Gallahan Travel Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Trip from South Bend, IN to Odon, IN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 55m
Distance
237.7 mi
383 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$35
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 42m
★
6 AM
4h 55m
8 AM
5h 22m
10 AM
5h 5m
12 PM
5h 2m
3 PM
5h 6m
5 PM
5h 21m
8 PM
4h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Bend, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Odon, IN
Mathias Reding
Trip Overview
South Bend, IN to Odon, IN is 237.7 miles and takes about 4h 55m via US 31 and I-69, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Indiana, traversing the Midwest region. It's a straightforward, mostly highway drive that's ideal for a single-day excursion. You'll find the route efficient, with a significant portion on major roadways, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B without much fuss.
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
118.9 miles from South Bend, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 33m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 31 | 99.1 mi | 2h 4m |
| I 69 | 74.4 mi | 1h 22m |
| South Michigan Street | 28.2 mi | 38m |
| I 465 | 24.4 mi | 28m |
| US 231 | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| SR 58 | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| North Michigan Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 31
— 99.1 mi, about 2h 4m
Traffic on I-465
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 66 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~4,442 veh/hr typical · worst 5,164
Quietest
2 AM
~364 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
12.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 51 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Bend, IN and Odon, IN.
1
Start on East Navarre Street
131 ft
·
12 sec
·
East Navarre Street
2
Turn left onto SR 933; BUS US 31
444 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Michigan Street
3
Enter roundabout onto North Michigan Street
125 ft
·
7 sec
·
North Michigan Street
4
Continue on North Michigan Street
196 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Michigan Street
5
Continue on North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
6
Continue on South Michigan Street
2.5 mi
·
6 min
·
South Michigan Street
7
Enter roundabout onto BUS US 31
125 ft
·
7 sec
·
South Michigan Street
8
Continue on BUS US 31
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Michigan Street
9
Continue on BUS US 31
25 mi
·
29 min
·
South Michigan Street
10
Merge onto US 31
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 31
11
Turn slight right
512 ft
·
6 sec
12
Continue on US 31
85 mi
·
1 hr 44 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
13 mi
·
17 min
·
US 31
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit onto US 31
0.6 mi
·
55 sec
·
US 31
Exit 123
Toward I 465, US 31 South
Use the slight right lane.
19
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 465 West
Use the slight right lane.
20
Merge onto I 465
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
I 465
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight right at fork onto I 465
20 mi
·
23 min
·
I 465
Toward I 465 South
22
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 5
Toward I 69 South: Evansville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Continue on I 69
47 mi
·
53 min
·
I 69
Use the straight lane.
24
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69
27 mi
·
28 min
·
I 69
Toward I 69 South: Evansville
25
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 87
Toward US 231: Bloomfield, Crane
26
Keep slight left at fork
106 ft
·
2 sec
27
Turn left onto US 231
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
US 231
28
Continue on SR 58
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
SR 58
29
Turn left onto North Spring Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
North Spring Street
30
Arrive at destination
North Spring Street
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 55m duration, leaving South Bend in the morning is recommended for a comfortable arrival in Odon the same day. The estimated fuel cost is around $42, so plan accordingly. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility, but consider a break around the halfway point to stretch your legs. Pay attention to the transition from highway to surface roads as you get closer to Odon to avoid missing your turn. The longest stretch without a significant change in major road is 99.1 miles on US 31, so ensure you're comfortable before starting that segment.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 118.9 miles from South Bend, IN, or about 2h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.1 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 52 miles or 1h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 118.9 miles or 2h 33m 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 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Odon, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving South Bend, 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 South Bend, IN
This is one driving day of about 237.7 miles and 4h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 miles from South Bend, IN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 31 for about 99.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
119 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 52 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 118.9 miles from South Bend, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 31 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.1 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.6 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.6 mi from route
Speedco Indianapolis
0.8 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.8 mi from route
Mr. Fuel Travel Center
0.9 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
1.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.9 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 114.8 and 228.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
114.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 28m in
|
US 31
Turn right onto US 31
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
127.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 46m in
|
US 31
Take the exit onto US 31 toward I 465, US 31 South
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 123
Toward I 465, US 31 South
7
128.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 47m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 465 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 465 West
7
153.5 mi into trip
|
~3h 17m in
Take the exit toward I 69 South: Evansville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5
Toward I 69 South: Evansville
6
228.7 mi into trip
|
~4h 40m in
Take the exit toward US 231: Bloomfield, Crane
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 87
Toward US 231: Bloomfield, Crane
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.10 one way
$70.21 round trip
$3.75/gal
25.4 MPG avg
83 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.14 | $38.75 | $77.51 |
| premium | $4.72 | $44.13 | $88.27 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $44.88 | $89.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 83.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 71.3 | 0 | $24.96 | $11.41 |
| Efficient EV | 59.4 | 0 | $20.80 | $9.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 95.1 | 1 | $33.28 | $15.21 |
Gas CO2
83 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Origin
South Bend, IN
Late night in South Bend on Sunday
Local time
4:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Partly Cloudy
SW 5 mph
7% chance
Live forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 17 at 10:41PM EDT until July 19 at 5:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Destination
Odon, IN
Late night in Odon on Sunday
Local time
4:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Partly Cloudy
SW 3 mph
7% chance
Live forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 17 at 10:41PM EDT until July 19 at 5:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
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
1 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
4h 55m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 87% of the 237.7 miles on interstates and major highways. You'll encounter a long stretch of 99.1 miles on US 31 before transitioning to other roads. Expect frequent exits and merges as you navigate the interstate sections, typical for an 87% highway profile. The final part of the drive will involve surface streets as you approach Odon.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 99.1 mi on US 31.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 31 and I 69. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 114.8 miles in near US 31.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 237.7 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 114.8 miles (US 31): Lane positioning matters here; at 127.8 miles (US 31): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 128.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
902 ft
544 ft
Total Climb
604 ft
Total Descent
751 ft
Highest Point
902 ft
~101.9 mi in
Elevation Range
358 ft
About the Cities
Starting in South Bend, IN
Full guide →Founded 1865
South Bend is in Northern Indiana. The city's name is drawn from the fact that it's situated on the southernmost bend in the St. Joseph River. Together with neighboring Mishawaka they form a continuous urban area of about 325,000 (2020). South Bend is the home of the University of Notre Dame, but is also the former home of many large companies such as Studebaker, Oliver Chilled Plow, and Singer. The area is now home to Crowe-Chizek, AM General (which makes military vehicles.), Bosch, Honeywell, and Woodwind & Brasswind. The city hopes to grow with the undertaking of a new nano-technology campus near the city, which has already brought new contracts for factories and businesses around the city of Southbend.
Top landmarks
- • St. Casimir Parish, South Bend — church building in South Bend, United States of America
- • Studebaker National Museum — museum in South Bend, Indiana, United States
- • Tippecanoe Place — historic house in Indiana, United States
Arriving in Odon, IN
Full guide →Odon is a city in Central Indiana.
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 4h 55m. Total distance: 237.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 99.1 miles on US 31. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 10 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Odon, 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 10 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 114.8 miles (US 31): Lane positioning matters here; at 127.8 miles (US 31): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 128.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Odon, IN, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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