Origin
LaPorte, IN
Night in LaPorte on Saturday
Local time
11:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from LaPorte, IN to Portage, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
31.5 mi
51 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
LaPorte, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Portage, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between LaPorte and Portage, Indiana, is a quick 31.5-mile journey that typically takes about 39 minutes to complete. Because this route is so efficient, it works perfectly as a straightforward day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You can expect to spend approximately $5 on fuel for the entire drive, making it a very budget-friendly transit option. You will primarily navigate via the Indiana Toll Road, State Road 39, and Pine Lake Avenue to move between these two Midwestern locations. This drive is ideal for travelers looking for a practical, no-nonsense connection across Northern Indiana.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Toll Road | 25.1 mi | 27m |
| State Road 39 | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Pine Lake Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Willowcreek Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Central Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Indiana Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Lincolnway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Indiana Toll Road
— 25.1 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between LaPorte, IN and Portage, IN.
1
Start on SR 2; SR 39
37 ft
·
8 sec
·
Lincolnway
2
Turn left onto US 35; SR 39
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Indiana Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on US 35; SR 39
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Pine Lake Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn slight right
190 ft
·
7 sec
Use the right lane.
5
Turn straight onto SR 39
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
State Road 39
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
8
Merge onto I 80; I 90
25 mi
·
27 min
·
Indiana Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 23
Toward Portage
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
155 ft
·
10 sec
11
Turn left onto Willowcreek Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Willowcreek Road
12
Turn left onto Central Avenue
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Central Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 30.6 — 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
|
US 35; SR 39 / Indiana Avenue
Turn left onto US 35; SR 39 / Indiana Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
4.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
4.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 80; I 90 / Indiana Toll Road
Merge onto I 80; I 90 / Indiana Toll Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
30 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward Portage
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 23
Toward Portage
4
30.6 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.92 one way
$9.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.41 | $10.81 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.06 | $12.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.95 | $13.91 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.76
Indiana Toll Road
(25.1 mi)
$1.76
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$2
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Portage, IN
Night in Portage on Saturday
Local time
11:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
19 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
39m 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 trip features a turn-heavy, local-road profile that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. While you might expect a standard highway slog, this route avoids a heavy highway share, keeping your driving experience focused on regional transit. You will tackle a longest uninterrupted stretch of 25.1 miles while on the Indiana Toll Road, which provides the most consistent portion of the trip. As you move away from your starting point, the road transitions from local surface streets into the more structured flow of the toll road. Expect a hands-on driving experience that requires your full attention as you navigate the various turns along the way.
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: 25.1 mi on Indiana Toll Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 35; SR 39 / Indiana Avenue.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 31.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 35; SR 39 / Indiana Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.9 miles (I 80; I 90 / Indiana Toll Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 31.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.1 miles on Indiana Toll Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.76 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.
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 Portage, IN 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: near the start (US 35; SR 39 / Indiana Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.9 miles (I 80; I 90 / Indiana Toll Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Portage, 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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