Wells, VT to Burlington, VT is 78.5 miles and takes about 2h 11m via Vermont Route 22A North and Ethan Allen Highway, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Vermont, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a drive that's mostly on highways, making it a straightforward journey. It's a good option if you're looking for a relatively quick connection between these two points in the Green Mountain State.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.3 miles from Wells, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Vermont Route 22A North
39.2 mi
1h 1m
Ethan Allen Highway
12.3 mi
19m
Vermont Route 30
7.8 mi
13m
Shelburne Road
6.8 mi
13m
State Highway 22A
2.9 mi
4m
South Main Street
1.9 mi
2m
West Main Street
1.5 mi
4m
Shelburne Street
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Vermont Route 22A North
— 39.2 mi, about 1h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wells, VT and Burlington, VT.
1
Start on VT 30
7.8 mi·13 min·Vermont Route 30
2
Turn left onto VT 30
0.3 mi·49 sec·Furnace Street
3
Turn right onto VT 30
444 ft·17 sec·Grove Street
4
Continue on VT 30
0.1 mi·21 sec·Beaman Street
5
Turn left onto Church Street
0.2 mi·36 sec·Church Street
6
Turn right onto York Street
0.7 mi·2 min·York Street
7
Continue on CR18A
0.2 mi·22 sec·CR18A
8
Turn right onto NY 22A
2.9 mi·4 min·State Highway 22A
9
Continue on VT 22A
1.9 mi·2 min·South Main Street
10
Turn slight left onto VT 22A
0.1 mi·11 sec·North Park Place
11
Turn right onto VT 22A
1.0 mi·1 min·Washington Street
12
Continue on Vermont Route 22A North
39 mi·1 hr 1 min·Vermont Route 22A North
13
Continue on VT 22A
1.5 mi·4 min·West Main Street
14
Turn right onto Monkton Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Monkton Road
15
Turn left onto US 7
0.9 mi·1 min·U.S. Route 7
16
Continue on US 7
12 mi·19 min·Ethan Allen Highway
17
Continue on US 7
6.8 mi·13 min·Shelburne Road
18
Continue on US 7
1.0 mi·2 min·Shelburne Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Enter roundabout onto US 7
139 ft·2 sec·Shelburne Street
20
Continue on US 7
0.1 mi·11 sec·Shelburne Street
21
Continue on US 7 Alternate
0.8 mi·2 min·Saint Paul Street
22
Turn right onto Main Street
504 ft·19 sec·Main Street
Use the right lane.
23
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
Given the manageable 2h 11m duration, this trip is easily accomplished in a single day. Consider departing mid-morning to avoid any early rush and allow for a relaxed start. With no designated stops in the data, you can decide on rest breaks as needed, perhaps stopping once around the halfway point if you prefer. A key tip for this route is to keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longest stretch on Vermont Route 22A North, as services might be less frequent than on interstate highways.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.3 miles from Wells, VT, or about 1h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 39.2 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 17 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.3 miles or 1h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Burlington, VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wells, 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 Wells, VT
This is one driving day of about 78.5 miles and 2h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Wells, VT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Vermont Route 22A North for about 39.2 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 7.8 and 78.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
7.8 mi into trip|~13m in|VT 30 / Furnace Street
Turn left onto VT 30 / Furnace Street
Navigation decision point
5
8.1 mi into trip|~14m in|VT 30 / Grove Street
Turn right onto VT 30 / Grove Street
Navigation decision point
4
8.3 mi into trip|~14m in|Church Street
Turn left onto Church Street
Navigation decision point
4
9.4 mi into trip|~17m in|NY 22A / State Highway 22A
Turn right onto NY 22A / State Highway 22A
Navigation decision point
6
78.4 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|Main Street
Turn right onto Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.64 one way
$25.27 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$13.90
$27.81
premium
$4.86
$15.03
$30.06
diesel
$5.61
$17.33
$34.66
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.6
0
$8.24
$3.77
Efficient EV
19.6
0
$6.87
$3.14
EV Truck/SUV
31.4
0
$10.99
$5.02
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Wells, VT
Morning
in Wells on Tuesday
Local time
6:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Burlington, VT
Morning
in Burlington on Tuesday
Local time
6:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
41°F
Addison, VT
39 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
6 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
2h 11m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is primarily highway-focused, with 65% of the drive utilizing major roadways. You'll encounter a significant uninterrupted stretch of 39.2 miles on Vermont Route 22A North, offering a consistent pace. The Ethan Allen Highway and Vermont Route 30 will also form key parts of your journey, contributing to the overall highway feel. Be prepared for a drive that prioritizes efficient travel over winding scenic byways.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.2 mi on Vermont Route 22A North.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Vermont Route 22A North and Ethan Allen Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 7.8 miles in near VT 30 / Furnace Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 11m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.8 miles (VT 30 / Furnace Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.1 miles (VT 30 / Grove Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.3 miles (Church Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 11m. Total distance: 78.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 39.2 miles on Vermont Route 22A North. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 7.8 miles (VT 30 / Furnace Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.1 miles (VT 30 / Grove Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.3 miles (Church Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Burlington, VT before heading back.
