The drive from Franklin, VT to Brattleboro, VT covers 194.8 miles and takes about 3h 58m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 89, I 91, Vermont Route 105 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 112.8 miles on I 89.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.36 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
97.4 miles from Franklin, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 2m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 89
112.8 mi
2h 11m
I 91
60.4 mi
1h 9m
Vermont Route 105
6.7 mi
9m
Sheldon Road
4.4 mi
6m
North Sheldon Road
2.6 mi
4m
Fisher Pond Road
1.8 mi
3m
Vermont Route 120
1.7 mi
3m
Main Street
1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 112.8 mi, about 2h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Franklin, VT and Brattleboro, VT.
1
Start on this road
56 ft·9 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto Hanna Road
171 ft·6 sec·Hanna Road
3
Turn right onto VT 120
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
4
Continue on VT 120
2.6 mi·4 min·North Sheldon Road
5
Continue on VT 120
1.7 mi·3 min·Vermont Route 120
6
Turn right onto VT 105
6.7 mi·9 min·Vermont Route 105
7
Continue on VT 105
4.4 mi·6 min·Sheldon Road
8
Continue on VT 104
1.8 mi·3 min·Fisher Pond Road
9
Continue on VT 104
0.6 mi·1 min·Fairfax Road
10
Take the ramp
266 ft·15 sec
Toward I 89Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi·58 sec
Toward I 89 South: BurlingtonUse the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 89
113 mi·2 hr 11 min·I 89
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 91: Brattleboro, White River
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 91 South: Brattleboro
15
Merge onto I 91
60 mi·1 hr 9 min·I 91
16
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 2Toward VT 9 West: Brattleboro, Bennington
17
At end of road, turn left onto VT 9
0.7 mi·1 min·Western Avenue
18
Continue on VT 9
0.4 mi·1 min·High Street
19
At end of road, turn right onto US 5
0.2 mi·38 sec·Main Street
20
At end of road, turn right onto US 5
54 ft·1 sec·Canal Street
21
Turn right
110 ft·8 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 97.4 miles from Franklin, VT, or about 2h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 112.8 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 43 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 97.4 miles or 2h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brattleboro, VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Franklin, VT so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Franklin, VT
This is one driving day of about 194.8 miles and 3h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Franklin, VT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 89 for about 112.8 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 18.8 and 192.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
18.8 mi into trip|~30m in
Take the ramp toward I 89
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 89
7
18.9 mi into trip|~30m 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
5
132.1 mi into trip|~2h 42m in
Take the exit toward I 91: Brattleboro, White River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 91: Brattleboro, White River
6
132.4 mi into trip|~2h 43m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 91 South: Brattleboro
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 91 South: Brattleboro
6
192.9 mi into trip|~3h 53m in
Take the exit toward VT 9 West: Brattleboro, Bennington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 2
Toward VT 9 West: Brattleboro, Bennington
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.36 one way
$62.72 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg68 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$34.50
$69.01
premium
$4.86
$37.30
$74.61
diesel
$5.61
$43.01
$86.02
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
58.4
0
$20.45
$9.35
Efficient EV
48.7
0
$17.04
$7.79
EV Truck/SUV
77.9
0
$27.27
$12.47
Gas CO2
68 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (66% 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
Franklin, VT
Morning
in Franklin on Sunday
Local time
8:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Brattleboro, VT
Morning
in Brattleboro on Sunday
Local time
8:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°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
4 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
3h 58m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Walk through one of Vermont's most beautiful landscapes under the shade of the Mount Tom Forest, the oldest continuously managed scientific forest in the United States. This is a landscape of loss, re...
7 mi from route
~19 min detour
Free
near mile 127.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
194.8 mi in 3h 58m, mostly highway — 112.8 mi of that is on I 89.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 112.8 mi on I 89.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 89 and I 91. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 18.8 miles in.
Driving Effort5/10
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 194.8 miles you will encounter 14 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 18.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 18.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 132.1 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 Franklin, VT to Brattleboro, VT, road signs begin pointing toward White River along the way.
White River
132.1 mi in|~2h 42m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 58m. Total distance: 194.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 112.8 miles on I 89. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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 18.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 18.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 132.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Brattleboro, VT, but most travelers stay overnight.
