The City of Gary, IN to Vienna, IN is 238.9 miles and takes about 4h 31m via Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway and I 65, with a fuel budget near $38 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Indiana, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a mix of highway speeds and surface roads as you make your way across the state. With only one recommended stop and a manageable duration, this route is well-suited for a single day of travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
119.4 miles from City of Gary, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 13m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
132.6 mi
2h 25m
I 65
100.1 mi
1h 54m
West 5th Avenue
1.8 mi
3m
South Gardner Street
1.5 mi
2m
US Highway 31
1 mi
1m
West McClain Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Madison Street
0.4 mi
1m
East Main Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
— 132.6 mi, about 2h 25m
Traffic on I-65
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 210 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,041 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,747
Quietest
2 AM
~363 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Gary, IN and Vienna, IN.
1
Start on this road
342 ft·27 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto West 8th Avenue
0.2 mi·33 sec·West 8th Avenue
3
Turn left onto Madison Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Madison Street
4
Turn right onto US 12; US 20
1.8 mi·3 min·West 5th Avenue
5
Turn right onto I 65
133 mi·2 hr 25 min·Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
17 mi·22 min·I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 65
1.9 mi·2 min·I 65
Exit 112AToward I 70 East: Dayton
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
81 mi·1 hr 29 min·I 65
Use the slight left lane.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·40 sec
Exit 29AToward SR 56 East: Scottsburg
10
Turn straight onto SR 56
0.6 mi·1 min·West McClain Avenue
11
Turn right onto US 31
1.5 mi·2 min·South Gardner Street
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on US 31
1.0 mi·1 min·US Highway 31
13
Turn left onto SR 356
0.3 mi·33 sec·East Main Street
14
Arrive at destination
SR 356
Trip Plan
For this 4h 31m drive, leaving Gary, IN in the morning should give you ample daylight to reach Vienna, IN. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility with your departure time. The route data indicates only one recommended stop, so consider pacing yourself to arrive comfortably. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer stretches on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway, and budget around $38 for gas. This route is efficient enough that you can easily adjust your schedule if needed.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 119.4 miles from City of Gary, IN, or about 2h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 132.6 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 53 miles or 1h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 119.4 miles or 2h 13m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Vienna, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving City of Gary, 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 City of Gary, IN
This is one driving day of about 238.9 miles and 4h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 53 miles from City of Gary, IN.
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 Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway for about 132.6 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 236 — 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 8th Avenue
Turn right onto West 8th Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
135.1 mi into trip|~2h 30m in|I 65
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
154 mi into trip|~2h 55m in|I 65
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
5
235.2 mi into trip|~4h 24m in
Take the exit toward SR 56 East: Scottsburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 29A
Toward SR 56 East: Scottsburg
5
236 mi into trip|~4h 26m in|US 31 / South Gardner Street
Turn right onto US 31 / South Gardner Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.45 one way
$64.90 round trip
$3.45/gal25.4 MPG avg84 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.85
$36.21
$72.42
premium
$4.15
$39.03
$78.07
diesel
$3.75
$35.27
$70.54
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 83.6 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
71.7
0
$25.08
$11.47
Efficient EV
59.7
0
$20.90
$9.56
EV Truck/SUV
95.6
1
$33.45
$15.29
Gas CO2
84 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 17, 2026
Origin
City of Gary, IN
Morning
in City of Gary on Sunday
Local time
7:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Sunny
S 5 mph10% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 6:52AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 1:34AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Destination
Vienna, IN
Morning
in Vienna on Sunday
Local time
8:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Sunny
N 6 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 6:52AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 1:34AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
72°F
Beech Grove, IN
119 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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
4h 31m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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.
Indiana Dunes National Park
National Park
Lake Michigan's might has influenced Indiana Dunes for millennia. Wind and waves have shaped the land, leaving a rich mosaic of habitats along these 15 miles of Indiana coast. Over 50 miles of trails...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is about 42% highway, meaning you'll transition from faster interstate speeds to surface roads. You'll encounter a long stretch of 132.6 miles on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway before reaching I 65. Be prepared for more frequent exits and potential slowdowns as you move between these different road types. The profile is mixed highway and surface, so expect a varied driving experience.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 132.6 mi on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West 8th Avenue.
Driving Effort5/10
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 238.9 miles you will encounter 9 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 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 135.1 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 154 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 31m. Total distance: 238.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 132.6 miles on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 31 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.
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 0.1 miles (West 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 135.1 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 154 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Indiana Dunes National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Vienna, IN, but most travelers stay overnight.
