Springfield, IL to Alton, IL is 87.2 miles and takes about 1h 50m via I 55 Business, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, connecting two points in Illinois. Given its relatively short distance and duration, it’s a straightforward drive perfect for a single-day excursion. You'll be spending most of your time on the highway, making it a quick transit between locations rather than an immersive scenic journey. Plan for a simple commute that gets you where you need to go efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.6 miles from Springfield, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 52m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55 Business
63.3 mi
1h 8m
State Route 140
9.6 mi
13m
College Avenue
3.9 mi
6m
South 11th Street
3 mi
6m
East Bethalto Drive
1.8 mi
3m
East MacArthur Drive
1.4 mi
2m
West Macarthur Drive
1.3 mi
2m
Martin Luther King Drive
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 55 Business
— 63.3 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Springfield, IL and Alton, IL.
1
Start on East Washington Street
0.2 mi·27 sec·East Washington Street
2
Turn right onto South 11th Street
3.0 mi·6 min·South 11th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn slight right
411 ft·20 sec
4
Turn straight onto East Stevenson Drive
0.4 mi·48 sec·East Stevenson Drive
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn slight left onto I 55 Business
0.7 mi·1 min·I 55 Business
6
Take the ramp onto I 55 Business
354 ft·6 sec·I 55 Business
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 Business
0.2 mi·23 sec·I 55 Business
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 Business
62 mi·1 hr 6 min·I 55 Business
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward IL 140: Alton, Greenville
10
Turn right onto IL 140
0.7 mi·1 min·East State Street
11
Continue on IL 140
9.6 mi·13 min·State Route 140
12
Continue on IL 140
1.8 mi·3 min·East Bethalto Drive
13
Continue on IL 111; IL 140
1.4 mi·2 min·East MacArthur Drive
14
Continue on IL 111; IL 140
1.3 mi·2 min·West Macarthur Drive
15
Continue on IL 111; IL 140
3.6 mi·6 min·College Avenue
16
Enter roundabout onto College Avenue
397 ft·7 sec·College Avenue
17
Continue on College Avenue
0.3 mi·27 sec·College Avenue
18
Turn left onto US 67
0.9 mi·1 min·Martin Luther King Drive
19
Continue on US 67
0.4 mi·36 sec·Piasa Street
20
Turn left onto West 3rd Street
0.1 mi·31 sec·West 3rd Street
21
Turn right onto Alby Street
118 ft·5 sec·Alby Street
22
Arrive at destination
Alby Street
Trip Plan
With a drive time under two hours and a fuel cost around $14, this route offers considerable flexibility. You can easily depart in the morning and arrive with plenty of daylight left. There are no specific stop recommendations provided, so plan your own breaks as needed, perhaps around the halfway point or when you feel ready. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longest stretch on I 55 Business, as services might be less frequent than on a full interstate. Since this is a short trip, you have the advantage of not needing to rush; simply enjoy the straightforward transit.
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 43.6 miles from Springfield, IL, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.3 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 19 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.6 miles or 52m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alton, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Springfield, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Springfield, IL
This is one driving day of about 87.2 miles and 1h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Springfield, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 55 Business for about 63.3 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 0.2 and 85.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|South 11th Street
Turn right onto South 11th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
4.4 mi into trip|~9m in|I 55 Business
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 Business
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
4.6 mi into trip|~10m in|I 55 Business
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 Business toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
5
66.8 mi into trip|~1h 17m in
Take the exit toward IL 140: Alton, Greenville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IL 140: Alton, Greenville
5
85.5 mi into trip|~1h 47m in|College Avenue
Enter roundabout onto College Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.63 one way
$27.27 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg31 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$14.97
$29.94
premium
$4.89
$16.78
$33.56
diesel
$5.61
$19.25
$38.51
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: 30.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26.2
0
$9.16
$4.19
Efficient EV
21.8
0
$7.63
$3.49
EV Truck/SUV
34.9
0
$12.21
$5.58
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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 20, 2026
Origin
Springfield, IL
Late night
in Springfield on Tuesday
Local time
5:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Alton, IL
Late night
in Alton on Tuesday
Local time
5:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
18 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 50m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
In August 1908, a large White mob attacked the Black community in Springfield, Illinois. Rioters destroyed homes and businesses and lynched two men. The event led to the founding of the National Assoc...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 84% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 63.3 miles on I 55 Business, which forms the backbone of this journey. While the majority of the drive is on higher-speed roads, the inclusion of State Route 140 and College Avenue at the end suggests a shift to more local thoroughfares as you approach your destination. Expect a consistent pace for most of the trip, with a more familiar, potentially urban or suburban feel as you near Alton.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 63.3 mi on I 55 Business.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 Business and State Route 140. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near South 11th Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 87.2 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 0.2 miles (South 11th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (I 55 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.6 miles (I 55 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Springfield, IL to Alton, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Greenville along the way.
Springfield is a city in the center of the state of Illinois. It is the state's capital — not Chicago — and the county seat of Sangamon County. Springfield is best known for its most famous resident, Abraham Lincoln, and there are several historic sites that are dedicated to him.
Top landmarks
•Illinois State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Illinois
•Lincoln Tomb — tomb of U.S. president Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, United States
•Lincoln Home National Historic Site — national historic site in Illinois, USA
Alton is a charming river town in Illinois just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri. Once a blue collar town of heavy manufacturing, Alton has transformed itself into a tourist destination and wedding and reception resort of the Midwest.
Top landmarks
•Alton National Cemetery — United States National Cemetery located in the city of Alton, in Madison County,...
•Alton Military Prison — prison located in Alton, Illinois
•Upper Alton Historic District — historic district in Illinois, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 50m. Total distance: 87.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 63.3 miles on I 55 Business. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.2 miles (South 11th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (I 55 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.6 miles (I 55 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument. 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 Alton, IL before heading back.
