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Trip from Swanton, VT to South Burlington, VT

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

45m

Distance

36.7 mi

59 km

Drive Score

5/10

Practical drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 41m ★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Swanton, VT, VT

Swanton, VT

Andrea Davis

city in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States

South Burlington, VT

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Swanton, VT to South Burlington, VT is 36.7 miles and takes about 45m via I 89, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Vermont, traversing the Northeast region. It's a straightforward, highway-focused drive that's ideal for a quick transfer or a short day trip. You'll spend almost the entire time on major roadways, making it a very efficient connection between these two points. Expect minimal fuss and maximum speed on this short hop.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 36.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

45m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This route is overwhelmingly a highway-focused drive, with 94% of your journey on major roadways like I 89. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 34.7 miles on I 89, which means consistent speed and minimal interruptions. The character of the drive is set by these interstate conditions, offering a predictable and fast pace for the majority of the trip. Expect a smooth transition as you move from I 89 onto local roads like First Street and Williston Road as you approach your destination.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 8 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 89 is the longest continuous segment at about 34.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 89 and First Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near VT 78 / First Street.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Swanton, VT to South Burlington, VT is easy. At 45m with 94% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (VT 78 / First Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles (I 89): Merge point - match speed before joining.

Critical Maneuvers

4 of 4 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | VT 78 / First Street

Turn right onto VT 78 / First Street

Navigation decision point

6
0.8 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the exit toward I 89 South: Saint Albans, Burlington

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 89 South: Saint Albans, Burlington
3
1 mi into trip | ~1m in | I 89

Merge onto I 89

Merge point - match speed before joining

4
35.7 mi into trip | ~41m in

Take the exit toward US 2 East: South Burlington

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward US 2 East: South Burlington

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 89 34.7 mi 40m
First Street 0.8 mi <1m
Williston Road 0.8 mi 2m
Grand Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 89 — 34.7 mi, about 40m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Swanton, VT and South Burlington, VT.

1

Start on US 7

64 ft · 3 sec · Grand Avenue
2

Turn right onto VT 78

0.8 mi · 59 sec · First Street
3

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward I 89 South: Saint Albans, Burlington
4

Merge onto I 89

35 mi · 40 min · I 89
5

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 53 sec
Toward US 2 East: South Burlington
6

Turn straight onto US 2

0.8 mi · 2 min · Williston Road
7

Continue on US 2

87 ft · 2 sec · Williston Road
8

Arrive at destination

US 2

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 18.4 mi from Swanton, VT · 21m into the drive

town in Vermont, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Milton, VT

18 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

Winooski, VT

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 36.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Milton, VT

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18.4 miles from Swanton, VT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in South Burlington, VT

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into South Burlington, VT if you are unfamiliar with the area.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.91 one way

$11.82 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $6.50 $13.00
premium $4.86 $7.03 $14.06
diesel $5.61 $8.10 $16.21

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11 0 $3.85 $1.76
Efficient EV 9.2 0 $3.21 $1.47
EV Truck/SUV 14.7 0 $5.14 $2.35

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (69% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Swanton, VT

Morning in Swanton on Saturday

Local time

11:48 AM

EDT

Current temp

34°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

South Burlington, VT

Morning in South Burlington on Saturday

Local time

11:48 AM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

39°F

Milton, VT

18 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

17 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

45m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Swanton, VT to South Burlington, VT covers 36.7 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 89, First Street, Williston Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 18.4 miles from Swanton, VT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.91 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

The drive from Swanton, VT to South Burlington, VT is easy. At 45m with 94% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (VT 78 / First Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles (I 89): Merge point - match speed before joining.

The route from Swanton, VT to South Burlington, VT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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