Origin
Fairfield, VT
Late night in Fairfield on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfield, VT to Colchester, VT
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
27.5 mi
44 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfield, VT
James Mirakian
Colchester, VT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Fairfield, VT to Colchester, VT is 27.5 miles and takes about 39 minutes via I 89, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, straightforward drive takes you from the Northeast region of Vermont to its northern reaches, staying within the same state. It's primarily a highway-focused trip, making it a practical option for a quick transit or an easy addition to a longer journey. If you're looking for a no-fuss connection between these two points, this route delivers efficiency.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 89 | 15.3 mi | 17m |
| Vermont Route 36 | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| Roosevelt Highway | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Fairfield Hill Road | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Fairfax Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| U.S. Route 2 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 15.3 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield, VT and Colchester, 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
15 mi
·
17 min
·
I 89
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 17
Toward US 2, US 7: Lake Champlain Islands, Colchester
9
Turn left onto US 2
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
U.S. Route 2
10
At end of road, turn right onto US 2; US 7
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Roosevelt Highway
11
Turn slight left onto VT 2A
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
12
Turn left onto East Road
100 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Road
13
Arrive at destination
East Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 6.7 and 23.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
6
23.1 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward US 2, US 7: Lake Champlain Islands, Colchester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 17
Toward US 2, US 7: Lake Champlain Islands, Colc...
4
23.4 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
US 2 / U.S. Route 2
Turn left onto US 2 / U.S. Route 2
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.43 one way
$8.85 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $4.87 | $9.74 |
| premium | $4.86 | $5.27 | $10.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.07 | $12.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.89 | $1.32 |
| Efficient EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.41 | $1.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11 | 0 | $3.85 | $1.76 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Colchester, VT
Late night in Colchester on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°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
19 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
39m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 73% of the journey taking place on the interstate. You'll experience longer stretches of consistent speed, including one segment of 15.3 miles entirely on I 89. The route begins on Vermont Route 36 before merging onto the interstate, offering a brief transition before the more direct highway portion begins. Expect a smooth, efficient travel experience for most of this trip, characterized by the predictable nature of interstate driving.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.3 mi on I 89.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 89 and Vermont Route 36. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 6.7 miles in near VT 104 / Fairfax Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 27.5 miles you will encounter 9 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 6.7 miles (VT 104 / Fairfax Road): Navigation decision point; at 7.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 27.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.3 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: at 6.7 miles (VT 104 / Fairfax Road): Navigation decision point; at 7.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Colchester, 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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