Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 2m
Distance
276.3 mi
445 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$43
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Berlin, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Chetek, WI
Wikimedia Commons
New Berlin, WI to Chetek, WI is 276.3 miles and takes about 5h 2m via I 94, I 90, and East-West Freeway, with a fuel budget near $44 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. Given the relatively short duration and high highway percentage, this route is best suited for a single-day drive. You'll spend most of your time on major interstates, making it a straightforward trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
138.2 miles from New Berlin, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 31m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 105.2 mi | 1h 52m |
| I 90 | 63.5 mi | 1h 8m |
| East-West Freeway | 60.2 mi | 1h 4m |
| US 53 | 41.8 mi | 46m |
| South Moorland Road | 3.3 mi | 6m |
| County Highway I | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Street South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| County Highway SS | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 124 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,145 veh/hr typical · worst 2,701
Quietest
2 AM
~123 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between New Berlin, WI and Chetek, WI.
Start on West National Avenue
Turn sharp right onto CTH O
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 94
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto US 53
Take the exit
Turn right onto CTH I
Continue on CTH I
Continue on CTH SS
Turn right
Arrive at destination
For this 5-hour drive, leaving in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight and avoid any late-day travel fatigue. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $44, you can easily complete this trip in a single day without needing to break it up. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 105.2-mile stretch on I 94, as services might be more spaced out. The high highway percentage means you'll want to be prepared for highway driving conditions throughout.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 61 miles or 1h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 138.2 miles or 2h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chetek, WI than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving New Berlin, WI so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from New Berlin, WI
This is one driving day of about 276.3 miles and 5h 2m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
138 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.
A short stop after about 61 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 138.2 miles from New Berlin, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 94 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 105.2 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 10.6 and 233 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / East-West Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wisconsin Dells, Eau Claire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 toward I 94 West: Eau Claire, Saint Paul
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward US 53 North: Eau Claire, Superior
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$42.84 one way
$85.67 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $46.97 | $93.94 |
| premium | $4.93 | $53.61 | $107.21 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $60.91 | $121.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 82.9 | 1 | $29.01 | $13.26 |
| Efficient EV | 69.1 | 0 | $24.18 | $11.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 110.5 | 1 | $38.68 | $17.68 |
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in New Berlin on Friday
Local time
5:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
Destination
Evening in Chetek on Friday
Local time
5:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers
56°F
Lodi, WI
138 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Scenic Trail
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail spans 1,200 miles, traverses some of Wisconsin's finest geologic and glacial features, and passes through the ancestral lands of 15 Tribes. The Trail is built, manage...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
You'll be on highways for 98% of this 276.3-mile drive, with the longest continuous stretch covering 105.2 miles on I 94. This means you'll experience mostly consistent cruising speeds with limited transitions to surface roads. Expect a high number of exits and potential for merging traffic as you navigate through populated areas before reaching more open stretches.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 90. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.6 miles in near I 94 / East-West Freeway.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 276.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 10.6 miles (I 94 / East-West Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 64.1 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 93.2 miles (I 90; I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
656 ft
Total Descent
525 ft
Highest Point
1,052 ft
~276.3 mi in
Elevation Range
261 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between New Berlin, WI and Chetek, WI, road signs point toward Eau Claire, Saint Paul and Superior.
Eau Claire
Saint Paul
Superior
Founded 1840
New Berlin is in Wisconsin.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 2m. Total distance: 276.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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