Granite City, IL to Bremen, IL is 71.4 miles and takes about 1h 40m via IL 3, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, taking you from one Illinois community to another. It's a relatively short trip, meaning you won't spend all day in the car. The route offers a mix of highway and surface roads, so expect some variety in your driving experience. Given the short duration, this trip is best suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility without feeling rushed.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
35.7 miles from Granite City, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
IL 3
23.3 mi
28m
New Missouri Avenue
9.6 mi
11m
Main Street
8 mi
11m
South Illinois Street
7.2 mi
10m
State Route 159
6.1 mi
9m
State Street
6.1 mi
10m
Missouri Avenue
2.9 mi
4m
IL 203
2.8 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
IL 3
— 23.3 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Granite City, IL and Bremen, IL.
1
Start on Niedringhaus Avenue
73 ft·2 sec·Niedringhaus Avenue
2
Turn left onto Edison Avenue
0.1 mi·33 sec·Edison Avenue
3
Turn left onto 19th Street
0.2 mi·21 sec·19th Street
4
At end of road, turn right onto Madison Avenue
1.5 mi·2 min·Madison Avenue
5
Turn left onto 2nd Street
0.6 mi·1 min·2nd Street
6
At end of road, turn right onto IL 203
2.1 mi·3 min·IL 203
7
Turn straight onto IL 203
0.6 mi·58 sec·IL 203
8
Turn right onto Collinsville Road
0.6 mi·59 sec·Collinsville Road
9
Continue on North 9th Street
0.5 mi·42 sec·North 9th Street
10
Enter roundabout onto North 9th Street
118 ft·1 sec·North 9th Street
11
Continue on North 9th Street
0.1 mi·11 sec·North 9th Street
12
Enter roundabout onto North 9th Street
127 ft·2 sec·North 9th Street
13
Continue on North 9th Street
0.8 mi·1 min·North 9th Street
14
Turn left onto IL 15
2.9 mi·4 min·Missouri Avenue
15
Continue on IL 15
9.6 mi·11 min·New Missouri Avenue
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
17
Keep slight right at fork
150 ft·3 sec
18
Turn right onto IL 159
7.2 mi·10 min·South Illinois Street
19
Continue on IL 159
6.1 mi·9 min·State Route 159
20
Continue on IL 156; IL 159
0.2 mi·19 sec·North Main Street
21
Continue on IL 159
0.2 mi·13 sec·N Main St
22
Continue on IL 159
8.0 mi·11 min·Main Street
23
Continue on IL 3
23 mi·28 min·IL 3
24
Turn left onto IL 150
6.1 mi·10 min·State Street
25
Turn slight left onto Chester Road
0.2 mi·34 sec·Chester Road
26
Arrive at destination
Chester Road
Trip Plan
Since this trip is only about 1 hour and 40 minutes, you have a lot of flexibility. Consider leaving mid-morning to avoid the worst of rush hour traffic in the Granite City area. With no recommended stops, you can decide on the fly if you need to refuel or stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $11, and it's always better to top off before you're running on empty. The mixed highway and surface road profile means you'll need to adjust your speed and awareness as you transition between road types.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 35.7 miles from Granite City, IL, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 23.3 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 16 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 35.7 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bremen, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Granite City, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Granite City, IL
This is one driving day of about 71.4 miles and 1h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Granite City, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on IL 3 for about 23.3 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 0.1 and 20 — 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|19th Street
Turn left onto 19th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|Madison Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Madison Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
6.3 mi into trip|~10m in|North 9th Street
Enter roundabout onto North 9th Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
6.4 mi into trip|~10m in|North 9th Street
Enter roundabout onto North 9th Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
20 mi into trip|~28m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.16 one way
$22.33 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg25 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$12.26
$24.51
premium
$4.89
$13.74
$27.48
diesel
$5.61
$15.76
$31.53
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
21.4
0
$7.50
$3.43
Efficient EV
17.9
0
$6.25
$2.86
EV Truck/SUV
28.6
0
$10.00
$4.57
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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 19, 2026
Origin
Granite City, IL
Late night
in Granite City on Sunday
Local time
5:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bremen, IL
Late night
in Bremen on Sunday
Local time
5:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
38°F
Clear
W 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 10:25PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 10:23PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
76°F
Waterloo, IL
36 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
37 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 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 45% of this 71.4-mile trip is on highways, with the remaining section on surface roads. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 23.3 miles on IL 3. Expect to transition from highway driving to navigating town streets and local roads. Pay attention as you merge onto and off of IL 3, as this is where the driving environment will change most significantly.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.3 mi on IL 3.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 19th 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 1h 40m 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: at 0.1 miles (19th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Madison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 6.3 miles (North 9th Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.3 miles on IL 3. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles (19th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Madison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 6.3 miles (North 9th Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bremen, IL before heading back.
