Origin
Franklin, VT
Late night in Franklin on Tuesday
Local time
4:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Franklin, VT to Williston, 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
1h 12m
Distance
52 mi
84 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Franklin, VT
Wikimedia Commons
Williston, VT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward trip through Vermont, this 52-mile journey from Franklin to Williston is an efficient choice. The drive takes approximately 1 hour and 12 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You can expect to spend about $8 on fuel, keeping the overhead for this commute quite low. Because the route is relatively short, there is no need to plan for overnight stays or complex logistics. You will traverse the Northeast region, transitioning from the northern border areas down toward the more central Williston hub. It is a practical, no-nonsense path that prioritizes speed and reliability over wandering detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 89 | 29.4 mi | 34m |
| Vermont Route 105 | 6.7 mi | 9m |
| Sheldon Road | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| North Sheldon Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Williston Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Fisher Pond Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Vermont Route 120 | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 89
— 29.4 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Franklin, VT and Williston, 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 89
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 89 South: Burlington
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 89
29 mi
·
34 min
·
I 89
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 12
Toward VT 2A: Williston, Essex Junction
14
Turn left onto VT 2A
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Saint George Road
15
Turn right onto US 2
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Williston Road
16
Continue on North Williston Road
18 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Williston Road
17
Arrive at destination
North Williston Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26 miles from Franklin, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 48.7 — 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
|
Hanna Road
Turn left onto Hanna Road
Navigation decision point
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
VT 120 / Main Street
Turn right onto VT 120 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
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
6
48.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the exit toward VT 2A: Williston, Essex Junction
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 12
Toward VT 2A: Williston, Essex Junction
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.37 one way
$16.74 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $9.21 | $18.42 |
| premium | $4.86 | $9.96 | $19.92 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.48 | $22.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.46 | $2.50 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.55 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.28 | $3.33 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Williston, VT
Late night in Williston on Tuesday
Local time
4:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
60°F
Milton, VT
26 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 12m 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 heavily focused on highway travel, with 73% of your journey spent on high-speed roads. You will utilize a mix of Vermont Route 105, Sheldon Road, and a significant portion of I-89 to bridge the distance. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on I-89, where you will cover 29.4 miles of highway driving. Behind the wheel, you will notice a distinct shift from regional backroads to the more structured environment of the interstate. Expect a consistent pace that favors steady movement rather than frequent stops or technical maneuvers, as the road is designed to get you to your destination efficiently.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.4 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 105. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Hanna Road.
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 1h 12m drive. You will face about 8 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 (Hanna Road): Navigation decision point; near the start (VT 120 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 18.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Williston, VT, road signs begin pointing toward Essex Junction along the way.
Essex Junction
48.7 mi in
|
~1h 6m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 52 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.4 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 (Hanna Road): Navigation decision point; near the start (VT 120 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 18.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Williston, 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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