Origin
Fairfield, VT
Late night in Fairfield on Sunday
Local time
3:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfield, VT to Burlington, VT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
34 mi
55 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfield, VT
James Mirakian
Burlington, VT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Fairfield, VT to Burlington, VT is 34 miles and takes about 47 minutes via I 89, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive keeps you within the Northeast region, specifically within Vermont, making it an easy same-day trip. It's a highway-focused journey that efficiently connects these two points. Given its short length and minimal fuel cost, this route is ideal for those looking for a quick and simple transit between locations without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 89 | 24.5 mi | 28m |
| Vermont Route 36 | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| Fairfield Hill Road | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Fairfax Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Williston Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 24.5 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield, VT and Burlington, VT.
1
Start on North Road
132 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Road
2
Turn right onto VT 36
4.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Vermont Route 36
3
Continue on VT 36
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Fairfield Hill Road
4
Turn left onto VT 104
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Fairfax Road
5
Take the ramp
266 ft
·
15 sec
Toward I 89
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 89 South: Burlington
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 89
24 mi
·
28 min
·
I 89
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward US 2 West: Burlington
9
Turn straight onto US 2
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Williston Road
10
Continue on US 2
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17 miles from Fairfield, VT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 32.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
VT 36 / Vermont Route 36
Turn right onto VT 36 / Vermont Route 36
Navigation decision point
4
6.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
VT 104 / Fairfax Road
Turn left onto VT 104 / Fairfax Road
Navigation decision point
5
7.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the ramp toward I 89
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 89
7
7.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 89 South: Burlington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 89 South: Burlington
4
32.3 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward US 2 West: Burlington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 2 West: Burlington
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.47 one way
$10.95 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.02 | $12.04 |
| premium | $4.86 | $6.51 | $13.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.51 | $15.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.18 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Burlington, VT
Late night in Burlington on Sunday
Local time
3:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
39°F
Milton, VT
17 mi in
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
1 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
47m 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?
This route is largely a highway-focused drive, with 85% of the journey taking place on faster roads like I 89. You'll experience the longest uninterrupted stretch of 24.5 miles on I 89, offering a consistent pace. The initial part of the drive may involve local roads like Fairfield Hill Road and Vermont Route 36 before merging onto the interstate. Expect a predominantly high-speed experience for the majority of your travel time.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.5 mi on I 89.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 89 and Vermont Route 36. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near VT 36 / Vermont Route 36.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 47m drive. You will face about 6 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 36 / Vermont Route 36): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (VT 104 / Fairfax Road): Navigation decision point; at 7.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 34 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.5 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 36 / Vermont Route 36): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (VT 104 / Fairfax Road): Navigation decision point; at 7.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Burlington, 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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