Origin
Sims, IN
Morning in Sims on Tuesday
Local time
6:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sims, IN to Carmel, 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
1h 11m
Distance
50.1 mi
81 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sims, IN
Pascal 📷
Carmel, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Sims, IN to Carmel, IN is 50.1 miles and takes about 1h 11m via US 31, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive keeps you within Indiana, connecting two points in the Midwest. It's a straightforward, primarily highway-focused trip, making it a convenient option for a quick journey. With no planned stops and a relatively short duration, this route is ideal for a same-day excursion. Consider this trip if you need to cover a moderate distance efficiently without a lot of fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 31 | 33.6 mi | 42m |
| County Road East 00 North South | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| East 00 N | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| Keystone Parkway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| East Main Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| East County Road 00 North South | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| North 1350 East | 1 mi | 1m |
| East 100 N | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 31
— 33.6 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sims, IN and Carmel, IN.
1
Start on South Washington Street
301 ft
·
18 sec
·
South Washington Street
2
Turn left onto East Howard Street
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
·
East Howard Street
3
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
4
Turn right onto West 400 South
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
West 400 South
5
Continue on East 100 N
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
East 100 N
6
Turn left onto North 1350 East
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North 1350 East
7
Turn right onto US 35; SR 19; SR 22
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
East 00 N
8
Continue on US 35; SR 19; SR 22
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
9
Continue on US 35; SR 19; SR 22
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
County Road East 00 North South
10
Continue on US 35; SR 22
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
East County Road 00 North South
11
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
12
Merge onto US 31
26 mi
·
31 min
·
US 31
13
Turn right onto East 226th Street
270 ft
·
10 sec
·
East 226th Street
14
Turn left
320 ft
·
50 sec
15
Continue on this road
320 ft
·
25 sec
·
this road
16
Turn right onto East 226th Street
270 ft
·
9 sec
·
East 226th Street
17
Turn right onto US 31
8.0 mi
·
10 min
·
US 31
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 129B
Toward Keystone Parkway, Rangeline Road, Clay Terrace Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto Keystone Parkway
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Keystone Parkway
Toward Keystone Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
Toward Main Street
Use the slight right lane.
21
Enter roundabout onto East Main Street
22 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Main Street
22
Continue on East Main Street
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
East Main Street
23
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 25.1 miles from Sims, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 49.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Howard Street
Turn left onto East Howard Street
Navigation decision point
8
48 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward Keystone Parkway, Rangeline Road, Clay Terrace Boulevard
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 129B
Toward Keystone Parkway, Rangeline Road, Clay T...
7
48.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
Keystone Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto Keystone Parkway toward Keystone Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Keystone Parkway
6
49.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Main Street
5
49.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
|
East Main Street
Enter roundabout onto East Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.83 one way
$15.67 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.60 | $17.20 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.64 | $19.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.06 | $22.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 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 | 0 | $5.26 | $2.40 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20 | 0 | $7.01 | $3.21 |
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
Carmel, IN
Morning in Carmel on Tuesday
Local time
6:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 8 mph
72% chance
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
10 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
1h 11m 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 highway-focused drive, with about 70% of the route utilizing faster roads. You'll experience a significant stretch of 33.6 miles on US 31, offering a consistent pace. The journey transitions between US 31 and local county roads like County Road East 00 North South and East 00 N. Expect mostly straightforward driving conditions suitable for maintaining highway speeds for extended periods. The character of the road is geared towards efficient travel rather than winding scenic byways.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.6 mi on US 31.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 31 and County Road East 00 North South. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Howard 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 50.1 miles you will encounter 16 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: at 0.1 miles (East Howard Street): Navigation decision point; at 48 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.2 miles (Keystone Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Carmel, IN
Full guide →Carmel is a city of just over 100,000 people (2021) in the Nine-County Region of Indiana north of Indianapolis.
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 11m. Total distance: 50.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.6 miles on US 31. 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 Carmel, 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 0.1 miles (East Howard Street): Navigation decision point; at 48 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.2 miles (Keystone Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Carmel, 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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