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Trip from Charleston, IL to Peoria, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 40m

Distance

142.9 mi

230 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$22

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

21 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min
4 AM
2h 30m ★
6 AM
2h 40m
8 AM
3h 1m
10 AM
2h 48m
12 PM
2h 46m
3 PM
2h 49m
5 PM
3h 0m
8 PM
2h 34m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in and the county seat of Coles County, Illinois, United States

Charleston, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Peoria, IL, IL

Peoria, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 142.9-mile drive from Charleston, IL, to Peoria, IL, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes. Primarily utilizing I-74 and I-57, with a segment on Illinois Route 16, this route is heavily focused on highway travel, with 97% of it being on major roadways. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $22, making it an economical option. Given its relatively short duration and highway-centric profile, it's a straightforward trip across the Midwest, perfect for those seeking a direct connection between these two Illinois cities without extensive detours.

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

71.4 miles from Charleston, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 21m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 74 85.8 mi 1h 33m
I 57 47.4 mi 50m
Illinois Route 16 5.3 mi 7m
Lincoln Avenue 1.7 mi 2m
4th Street 0.8 mi 1m
Charleston Avenue East 0.4 mi <1m
IL 29 0.2 mi <1m
Northeast Jefferson Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 74 — 85.8 mi, about 1h 33m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Charleston, IL and Peoria, IL.

1

Start on Madison Avenue

478 ft · 20 sec · Madison Avenue
2

Turn left onto 4th Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · 4th Street
3

Turn right onto IL 16

1.7 mi · 2 min · Lincoln Avenue
4

Continue on IL 16

5.3 mi · 7 min · Illinois Route 16
5

Continue on IL 16

0.4 mi · 38 sec · Charleston Avenue East
6

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I-57 North: Champaign
7

Merge onto I 57

47 mi · 50 min · I 57
8

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 237B Toward I 74 West: Peoria
9

Merge onto I 74

51 mi · 55 min · I 74
10

Take the exit onto I 74

28 mi · 30 min · I 74
Toward I 74 West: Peoria
11

Keep slight right at fork onto I 74

6.0 mi · 7 min · I 74
Toward I 74 West: Peoria
12

Take the exit onto IL 29

0.2 mi · 23 sec · IL 29
Toward IL 29 North: Downtown Peoria
13

Continue on Spalding Avenue

452 ft · 20 sec · Spalding Avenue
14

Turn left onto IL 29

0.2 mi · 16 sec · Northeast Jefferson Avenue
15

Arrive at destination

Northeast Jefferson Avenue

Trip Plan

For this efficient 142.9-mile drive, you have the flexibility to depart at your convenience, though an early start can help you beat any potential mid-day traffic. With a total duration of just 2 hours and 40 minutes and an estimated fuel cost of $22, you won't need to plan for extensive stops. The longest stretch without a major road change is 85.8 miles on I-74, so consider a brief break before embarking on that segment. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before entering longer highway sections, to ensure a smooth and uninterrupted journey to Peoria.

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 71.4 miles from Charleston, IL, or about 1h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 85.8 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 31 miles or 37m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 71.4 miles or 1h 21m 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 10m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Peoria, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Charleston, 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 Charleston, IL

This is one driving day of about 142.9 miles and 2h 40m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from Charleston, 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 I 74 for about 85.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Empire, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Empire, IL

71 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

Tuscola, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Empire, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 71.4 miles from Charleston, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 74 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 85.8 miles.

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

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Best meal stop · home stretch

Haddad's Restaurant

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Peoria, Illinois

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch · 0min to go 1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20

Hours: 11 am–7:30 pm

+13096725339

Haddad's Restaurant

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20

Peoria, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–7:30 pm

+13096725339

Red Herring Vegetarian Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

Early stretch 4.6 mi from route ~12 min detour $10 to $20

Urbana, Illinois

+12173672340

Visit website

Basil Thai At Urbana

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

Early stretch 4.8 mi from route ~12 min detour $10 to $20

Urbana, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–8:30 pm

+12173448662

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour

East Peoria, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

InCharge Charging Station

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour

Morton, Illinois

+13092913039

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Early stretch 1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour

