Traveling from Carthage to Springfield covers 106 miles of Illinois landscape, typically taking about 2 hours and 3 minutes to complete. Because this is a relatively short trip, you can easily manage it as a single-day excursion without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $16 for fuel to cover the distance. The route utilizes a mix of local thoroughfares, including Buchanan Street, E County Road 1500, and the Chicago-Kansas City Expressway. Since both cities are located within the Midwest, you will experience a consistent regional atmosphere throughout your journey. It is a straightforward drive that serves as a practical connection between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
55.4 miles from Carthage, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 14m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
IL 125
37.1 mi
53m
East 1500th Street
35.2 mi
48m
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
21.2 mi
24m
IL 97
8.1 mi
13m
US 136
3.9 mi
7m
East Jackson Street
2.8 mi
3m
Buchanan Street
0.8 mi
1m
E County Road 1500
0.6 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
IL 125
— 37.1 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carthage, IL and Springfield, IL.
1
Start on IL 94
62 ft·6 sec·North Madison Street
2
Turn left onto US 136; IL 94
0.8 mi·1 min·Buchanan Street
3
Continue on US 136; IL 94
0.6 mi·51 sec·E County Road 1500
4
Take the ramp
84 ft·3 sec
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto US 136
0.4 mi·52 sec·US 136
6
Merge onto US 136; IL 110; IL 336
21 mi·24 min·Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi·55 sec
8
Turn right onto US 136
3.6 mi·6 min·US 136
9
Turn right onto West Side Square
0.1 mi·22 sec·West Side Square
10
Turn right onto East Jackson Street
2.8 mi·3 min·East Jackson Street
11
Turn right onto US 67
35 mi·48 min·East 1500th Street
12
Continue on IL 125
25 mi·35 min·IL 125
13
Continue on IL 125
11 mi·16 min·IL 125
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on IL 125
0.9 mi·1 min·IL 125
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on IL 97
8.1 mi·13 min·IL 97
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn right onto North 7th Street
0.2 mi·32 sec·North 7th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn left onto East Washington Street
0.1 mi·23 sec·East Washington Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
East Washington Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a quick 106-mile trip with no planned stops, you have the flexibility to depart whenever fits your schedule best. Keep in mind that the lack of highway driving means your travel time might be more sensitive to local traffic or road conditions than a typical interstate route. Fill up your tank before you leave Carthage, as your $16 fuel budget will be easier to manage if you start with a full tank. Because the route is turn-heavy, double-check your navigation settings before pulling away to ensure you stay on track through the various local road transitions. Enjoy the freedom of a short, manageable drive that lets you reach your destination in just over two hours.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 55.4 miles from Carthage, IL, or about 1h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37.1 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 24 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 55.4 miles or 1h 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Springfield, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Carthage, IL 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 Carthage, IL
This is one driving day of about 110.9 miles and 2h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Carthage, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on IL 125 for about 37.1 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 110.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 136; IL 94 / Buchanan Street
Turn left onto US 136; IL 94 / Buchanan Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.4 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
23.7 mi into trip|~28m in|US 136
Turn right onto US 136
Navigation decision point
6
110.6 mi into trip|~2h 36m in|North 7th Street
Turn right onto North 7th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
110.7 mi into trip|~2h 36m in|East Washington Street
Turn left onto East Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.34 one way
$34.68 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg39 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$19.04
$38.07
premium
$4.89
$21.34
$42.68
diesel
$5.61
$24.49
$48.97
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: 38.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
33.3
0
$11.64
$5.32
Efficient EV
27.7
0
$9.70
$4.44
EV Truck/SUV
44.4
0
$15.53
$7.10
Gas CO2
39 kg
EV CO2
13 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
Carthage, IL
Late night
in Carthage on Tuesday
Local time
5:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Springfield, IL
Late night
in Springfield on Tuesday
Local time
5:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
5 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 37m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
In August 1908, a large White mob attacked the Black community in Springfield, Illinois. Rioters destroyed homes and businesses and lynched two men. The event led to the founding of the National Assoc...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features zero percent highway share. You will navigate primarily through local roads, meaning there are no long, uninterrupted stretches of highway to zone out on; in fact, the longest stretch on Buchanan Street is 0 miles. This journey requires your full attention as you transition between local roads and the Chicago-Kansas City Expressway. The road's personality is defined by its technical nature, which keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Prepare for frequent adjustments and turns as you make your way across the state.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.1 mi on IL 125.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on IL 125 and East 1500th Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 136; IL 94 / Buchanan Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 37m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 136; IL 94 / Buchanan Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles (US 136): Navigation decision point.
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
The longest stretch is about 37.1 miles on IL 125. 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.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 136; IL 94 / Buchanan Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles (US 136): Navigation decision point.
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.
