Origin
Essex Junction, VT
Morning in Essex Junction on Sunday
Local time
11:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Essex Junction, VT to Fairfax, VT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
15.4 mi
25 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Essex Junction, VT
Wikimedia Commons
Fairfax, VT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick excursion in Vermont, the 15.4-mile journey from Essex Junction to Fairfax is an ideal choice. You can easily complete this drive in about 28 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. Budgeting roughly $2 for fuel should cover your transit across this Northeast corridor. You will navigate via a combination of Vermont Route 128, Main Street, and Browns River Road. Since the entire trip is quite short, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or complex logistics. It is a straightforward, practical route for anyone traveling between these two local communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Browns River Road | 8.7 mi | 15m |
| Vermont Route 128 | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| Main Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Center Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Upper Main Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| River Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Browns River Road
— 8.7 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Essex Junction, VT and Fairfax, VT.
1
Start on VT 15
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
2
Continue on VT 15
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Upper Main Street
3
Continue on VT 15
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Center Road
4
Continue on VT 128
8.1 mi
·
14 min
·
Browns River Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Continue on VT 128
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Vermont Route 128
6
Continue on VT 128
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Browns River Road
7
Turn straight onto VT 104
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
8
Turn sharp right onto River Road
43 ft
·
5 sec
·
River Road
9
Turn left
27 ft
·
1 sec
10
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
2 of 22 decision points cluster around mile 15.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
15.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
River Road
Turn sharp right onto River Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
15.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.48 one way
$4.96 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $2.73 | $5.46 |
| premium | $4.86 | $2.95 | $5.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.40 | $6.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.35 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.16 | $0.99 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Fairfax, VT
Morning in Fairfax on Sunday
Local time
11:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
28m 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 turn-heavy, local experience rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. With only 19% of the route consisting of highways, you will spend most of your time navigating secondary roads that demand your full attention. The longest uninterrupted section spans 8.7 miles along Browns River Road, providing a brief period of steady driving. Because the road profile is technical, you should prepare for frequent adjustments behind the wheel. The transition between these local thoroughfares keeps the drive engaging and requires a more cautious pace than a standard highway route.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.7 mi on Browns River Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 15.4 miles in near River Road.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Essex Junction, VT to Fairfax, VT is easy. At 28m with 19% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15.4 miles (River Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 15.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 15.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (19%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.7 miles on Browns River Road. 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 15.4 miles (River Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 15.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fairfax, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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