Origin
New Carlisle, IN
Late night in New Carlisle on Sunday
Local time
4:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Carlisle, 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
54m
Distance
41.5 mi
67 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Carlisle, IN
Tina Nord
Portage, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
New Carlisle to Portage is 41.5 miles and takes about 54 minutes via Indiana Toll Road and US 20, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Indiana and the Midwest region, making it a convenient local trip. Expect a route with frequent turns, so it's less about covering ground quickly and more about navigating local roads. It's a straightforward, manageable journey perfect for a single day, requiring minimal planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Toll Road | 25.1 mi | 27m |
| US 20 | 7.8 mi | 11m |
| West Michigan Street | 4.8 mi | 7m |
| SR 39 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Willowcreek Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Filbert Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Central Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Lynn Dee Court | <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 New Carlisle, IN and Portage, IN.
1
Start on Lynn Dee Court
98 ft
·
7 sec
·
Lynn Dee Court
2
Turn right onto South Filbert Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South Filbert Street
3
Turn left onto US 20
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
West Michigan Street
4
Enter roundabout onto US 20
50 ft
·
0 sec
·
US 20
Toward US 20 West: Michigan City
5
Continue on US 20
7.8 mi
·
11 min
·
US 20
Toward US 20 West: Michigan City
6
Turn left onto SR 39
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
SR 39
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
9
Merge onto I 80; I 90
25 mi
·
27 min
·
Indiana Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 23
Toward Portage
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
155 ft
·
10 sec
12
Turn left onto Willowcreek Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Willowcreek Road
13
Turn left onto Central Avenue
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Central Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.8 miles from New Carlisle, IN, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 39.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Filbert Street
Turn right onto South Filbert Street
Navigation decision point
5
5.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 20
Enter roundabout onto US 20 toward US 20 West: Michigan City
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward US 20 West: Michigan City
5
14.6 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
14.8 mi into trip
|
~23m 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
39.9 mi into trip
|
~51m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.49 one way
$12.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.12 | $14.25 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.99 | $15.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.16 | $18.33 |
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
$6
Tolls
$2
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.63 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.81 | $2.66 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Portage, IN
Late night in Portage on Sunday
Local time
3:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 15 to 20 mph
100% chance
Live forecast
Time zone
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
3 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
54m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a turn-heavy local drive, with only 22% of the route on highways. You'll experience a mix of road types, transitioning between the Indiana Toll Road and local streets like US 20 and West Michigan Street. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 25.1 miles on the Indiana Toll Road, offering a brief period of consistent speed. As you get closer to Portage, the character shifts to more local roads and intersections.
Only 22% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 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?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Filbert Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 41.5 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Filbert Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (US 20): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 14.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 41.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m 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 (South Filbert Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (US 20): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 14.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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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