Origin
Mattoon, IL
Late night in Mattoon on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mattoon, IL to Champaign, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
51.9 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mattoon, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Mattoon to Champaign, you are in for a quick 51.9-mile journey across the Illinois heartland. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 3 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $8, the route is as economical as it is efficient. You will primarily navigate via I-57, Charleston Avenue, and West University Avenue as you move between these two Midwestern hubs. Because the transit time is relatively brief, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule rather than worrying about heavy logistical constraints.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 57 | 45.1 mi | 48m |
| Charleston Avenue | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| West University Avenue | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| I 72 | 1 mi | 1m |
| North 15th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Park Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Randolph Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Neil Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 45.1 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mattoon, IL and Champaign, IL.
1
Start on this road
115 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto North 15th Street
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
North 15th Street
3
Turn left onto IL 16
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Charleston Avenue
4
Turn right
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I-57 North: Champaign
5
Merge onto I 57
45 mi
·
48 min
·
I 57
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 235A
Toward I-72 East: University Avenue
7
Merge onto I 72
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 72
8
Continue on West University Avenue
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
West University Avenue
9
Turn left onto North Randolph Street
364 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Randolph Street
10
Turn right onto West Park Avenue
458 ft
·
15 sec
·
West Park Avenue
11
Turn right onto North Neil Street
320 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Neil Street
12
Arrive at destination
North Neil Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26 miles from Mattoon, IL, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 51.9 — 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
|
North 15th Street
Turn right onto North 15th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 16 / Charleston Avenue
Turn left onto IL 16 / Charleston Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
48.3 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward I-72 East: University Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 235A
Toward I-72 East: University Avenue
5
51.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
West Park Avenue
Turn right onto West Park Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
51.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
North Neil Street
Turn right onto North Neil Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.11 one way
$16.23 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.91 | $17.82 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.99 | $19.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.46 | $22.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.45 | $2.49 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.54 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.27 | $3.32 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% 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
Champaign, IL
Late night in Champaign on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 3m 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 is defined by its focus on highway travel, with 89% of your total distance spent on major thoroughfares. You will quickly settle into the rhythm of the road, as the route features a longest uninterrupted stretch of 45.1 miles along I-57. Expect a straightforward, interstate-focused experience that prioritizes speed and directness over winding local backroads. The transition from the local streets of Mattoon to the high-speed flow of the interstate defines the bulk of your time in the driver's seat. It is a no-nonsense commute that gets you from point A to point B with consistent, predictable conditions.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 45.1 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Charleston Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North 15th Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 3m 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 (North 15th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (IL 16 / Charleston Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 48.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
762 ft
650 ft
Total Climb
168 ft
Total Descent
168 ft
Highest Point
762 ft
~48.2 mi in
Elevation Range
113 ft
About the Cities
Arriving in Champaign, IL
Full guide →Founded 1855
Champaign-Urbana is a metropolitan area in central Illinois, composed of the towns of Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy. The community is the site of the main campus of the University of Illinois, one of the great public universities of the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Orpheum Theatre — theater and movie theater in Champaign, Illinois, United States
- • Virginia Theatre — movie theater in Champaign, Illinois, United States
- • Cattle Bank — bank building in Champaign, United States of America
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 1h 3m. Total distance: 51.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 45.1 miles on I 57. 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: near the start (North 15th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (IL 16 / Charleston Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 48.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Champaign, IL 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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