Bloomington, IN to Alexandria, IN is 106 miles and takes about 2h 11m via I 69, with a fuel budget near $17 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, exclusively traversing Indiana. The route is primarily highway driving, making it a straightforward and efficient option for a quick trip. Given its short duration and minimal stops, it’s ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination with plenty of time left in your day.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53 miles from Bloomington, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 69
63.8 mi
1h 13m
SR 37
14.4 mi
16m
IN-37
13.7 mi
18m
1200 North
6.1 mi
8m
North Walnut Street
4.4 mi
6m
Cleveland Street
1.2 mi
1m
Lincoln Avenue
1 mi
1m
East Washington Street
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 69
— 63.8 mi, about 1h 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IN and Alexandria, IN.
1
Start on this road
99 ft·11 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto South Indiana Avenue
0.2 mi·39 sec·South Indiana Avenue
3
Turn left onto East 7th Street
0.4 mi·1 min·East 7th Street
4
Turn right onto North Walnut Street
4.4 mi·6 min·North Walnut Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·44 sec
6
Merge onto I 69
48 mi·53 min·I 69
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on I 69; I 465
12 mi·13 min·I 69; I 465
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 69
4.2 mi·5 min·I 69
Exit 37Toward I 69 North: Fort Wayne
9
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 37
3.4 mi·4 min·IN-37
Exit 205Toward SR 37 North: 116th StreetUse the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto SR 37
0.6 mi·56 sec·IN-37
11
Keep slight left at fork onto SR 37
9.7 mi·13 min·IN-37
12
Enter roundabout onto SR 37
93 ft·1 sec·SR 37
13
Continue on SR 37
14 mi·16 min·SR 37
14
Turn right onto SR 28
6.1 mi·8 min·1200 North
15
Continue on SR 28
1.2 mi·1 min·Cleveland Street
16
Turn right onto SR 9
1.0 mi·1 min·Lincoln Avenue
17
Turn right onto East Washington Street
0.4 mi·1 min·East Washington Street
18
Turn right onto North Canal Street
61 ft·2 sec·North Canal Street
19
Arrive at destination
North Canal Street
Trip Plan
Given this is a 106-mile drive taking just over two hours, you have a lot of flexibility. Leaving anytime in the morning or early afternoon should allow ample time to reach Alexandria before dark. With only a $17 fuel budget, you likely won't need to make a dedicated fuel stop, but it's always wise to start with a full tank. Since the longest stretch on I 69 is about an hour, consider this portion for a good rhythm before you might encounter more varied road conditions closer to Alexandria.
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 53 miles from Bloomington, IN, or about 1h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.8 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 23 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53 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 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alexandria, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bloomington, IN 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 Bloomington, IN
This is one driving day of about 106 miles and 2h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Bloomington, IN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 69 for about 63.8 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 69.2 — 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|South Indiana Avenue
Turn right onto South Indiana Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|North Walnut Street
Turn right onto North Walnut Street
Navigation decision point
5
5.4 mi into trip|~9m in|I 69
Merge onto I 69
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
65 mi into trip|~1h 16m in|I 69
Keep slight right at fork onto I 69 toward I 69 North: Fort Wayne
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 37
Toward I 69 North: Fort Wayne
8
69.2 mi into trip|~1h 22m in|SR 37 / IN-37
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 37 / IN-37 toward SR 37 North: 116th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 205
Toward SR 37 North: 116th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.57 one way
$33.14 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$18.20
$36.39
premium
$4.89
$20.40
$40.80
diesel
$5.61
$23.40
$46.81
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.8
0
$11.13
$5.09
Efficient EV
26.5
0
$9.27
$4.24
EV Truck/SUV
42.4
0
$14.84
$6.78
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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 19, 2026
Origin
Bloomington, IN
Morning
in Bloomington on Sunday
Local time
10:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Patchy Frost
WNW 6 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 9:53PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 9:53PM EDT until April 24 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Destination
Alexandria, IN
Morning
in Alexandria on Sunday
Local time
10:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
75°F
Beech Grove, IN
53 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
15 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
2h 11m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend 87% of this 106-mile drive on highways, with the longest continuous stretch covering 63.8 miles on I 69. Expect mostly highway cruising for the bulk of your travel. The transition to surface roads will occur as you approach your destination, meaning you’ll encounter more local traffic and potentially denser intersections in the final miles.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 63.8 mi on I 69.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 69 and SR 37. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Indiana Avenue.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 106 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Indiana Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (North Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (I 69): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Bloomington is a city of 86,000 people (2019) in Southern Indiana. Bloomington is home to the flagship campus of Indiana University (IU) and therefore also the IU Hoosiers sports teams. As it is the largest city in the region, it serves as the de facto employment, service, and shopping center for several adjacent counties.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 11m. Total distance: 106 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 63.8 miles on I 69. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Alexandria, IN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. There are 4 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Indiana Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (North Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (I 69): 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 Alexandria, IN before heading back.
