St. Johnsbury to Shaftsbury is 150.1 miles and takes about 3 hours 17 minutes via I-91 and VT-11, with a fuel budget near $23 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Vermont, moving from the Northeast region down to the southern part of the state. You'll find it's a straightforward drive, primarily on highways, making it a good option if you're looking for efficiency. Plan for a single-day trip, as the duration is quite manageable.
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
75 miles from St Johnsbury, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 27m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 91
93.8 mi
1h 48m
Vermont Route 11
17.1 mi
26m
U.S. Route 7
10 mi
13m
Rockingham Road
6.5 mi
9m
Vermont Route 11 West
4.4 mi
6m
Vermont Route 7A
4 mi
6m
Simonsville Road
3.7 mi
5m
Vermont Route 103 South
2.5 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 91
— 93.8 mi, about 1h 48m
Traffic on I-91
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 23 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~453 veh/hr typical
· worst 835
Quietest
1 AM
~14 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
32.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 63 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between St Johnsbury, VT and Shaftsbury, VT.
1
Start on Main Street
90 ft·10 sec·Main Street
2
Turn sharp right onto US 5
1.6 mi·2 min·Railroad Street
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
4
Merge onto I 91
94 mi·1 hr 48 min·I 91
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·41 sec
Exit 6Toward US 5, VT 103: Rockingham, Bellows Falls
6
At end of road, turn left onto VT 103
6.5 mi·9 min·Rockingham Road
7
Continue on VT 103
2.5 mi·4 min·Vermont Route 103 South
8
Continue on VT 11; VT 103
1.2 mi·3 min·South Main Street
9
Continue on VT 11
4.4 mi·6 min·Vermont Route 11 West
10
Continue on VT 11
3.7 mi·5 min·Simonsville Road
11
Continue on VT 11
5.6 mi·8 min·Vermont Route 11
12
Continue on VT 100; VT 11
0.4 mi·59 sec·North Main Street
13
Continue on VT 11
12 mi·17 min·Vermont Route 11
14
Continue on VT 11; VT 30
1.3 mi·2 min·Depot Street
15
Continue on VT 11; VT 30
0.5 mi·56 sec·Depot Street
16
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·39 sec
Toward US 7 South: Bennington
17
Merge onto US 7
10.0 mi·13 min·U.S. Route 7
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi·44 sec
Exit 3Toward VT 313: Arlington, Shaftsbury
19
Keep slight right at fork
471 ft·14 sec
Toward VT 313: Arlington, Shaftsbury
20
Turn straight onto VT 313
1.8 mi·2 min·Vermont Route 313
21
At end of road, turn left onto VT 7A
4.0 mi·6 min·Vermont Route 7A
Use the left lane.
22
Turn left onto Old Depot Road
0.2 mi·27 sec·Old Depot Road
23
Turn right onto Dexter Road
117 ft·5 sec·Dexter Road
24
Arrive at destination
Dexter Road
Trip Plan
Consider leaving St. Johnsbury in the morning to maximize daylight and make the most of your 3 hour 17 minute drive. With a relatively short duration, you have the flexibility to take your time. The longest stretch without a major change is 93.8 miles on I-91, so plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly, perhaps around the halfway point or a bit further along. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $23 for the 150.1-mile trip.
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 75 miles from St Johnsbury, VT, or about 1h 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 93.8 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 33 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 75 miles or 1h 27m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Shaftsbury, VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving St Johnsbury, 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 St Johnsbury, VT
This is one driving day of about 150.1 miles and 3h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from St Johnsbury, 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 91 for about 93.8 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 145.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 5 / Railroad Street
Turn sharp right onto US 5 / Railroad Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
95.7 mi into trip|~1h 51m in
Take the exit toward US 5, VT 103: Rockingham, Bellows Falls
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 6
Toward US 5, VT 103: Rockingham, Bellows Falls
6
143.6 mi into trip|~3h 7m in
Take the exit toward VT 313: Arlington, Shaftsbury
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 3
Toward VT 313: Arlington, Shaftsbury
7
143.9 mi into trip|~3h 7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward VT 313: Arlington, Shaftsbury
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward VT 313: Arlington, Shaftsbury
7
145.8 mi into trip|~3h 11m in|VT 7A / Vermont Route 7A
At end of road, turn left onto VT 7A / Vermont Route 7A
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.95 one way
$51.91 round trip
$4.39/gal25.4 MPG avg53 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.90
$28.95
$57.90
premium
$5.27
$31.15
$62.30
diesel
$6.28
$37.09
$74.18
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 52.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
45
0
$15.76
$7.20
Efficient EV
37.5
0
$13.13
$6.00
EV Truck/SUV
60
0
$21.01
$9.61
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 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 Oct 23, 2026
Origin
St Johnsbury, VT
Morning
in St Johnsbury on Saturday
Local time
8:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
28°F
Mostly Clear
N 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Shaftsbury, VT
Morning
in Shaftsbury on Saturday
Local time
8:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
31°F
Clear
N 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
53°F
Rockingham, VT
75 mi in
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
3 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
3h 17m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
near mile 67.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 89% of the drive on faster roads. You'll spend the longest stretch, 93.8 miles, on I-91. After that, expect a transition to surface roads around mile 132 as you head towards Shaftsbury on U.S. Route 7. The initial highway portion means you'll experience more continuous cruising with fewer interruptions.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 93.8 mi on I 91.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 91 and Vermont Route 11. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 5 / Railroad Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 17m drive. You will face about 11 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 (US 5 / Railroad Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 95.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 143.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,889 ft399 ft
Total Climb
1,949 ft
Total Descent
1,637 ft
Highest Point
1,889 ft
~128.6 mi in
Elevation Range
1,490 ft
Notable High Points
1,889 ft at ~128.6 miles+688 ft prominence
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 St Johnsbury, VT to Shaftsbury, VT, road signs begin pointing toward Bellows Falls along the way.
The longest stretch is about 93.8 miles on I 91. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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: near the start (US 5 / Railroad Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 95.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 143.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Shaftsbury, VT, but most travelers stay overnight.
