This straightforward 90.1-mile drive from Smyrna to Indianapolis, Indiana, will take you about 2 hours and 6 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You'll primarily be on major roads like I-65 and SR 7, with about 66% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this Midwest to Midwest excursion is around $14. This route offers a practical and efficient way to get between these two Indiana locations, suitable for those prioritizing direct travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45 miles from Smyrna, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 65
41.5 mi
46m
SR 7
18.1 mi
26m
South State Street
17.8 mi
27m
State Street
3.9 mi
5m
West Deputy Pike Road
3 mi
7m
Jonathan Moore Pike
1.4 mi
1m
3rd Street
1.3 mi
2m
State Roads 3 & 7
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 41.5 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smyrna, IN and Indianapolis, IN.
1
Start on West Deputy Pike Road
3.0 mi·7 min·West Deputy Pike Road
2
Turn sharp left onto SR 7
18 mi·26 min·SR 7
3
Turn right onto SR 3; SR 7
0.2 mi·16 sec·Poplar Street
4
Continue on SR 3; SR 7
0.5 mi·1 min·State Roads 3 & 7
5
Continue on SR 3; SR 7
18 mi·27 min·South State Street
6
Continue on SR 46
3.9 mi·5 min·State Street
7
Continue on SR 46
1.3 mi·2 min·3rd Street
8
Continue on Jonathan Moore Pike
1.4 mi·1 min·Jonathan Moore Pike
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 65 North: Indianapolis
10
Merge onto I 65
42 mi·46 min·I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi·56 sec
Exit 110BToward I 70 West: Saint LouisUse the slight left / straight lanes.
12
Merge onto I 70
0.1 mi·12 sec·Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Exit 79BToward Meridian StreetUse the slight right lane.
14
Continue on Madison Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·Madison Avenue
15
Continue on South Meridian Street
0.4 mi·1 min·South Meridian Street
16
Turn left onto Monument Circle
365 ft·42 sec·Monument Circle
17
Turn right
76 ft·6 sec
18
At end of road, turn right
257 ft·28 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a duration of just over 2 hours, this trip from Smyrna to Indianapolis offers plenty of flexibility. You can easily depart in the morning and arrive with ample time for the day's activities. Consider leaving mid-morning to avoid potential rush hour traffic around Indianapolis. Since the longest stretch on I-65 is 41.5 miles, plan your fuel stops accordingly before you get too far into that segment. The total fuel cost is estimated at $14, so keeping your tank at least half-full should be a comfortable plan for this journey.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 45 miles from Smyrna, IN, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 41.5 miles.
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 20 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45 miles or 1h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Indianapolis, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Smyrna, IN 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 Smyrna, IN
This is one driving day of about 90.1 miles and 2h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Smyrna, IN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 65 for about 41.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 3 and 90 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3 mi into trip|~7m in|SR 7
Turn sharp left onto SR 7
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
46.5 mi into trip|~1h 14m in|I 65
Merge onto I 65
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
88 mi into trip|~2h in
Take the exit toward I 70 West: Saint Louis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 110B
Toward I 70 West: Saint Louis
7
88.8 mi into trip|~2h 2m in
Take the exit toward Meridian Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 79B
Toward Meridian Street
5
90 mi into trip|~2h 6m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.09 one way
$28.17 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$15.47
$30.93
premium
$4.89
$17.34
$34.68
diesel
$5.61
$19.89
$39.79
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 31.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27
0
$9.46
$4.32
Efficient EV
22.5
0
$7.88
$3.60
EV Truck/SUV
36
0
$12.61
$5.77
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Smyrna, IN
Morning
in Smyrna on Sunday
Local time
9:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Indianapolis, IN
Morning
in Indianapolis on Sunday
Local time
9:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Mostly Sunny
WSW 13 mph5% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 16 at 12:24PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 11:54AM EDT until April 21 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
68°F
Columbus, IN
45 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
25 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
2h 6m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this 90.1-mile trip, with 66% of the drive on interstates and major state routes. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 41.5 miles on I-65, offering a good opportunity for consistent travel. The route incorporates I-65 and SR 7, suggesting a blend of high-speed travel and potentially some sections on South State Street that might offer a slightly different pace. Overall, the character leans towards efficient transit rather than winding scenic byways.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.5 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and SR 7. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in near SR 7.
Driving Effort6/10
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 90.1 miles you will encounter 9 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 3 miles (SR 7): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 46.5 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 88 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Indianapolis is the capital of Indiana and also the state’s largest city. Efforts to beautify and modernize the city have brought Indianapolis into the 21st century as a world-class destination for everything from business meetings and trade conventions to backpackers making their way across the States.
Indianapolis is widely hailed as the "Racing Capital of the World" because of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 at the Brickyard, and as the "Amateur Sports Capital of America" for hosting the NCAA Hall of Champions. The city has several attractions outside of sports, including museums, a large zoo, over 100 ethnic restaurants, several arts and historic districts, and a revitalized downtown. Although Indy has been mocked with the epithet "India-noplace", visitors will encounter a mix of a large metropolitan city and a simple Midwestern community.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 6m. Total distance: 90.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 41.5 miles on I 65. 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 Indianapolis, IN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles (SR 7): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 46.5 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 88 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Indianapolis, IN before heading back.
