Origin
Auburn, IL
Morning in Auburn on Tuesday
Local time
7:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Auburn, IL to Springfield, IL
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
31m
Distance
20.6 mi
33 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburn, IL
Dominik Gryzbon
Springfield, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion between Auburn and Springfield, Illinois, you can expect a straightforward trip covering 20.6 miles. The drive typically takes about 31 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via I-55, West Jackson Street, and I-55 Business to reach your destination. With a modest fuel cost of approximately $3, this is an incredibly budget-friendly route within the Midwest. Because the duration is so brief, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule rather than worrying about lengthy road fatigue.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 9.6 mi | 10m |
| West Jackson Street | 5.5 mi | 8m |
| I 55 Business | 4.6 mi | 10m |
| East Washington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North 5th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Old State Capitol Plaza | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 9.6 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, IL and Springfield, IL.
1
Start on North 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
North 5th Street
2
Turn left onto IL 104
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
West Jackson Street
3
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
4
Merge onto I 55
9.6 mi
·
10 min
·
I 55
5
Take the exit onto I 55 Business
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 55 Business
Toward I 55 Business North: Springfield
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 Business
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
I 55 Business
Toward I 55 Business North: Springfield
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 Business
3.8 mi
·
8 min
·
I 55 Business
Toward I 55 Business North: Springfield
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on East Old State Capitol Plaza
409 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Old State Capitol Plaza
9
Turn right onto East Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
East Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Arrive at destination
East Washington Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 20.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 104 / West Jackson Street
Turn left onto IL 104 / West Jackson Street
Navigation decision point
4
15.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
I 55 Business
Take the exit onto I 55 Business toward I 55 Business North: Springfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 55 Business North: Springfield
5
16.4 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 55 Business
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 Business toward I 55 Business North: Springfield
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 55 Business North: Springfield
7
16.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 55 Business
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 Business toward I 55 Business North: Springfield
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
Toward I 55 Business North: Springfield
7
20.4 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
East Washington Street
Turn right onto East Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.22 one way
$6.44 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.54 | $7.07 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.96 | $7.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.55 | $9.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.16 | $0.99 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.80 | $0.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.88 | $1.32 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Springfield, IL
Morning in Springfield on Tuesday
Local time
7:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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
31m 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 highway-focused drive relies heavily on major thoroughfares, with 69% of your time spent on the interstate. You will find that the roads are designed for efficiency, highlighted by a longest uninterrupted stretch of 9.6 miles on I-55. The journey shifts from the more localized feel of Auburn streets onto the faster-paced interstate before transitioning into the I-55 Business corridor as you approach Springfield. Expect a consistent, functional experience behind the wheel that prioritizes speed over winding, scenic detours. It is a no-nonsense commute that gets you from point A to point B with minimal complexity.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.6 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and West Jackson Street. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near IL 104 / West Jackson Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 20.6 miles you will encounter 7 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 0.2 miles (IL 104 / West Jackson Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.7 miles (I 55 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 16.4 miles (I 55 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Arriving in Springfield, IL
Full guide →Founded 1840
Springfield is a city in the center of the state of Illinois. It is the state's capital — not Chicago — and the county seat of Sangamon County. Springfield is best known for its most famous resident, Abraham Lincoln, and there are several historic sites that are dedicated to him.
Top landmarks
- • Illinois State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Illinois
- • Lincoln Tomb — tomb of U.S. president Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, United States
- • Lincoln Home National Historic Site — national historic site in Illinois, USA
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 20.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.6 miles on I 55. 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (IL 104 / West Jackson Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.7 miles (I 55 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 16.4 miles (I 55 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Springfield, IL 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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