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Trip from Dayton, OH to Hamilton, OH

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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

50m

Distance

38.3 mi

62 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 46m ★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m

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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Downtown Dayton, OH, OH

Dayton, OH

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Hamilton, OH, OH

Hamilton, OH

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 38.3-mile drive from Dayton to Hamilton, Ohio, can be completed in about 50 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. With a fuel cost estimated at $6, it's an economical option for a quick excursion within the Midwest region. The route primarily utilizes I-75, with some segments on Hamilton Middletown Road and Hamilton Lebanon Road East. Since there are no recommended stops and the drive is quite short, you have the flexibility to depart at any time that suits your schedule. This journey is perfect for a spontaneous outing or an easy commute between these two Ohio cities.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 75 22.8 mi 26m
Hamilton Middletown Road 6.5 mi 7m
Hamilton Lebanon Road East 4.5 mi 7m
High Street 0.8 mi 1m
North Erie Boulevard 0.6 mi <1m
Fairgrove Avenue 0.6 mi <1m
South Ludlow Street 0.4 mi <1m
US 35 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 75 — 22.8 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Dayton, OH and Hamilton, OH.

1

Start on South Main Street

303 ft · 12 sec · South Main Street
2

Turn right onto West 4th Street

512 ft · 17 sec · West 4th Street
3

Turn left onto SR 48

0.4 mi · 40 sec · South Ludlow Street
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward US 35 West: Eaton
5

Merge onto US 35

0.3 mi · 16 sec · US 35
6

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 15 sec
Toward I 75 South, I 75 North, SR 4 North: Cincinnati, Toledo Use the slight right lane.
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward I 75 South: Cincinnati
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward I 75 South: Cincinnati Use the slight left lane.
9

Merge onto I 75

23 mi · 26 min · I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Exit 29 Toward SR 63: Monroe, Lebanon Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 17 sec
Toward SR 63 West: Monroe Use the right lane.
12

Turn straight onto SR 63

4.5 mi · 7 min · Hamilton Lebanon Road East
Use the straight lane.
13

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward SR 4 North: Middletown
14

Keep slight left at fork

262 ft · 7 sec
15

Turn left onto SR 4

6.5 mi · 7 min · Hamilton Middletown Road
Use the straight lane.
16

Continue on SR 4

0.6 mi · 43 sec · Fairgrove Avenue
17

Continue on SR 4

0.6 mi · 51 sec · North Erie Boulevard
18

Turn right onto SR 128; SR 129; SR 177

0.8 mi · 1 min · High Street
Use the right lane.
19

Continue on SR 129; SR 177

228 ft · 15 sec · High Street
Use the left lane.
20

Arrive at destination

SR 129; SR 177

Where to Stop

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

city in Warren County, Ohio, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mason, OH

19 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

New Miami, OH

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Franklin, OH

Meal break

The midpoint is around 19.1 miles from Dayton, OH, 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 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 37.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
1.1 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the exit toward I 75 South, I 75 North, SR 4 North: Cincinnati, Toledo

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 75 South, I 75 North, SR 4 North: Cinc...
7
1.6 mi into trip | ~3m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 75 South: Cincinnati

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 75 South: Cincinnati
8
24.6 mi into trip | ~30m in

Take the exit toward SR 63: Monroe, Lebanon

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 29 Toward SR 63: Monroe, Lebanon
8
24.9 mi into trip | ~30m in

Keep slight right at fork toward SR 63 West: Monroe

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward SR 63 West: Monroe
6
37.4 mi into trip | ~48m in | SR 128; SR 129; SR 177 / High Street

Turn right onto SR 128; SR 129; SR 177 / High Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.94 one way

$11.89 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.38 $6.60 $13.19
premium $4.91 $7.40 $14.80
diesel $5.61 $8.46 $16.91

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.5 0 $4.02 $1.84
Efficient EV 9.6 0 $3.35 $1.53
EV Truck/SUV 15.3 0 $5.36 $2.45

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (69% 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

Dayton, OH

Morning in Dayton on Tuesday

Local time

7:30 AM

EDT

Current temp

77°F

Mostly Sunny

S 7 to 21 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 21 at 2:52AM EDT until April 23 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 21 at 2:52AM EDT until April 24 at 4:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

Destination

Hamilton, OH

Morning in Hamilton on Tuesday

Local time

7:30 AM

EDT

Current temp

77°F

Mostly Sunny

S 3 to 15 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 21 at 2:52AM EDT until April 23 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 21 at 2:52AM EDT until April 24 at 4:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

50m 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 mixed drive experience on this route, with 60% of it being highway driving. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 22.8 miles on I-75, offering a chance to maintain a steady pace. As you transition off the interstate onto local roads like Hamilton Middletown Road and Hamilton Lebanon Road East, the character of the drive will shift. This blend means you'll experience both the efficiency of highway travel and the more local feel of driving through communities.

60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.8 mi on I 75.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 38.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Dayton, OH to Hamilton, OH, road signs begin pointing toward Lebanon along the way.

Lebanon

24.6 mi in | ~30m

About the Cities

Starting in Dayton, OH

Full guide →

Founded 1796

Top landmarks

  • • National Museum of the United States Air Force — aerospace museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, United States
  • • Wright Flyer III — third powered aircraft built by the Wright brothers
  • • Dayton Art Institute — art museum and school in Dayton, Ohio

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 50m. Total distance: 38.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

50m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 22.8 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Hamilton, OH before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

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 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park and Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers 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 Hamilton, OH 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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