Origin
New Castle, IN
Morning in New Castle on Tuesday
Local time
10:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Castle, IN to Lawrence, IN
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
52m
Distance
43.2 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Castle, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Lawrence, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 42.8-mile journey from New Castle, IN to Lawrence, IN, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 51 minutes to complete. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $7, this drive is a straightforward local excursion within the Midwest region. The route primarily utilizes local roads, with no highway segments, suggesting a more involved, turn-heavy driving experience. Given its short duration and lack of required overnight stops, it's an ideal option for a quick trip or an add-on to another adventure in Indiana. You'll find this drive to be a practical way to connect two points without significant time commitment or expense.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 32.7 mi | 35m |
| South Memorial Drive | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| I 69 | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| US 36 | 1 mi | 2m |
| Broad Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| McCoy Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 32.7 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Castle, IN and Lawrence, IN.
1
Start on South Main Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
South Main Street
2
Turn left onto SR 38
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Broad Street
3
Turn left onto SR 3
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
South Memorial Drive
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
5
Merge onto I 70
33 mi
·
35 min
·
I 70
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 90
Toward I 465 South, I 465 North
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 465 North
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 69; I 465
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 69; I 465
9
Take the exit onto US 36; SR 67
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
US 36; SR 67
Exit 42
Toward US 36 East, SR 67 North: Pendleton Pike
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36; SR 67
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 36; SR 67
Toward US 36 East, SR 67 North: Lawrence
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto McCoy Street
416 ft
·
19 sec
·
McCoy Street
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left
59 ft
·
6 sec
13
Turn right
77 ft
·
5 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.6 miles from New Castle, 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 39.7 and 43.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
39.7 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward I 465 South, I 465 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 90
Toward I 465 South, I 465 North
7
40 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 465 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 465 North
8
42.1 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
US 36; SR 67
Take the exit onto US 36; SR 67 toward US 36 East, SR 67 North: Pendleton Pike
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 42
Toward US 36 East, SR 67 North: Pendleton Pike
8
42.4 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
US 36; SR 67
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36; SR 67 toward US 36 East, SR 67 North: Lawrence
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward US 36 East, SR 67 North: Lawrence
5
43.1 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
McCoy Street
Turn left onto McCoy Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.75 one way
$13.51 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.42 | $14.83 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.31 | $16.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.54 | $19.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.1 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 | 13 | 0 | $4.54 | $2.07 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.78 | $1.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.05 | $2.76 |
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
Lawrence, IN
Morning in Lawrence on Tuesday
Local time
10:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Knox, IN
22 mi in
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
2 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
52m 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?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' on this route, with a 0% highway share. This means you'll be navigating a series of local roads, including Broad Street and South Memorial Drive, rather than cruising on interstates. The absence of long highway stretches indicates frequent turns and potentially varying speed limits as you transition through different areas. While there's no single 'longest stretch' mentioned, the character of the drive is defined by its local navigation, offering a more intimate connection with the landscape between New Castle and Lawrence.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.7 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and South Memorial Drive. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 39.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 43.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 39.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.1 miles (US 36; SR 67): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in New Castle, IN
Full guide →New Castle is a city in Henry County, Central Indiana. Like Anderson and Connersville and other cities in the area, it had a manufacturing heyday for a period before economic changes swept in. But, if there's one thing New Castle seems to take seriously, it's basketball, with purportedly the biggest high school gym in the country and the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
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 52m. Total distance: 43.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.7 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Lawrence, 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: at 39.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.1 miles (US 36; SR 67): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lawrence, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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