Ethan Allen Highway
12.3 mi
19m
Shelburne Road
6.8 mi
13m
I 89
3.6 mi
4m
Roosevelt Highway
3.3 mi
6m
Main Street
2.8 mi
6m
I 189
1.2 mi
1m
U.S. Route 7
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Vermont Route 22A
— 24.9 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colchester, VT and Orwell, VT.
1
Start on East Road
100 ft·3 sec·East Road
2
Turn right onto VT 2A
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
3
Keep slight left at fork onto Main Street
0.1 mi·16 sec·Main Street
4
Turn slight left onto US 2; US 7
3.3 mi·6 min·Roosevelt Highway
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 89 South: BurlingtonUse the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 89
3.6 mi·4 min·I 89
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·31 sec
Toward I 189 West: Shelburne, Rutland
8
Merge onto I 189
1.2 mi·1 min·I 189
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
Turn left onto US 7
6.8 mi·13 min·Shelburne Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Continue on US 7
12 mi·19 min·Ethan Allen Highway
11
Continue on US 7
0.9 mi·1 min·U.S. Route 7
12
Turn right onto Monkton Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Monkton Road
13
At end of road, turn left onto VT 22A
1.5 mi·4 min·Main Street
14
Continue on VT 22A
25 mi·39 min·Vermont Route 22A
15
Turn left onto VT 73
0.4 mi·44 sec·Main Street
16
Turn left onto North Orwell Road
63 ft·1 sec·North Orwell Road
17
Arrive at destination
North Orwell Road
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of 1 hour and 36 minutes, this drive allows for a flexible departure time. You could easily leave in the morning and still have most of your day ahead, or depart in the afternoon and arrive with plenty of evening light. With a fuel cost estimated around $9, it’s an economical trip. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as there are no specified stops, and the longest stretch without a town might be a good time to ensure you have enough gas. Consider making a quick stop around the halfway point if you feel the need to stretch your legs.
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 28.3 miles from Colchester, VT, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.9 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 12 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 28.3 miles or 48m 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 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Orwell, 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 56.7 miles and 1h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 12 miles from Colchester, VT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Vermont Route 22A for about 24.9 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 0.8 and 9.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|Main Street
Keep slight left at fork onto Main Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
4.2 mi into trip|~8m in
Take the ramp toward I 89 South: Burlington
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 89 South: Burlington
5
8 mi into trip|~13m in
Take the exit toward I 189 West: Shelburne, Rutland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 189 West: Shelburne, Rutland
5
8.3 mi into trip|~14m in|I 189
Merge onto I 189
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
9.4 mi into trip|~16m in|US 7 / Shelburne Road
Turn left onto US 7 / Shelburne Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.13 one way
$18.26 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg20 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$10.04
$20.09
premium
$4.86
$10.86
$21.72
diesel
$5.61
$12.52
$25.04
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$9
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$34–$59
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
17
0
$5.95
$2.72
Efficient EV
14.2
0
$4.96
$2.27
EV Truck/SUV
22.7
0
$7.94
$3.63
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
12:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Orwell, VT
Late night
in Orwell on Sunday
Local time
12:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
34°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 36m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is a mixed bag, with 54% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a blend of faster-paced travel and more local road conditions. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 24.9 miles, primarily on Vermont Route 22A. Expect the road to evolve from more developed sections to potentially quieter, more rural segments as you progress toward Orwell. This variation means you'll get a feel for different types of Vermont roadways.
54% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.9 mi on Vermont Route 22A.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near Main Street.
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 56.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.8 miles (Main Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Orwell, VT, road signs begin pointing toward Rutland along the way.
Rutland
8 mi in|~13m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 36m. Total distance: 56.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (54%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.9 miles on Vermont Route 22A. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Orwell, VT before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 0.8 miles (Main Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Orwell, VT before heading back.
