The drive from Springfield, IL to Carmi, IL covers 186.6 miles and takes about 3h 55m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 64, I 57, IL 29 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.3 miles on I 64.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.13 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
93.3 miles from Springfield, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 64
32.3 mi
34m
I 57
24.5 mi
26m
IL 29
23.5 mi
31m
300 East Road
15.1 mi
17m
United States Highway 51
13.4 mi
15m
County Road 875 East
11.1 mi
12m
250E
10.4 mi
11m
Locust Street
9.9 mi
14m
Longest stretch:
I 64
— 32.3 mi, about 34m
Traffic on I-57
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,459 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,773
Quietest
2 AM
~268 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 9 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 Springfield, IL and Carmi, IL.
1
Start on East Washington Street
0.2 mi·41 sec·East Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Turn left onto North 12th Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·North 12th Street
3
Turn straight onto IL 97
1.7 mi·3 min·Clear Lake Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Turn right onto IL 29
1.0 mi·1 min·North Dirksen Parkway
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn left onto IL 29
0.1 mi·18 sec·IL 29
Use the left lane.
6
Turn straight onto IL 29
1.8 mi·2 min·IL 29
7
Continue on IL 29
4.7 mi·7 min·IL 29
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on IL 29
1.3 mi·2 min·IL 29
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on IL 29
16 mi·19 min·IL 29
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on IL 29
0.4 mi·34 sec·North Webster Street
11
Turn left onto IL 29
5.3 mi·7 min·West Park Street
12
Continue on IL 29
5.1 mi·7 min·State Route 29
13
Continue on IL 29
5.4 mi·7 min·N 2000 East Road
14
Continue on IL 29
0.6 mi·1 min·West Washington Street
15
Turn right onto North Poplar Street
0.6 mi·1 min·North Poplar Street
16
Turn straight onto US 51
0.6 mi·2 min·Fair Avenue
17
Continue on US 51
2.0 mi·2 min·County Road 2400 E
18
Continue on US 51
15 mi·17 min·300 East Road
19
Continue on US 51
11 mi·12 min·County Road 875 East
20
Continue on US 51
1.5 mi·1 min·North Kennedy Boulevard
21
Turn left onto US 40; US 51; IL 185
0.5 mi·34 sec·West Gallatin Street
22
Turn right
0.1 mi·7 sec
23
Continue on US 51
13 mi·15 min·United States Highway 51
24
Continue on US 51
10 mi·11 min·250E
25
Turn left onto US 50
7.6 mi·8 min·US 50
26
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
27
Merge onto I 57
24 mi·26 min·I 57
28
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64
32 mi·34 min·I 64
Toward I 64 East: Louisville
29
Take the exit
0.3 mi·30 sec
Exit 110Toward US 45: Norris City, Fairfield
30
Turn right onto US 45
1.1 mi·1 min·County Road 1900 East
31
Continue on US 45
9.9 mi·14 min·Locust Street
32
Continue on US 45
1.1 mi·1 min·North 1st Street
33
Continue on US 45
0.7 mi·1 min·County Road 200 East
34
Turn left onto IL 14
7.9 mi·11 min·County Road 1400 North
35
Continue on IL 14
1.6 mi·2 min·Oak Street
36
Turn left onto IL 1; IL 14
0.4 mi·35 sec·West Main Street
37
Arrive at destination
IL 1; IL 14
Trip Plan
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 93.3 miles from Springfield, IL, or about 2h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 32.3 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 41 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 93.3 miles or 2h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Carmi, 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.
+
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 Springfield, IL
This is one driving day of about 186.6 miles and 3h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 41 miles from Springfield, IL.
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 I 64 for about 32.3 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 163.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East Washington Street
Depart onto East Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|North 12th Street
Turn left onto North 12th Street
Navigation decision point
6
2.1 mi into trip|~4m in|IL 29 / North Dirksen Parkway
Turn right onto IL 29 / North Dirksen Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
131.1 mi into trip|~2h 45m in|I 64
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64 toward I 64 East: Louisville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 64 East: Louisville
6
163.5 mi into trip|~3h 20m in
Take the exit toward US 45: Norris City, Fairfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 110
Toward US 45: Norris City, Fairfield
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.13 one way
$62.25 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg65 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$33.83
$67.66
premium
$5.26
$38.64
$77.27
diesel
$6.18
$45.39
$90.79
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 65.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
56
0
$19.59
$8.96
Efficient EV
46.7
0
$16.33
$7.46
EV Truck/SUV
74.6
0
$26.12
$11.94
Gas CO2
65 kg
EV CO2
22 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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Springfield, IL
Morning
in Springfield on Sunday
Local time
9:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Carmi, IL
Morning
in Carmi on Sunday
Local time
9:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
29 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
3h 55m 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?
186.6 mi in 3h 55m — 58% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: I 64.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
37 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.3 mi on I 64.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Washington 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 186.6 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: near the start (East Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (North 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (IL 29 / North Dirksen Parkway): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
672 ft385 ft
Total Climb
174 ft
Total Descent
382 ft
Highest Point
672 ft
~40 mi in
Elevation Range
287 ft
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 Carmi, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Fairfield 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
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 55m. Total distance: 186.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.3 miles on I 64. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (North 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (IL 29 / North Dirksen Parkway): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Carmi, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.
