Origin
Gary, IN
Late night in Gary on Sunday
Local time
2:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gary, IN to South Bend, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
66.2 mi
107 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gary, IN
Wikimedia Commons
South Bend, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Gary, IN to South Bend, IN is 66.2 miles and takes about 1h 18m via Indiana Toll Road, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Indiana, connecting two key points in the Midwest. Expect a route with frequent turns once you leave the main toll road. Given the short distance and modest fuel cost, this trip is easily manageable as a same-day excursion, offering flexibility in your departure time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Toll Road | 61.4 mi | 1h 7m |
| North Michigan Street | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| West 5th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Harrison Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Broadway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Harrison Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 10th Place | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Navarre Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Indiana Toll Road
— 61.4 mi, about 1h 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gary, IN and South Bend, IN.
1
Start on 10th Place
254 ft
·
15 sec
·
10th Place
2
Turn right onto Harrison Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Harrison Boulevard
3
Continue on Harrison Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Harrison Street
4
Turn right onto US 12; US 20
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West 5th Avenue
5
Turn left onto SR 53
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Broadway
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 90 East
7
Merge onto I 90
61 mi
·
1 hr 7 min
·
Indiana Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward SR 933, BUS US 31: South Bend, Notre Dame
9
Turn right onto SR 933
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
North Michigan Street
10
Enter roundabout onto SR 933; BUS US 31
156 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Michigan Street
11
Continue on SR 933; BUS US 31
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Michigan Street
12
Turn left onto East Navarre Street
131 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Navarre Street
13
Arrive at destination
East Navarre Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.1 miles from Gary, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Indiana Toll Road if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 61.4 miles.
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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 63.1 — 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
|
Harrison Boulevard
Turn right onto Harrison Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 12; US 20 / West 5th Avenue
Turn right onto US 12; US 20 / West 5th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 East
Navigation decision point
Toward I 90 East
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 90 / Indiana Toll Road
Merge onto I 90 / Indiana Toll Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
63.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward SR 933, BUS US 31: South Bend, Notre Dame
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward SR 933, BUS US 31: South Bend, Notre Dam...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.35 one way
$20.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.36 | $22.73 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.74 | $25.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.62 | $29.23 |
Estimated Tolls: $4.30
Indiana Toll Road
(61.4 mi)
$4.30
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$4
Total
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.95 | $3.18 |
| Efficient EV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.5 | 0 | $9.27 | $4.24 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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.
Destination
South Bend, IN
Late night in South Bend on Sunday
Local time
3:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
13 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 18m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized by its turn-heavy local drive, with only a small portion on the Indiana Toll Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 61.4 miles on the Indiana Toll Road, offering a period of consistent travel. After that, prepare for more varied road conditions and frequent directional changes as you navigate local streets. The highway share is 0%, indicating that the majority of your journey will be on non-highway roads.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 61.4 mi on Indiana Toll Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Harrison Boulevard.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 18m drive. You will face about 9 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 (Harrison Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (US 12; US 20 / West 5th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 66.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 61.4 miles on Indiana Toll Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $4.30 in tolls one way, starting with Indiana Toll Road. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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: near the start (Harrison Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (US 12; US 20 / West 5th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes — Indiana Dunes National Park. 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 South Bend, IN 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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