Champaign, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour

East Peoria, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour

East Peoria, Illinois

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

2.5 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Peoria, Illinois

ChargePoint Charging Station

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour

Peoria, Illinois

Hours: 5 am–12 pm

+18887584389

Visit website

Circle K Charging Station

3.0 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour

Morton, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18335052291

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 142.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.9 mi into trip | ~2m in | IL 16 / Lincoln Avenue

Turn right onto IL 16 / Lincoln Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
56.2 mi into trip | ~1h 4m in

Take the exit toward I 74 West: Peoria

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 237B Toward I 74 West: Peoria
4
108 mi into trip | ~2h 1m in | I 74

Take the exit onto I 74 toward I 74 West: Peoria

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward I 74 West: Peoria
5
136.5 mi into trip | ~2h 31m in | I 74

Keep slight right at fork onto I 74 toward I 74 West: Peoria

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 74 West: Peoria
5
142.7 mi into trip | ~2h 39m in | IL 29 / Northeast Jefferson Avenue

Turn left onto IL 29 / Northeast Jefferson Avenue

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$22.34 one way

$44.68 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 50 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $24.53 $49.06
premium $4.89 $27.50 $55.00
diesel $5.61 $31.55 $63.10

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$22

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$47–$72

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 50 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

21 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

County Market - Tesla Supercharger

Champaign, IL

Tesla

12 DCFC

Meijer - Tesla Supercharger

Champaign, IL

Tesla

8 DCFC

Meijer 146 (Champaign, IL)

Champaign, IL

Electrify America

6 DCFC

Jack Flash Arcola IL

Arcola, IL

RED_E

4 DCFC

Caseys Arcola

Arcola, IL

RED_E

4 DCFC

CircleK - Champaign, IL

Champaign, IL

CIRCLE_K

4 DCFC

Americas Best Value Inn Champaign

Champaign, IL

UNIVERSAL

4 DCFC

Champaign Ford City

Champaign, IL

FORD_CHARGE

4 DCFC

ChargePoint Network: 6 EV Connect: 2 Blink Network: 2 Non-Networked: 2 RED_E: 2 Tesla: 2 CIRCLE_K: 1 UNIVERSAL: 1 Electrify America: 1 FORD_CHARGE: 1 FCN: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 42.9 0 $15.00 $6.86
Efficient EV 35.7 0 $12.50 $5.72
EV Truck/SUV 57.2 0 $20.01 $9.15

Gas CO2

50 kg

EV CO2

17 kg (66% 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 21, 2026

Origin

Charleston, IL

Late night in Charleston on Tuesday

Local time

5:18 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Partly Cloudy

S 9 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 20 at 9:38PM CDT until April 21 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 20 at 9:38PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Destination

Peoria, IL

Late night in Peoria on Tuesday

Local time

5:18 AM

CDT

Current temp

49°F

Partly Cloudy

SSW 8 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 20 at 9:38PM CDT until April 21 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 20 at 9:38PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

69°F

Empire, IL

71 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

3 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 40m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this route, with 97% of the drive occurring on major interstates and state routes. You'll encounter an 85.8-mile stretch on I-74, representing the longest uninterrupted segment, so be prepared for extended periods of consistent driving. While the majority of the journey is on high-speed roadways designed for efficient travel, the inclusion of Illinois Route 16 might offer a slight change of pace before you rejoin the main interstates. This profile suggests a drive characterized by steady progress rather than winding, scenic byways.

97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 85.8 mi on I 74.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 74 and I 57. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near IL 16 / Lincoln Avenue.

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 142.9 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.9 miles (IL 16 / Lincoln Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 56.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 108 miles (I 74): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

About the Cities

Starting in Charleston, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1831

Arriving in Peoria, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1680

Peoria is a city in Illinois and the county seat of Peoria County. It serves as a regional hub for the primarily rural and agricultural center of the state. Peoria is a small but diverse city of approximately 115,000 people that anchors a three-county metropolitan area of nearly 400,000.

Top landmarks

  • • Madison Theatre — theater and former movie theater in Peoria, Illinois, United States
  • • Hotel Père Marquette — hotel in downtown Peoria, Illinois
  • • Illinois Waterway Project Office — U.S. Army Core of Engineers facility in Peoria, Illinois

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 2h 40m. Total distance: 142.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 85.8 miles on I 74. 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: at 0.9 miles (IL 16 / Lincoln Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 56.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 108 miles (I 74): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Peoria, 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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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