Origin
Fairfax, VT
Morning in Fairfax on Sunday
Local time
9:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfax, VT to Essex Junction, 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.
Fairfax, VT
Wikimedia Commons
Essex Junction, VT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Fairfax to Essex Junction, you are in for a quick 15.4-mile trek through the Vermont countryside. This short excursion typically takes about 28 minutes to complete, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. Budgeting around $2 for fuel should be plenty to cover the distance between these two Northeast locations. Because the journey is so brief, there is no need to worry about overnight lodging or complex logistics. It is a straightforward, practical route that connects two local hubs without the hassle of a long-distance haul.
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 Fairfax, VT and Essex Junction, VT.
1
Start on this road
27 ft
·
3 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto River Road
43 ft
·
8 sec
·
River Road
3
Turn sharp left onto VT 104
0.7 mi
·
58 sec
·
Main Street
4
Continue on VT 128
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Browns River Road
5
Continue on VT 128
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Vermont Route 128
6
Continue on VT 128
8.1 mi
·
14 min
·
Browns River Road
7
Continue on VT 15
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Center Road
8
Continue on VT 15
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Upper Main Street
9
Continue on VT 15
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
10
Arrive at destination
VT 15
Heads-up: tricky spots
2 of 22 decision points cluster around mile 0 — 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
|
River Road
Turn right onto River Road
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
VT 104 / Main Street
Turn sharp left onto VT 104 / Main Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
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
Essex Junction, VT
Morning in Essex Junction on Sunday
Local time
9:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°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 warmer 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 drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. You will spend the vast majority of your time on secondary roads, as the highway share accounts for only 19% of the total journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is an 8.7-mile run on Browns River Road, which provides the most consistent pacing of the trip. Transitioning through Vermont Route 128 and onto Main Street, you will find the road characteristics shift as you move from rural surroundings into a more populated setting. It is a technical, winding experience rather than a monotonous interstate cruise.
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 early in the drive near River Road.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Fairfax, VT to Essex Junction, 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: near the start (River Road): Navigation decision point; near the start (VT 104 / Main Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
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: near the start (River Road): Navigation decision point; near the start (VT 104 / Main Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Essex Junction, 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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