Origin
Bloomington, IL
Afternoon in Bloomington on Sunday
Local time
1:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bloomington, IL to Champaign, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
51 mi
82 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
This straightforward 51-mile drive from Bloomington, IL to Champaign, IL is a quick trip, typically taking just over an hour. Designed for a single day, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 89% of it on major roads like I-74. Expect a fuel cost of around $8 for this journey through the Midwest. It's a practical option for a short inter-city hop within Illinois.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 74 | 45.5 mi | 49m |
| South Main Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| North Neil Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| South Center Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| North Madison Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Center Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Chestnut Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 74
— 45.5 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IL and Champaign, IL.
1
Start on US 51 Business
136 ft
·
5 sec
·
North East Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Continue on US 51 Business
396 ft
·
16 sec
·
North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left onto West Chestnut Street
273 ft
·
19 sec
·
West Chestnut Street
4
Turn left onto US 51 Business
393 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Center Street
5
Continue on US 51 Business
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Madison Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Continue on US 51 Business
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Center Street
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on US 51 Business
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 74 East: Champaign
9
Merge onto I 74
45 mi
·
49 min
·
I 74
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 182
Toward Neil Street
11
Keep slight right at fork
140 ft
·
5 sec
Exit 182
Toward Neil Street
12
Turn right onto North Neil Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
North Neil Street
13
Arrive at destination
North Neil Street
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 25.5 miles from Bloomington, IL, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 49.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Chestnut Street
Turn left onto West Chestnut Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 51 Business / North Center Street
Turn left onto US 51 Business / North Center Street
Navigation decision point
5
4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 74
Merge onto I 74
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
5
49.5 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward Neil Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 182
Toward Neil Street
7
49.8 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Neil Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 182
Toward Neil Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.97 one way
$15.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.75 | $17.51 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.81 | $19.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.26 | $22.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.8 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 | 15.3 | 0 | $5.35 | $2.45 |
| Efficient EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.46 | $2.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.14 | $3.26 |
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
Champaign, IL
Afternoon in Champaign on Sunday
Local time
1:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Empire, IL
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
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
1h 2m 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?
Get ready for a predominantly highway experience, with 89% of your journey on major routes like I-74. You'll encounter a significant uninterrupted stretch of 45.5 miles on I-74, offering a consistent pace. While the bulk of the drive is on the interstate, you'll transition onto South Main Street and North Neil Street as you approach your destination. This profile suggests a drive that's efficient and direct, with minimal distractions from local traffic for most of the way.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 45.5 mi on I 74.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 74 and South Main Street. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West Chestnut 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 51 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 0.1 miles (West Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 51 Business / North Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (I 74): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Bloomington, IL
Full guide →Bloomington, pop. 77,000 (2010 census), is a city in the Midwestern state of Illinois in the United States of America, on the classic Route 66 highway across the country. With neighboring Normal, pop. 52,000 (2010 census), it forms a combined community of about 130,000 known locally as the Twin Cities. Illinois Wesleyan University is in Bloomington, and is not to be confused with Illinois State University in Normal.
Top landmarks
- • David Davis Mansion — house museum in Bloomington, Illinois
- • Bloomington Central Business District — historic and central business district in Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois,...
- • George H. Miller House — Bloomington, Illinois, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Arriving in Champaign, IL
Full guide →Founded 1855
Champaign-Urbana is a metropolitan area in central Illinois, composed of the towns of Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy. The community is the site of the main campus of the University of Illinois, one of the great public universities of the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Orpheum Theatre — theater and movie theater in Champaign, Illinois, United States
- • Virginia Theatre — movie theater in Champaign, Illinois, United States
- • Cattle Bank — bank building in Champaign, United States of America
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 1h 2m. Total distance: 51 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 45.5 miles on I 74. 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 0.1 miles (West Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 51 Business / North Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (I 74): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Champaign, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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