Springfield, IL to Louisville, IL is 128.4 miles and takes about 2h 55m via Interstate 70 and IL 29, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. Expect a mix of highway cruising and surface roads as you make your way south. With a recommended one-day trip, this route is a straightforward option for a quick regional hop, suitable for a morning departure and an afternoon arrival.
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
64.2 miles from Springfield, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 29m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Interstate 70
28.6 mi
30m
IL 29
23.5 mi
31m
300 East Road
15.1 mi
17m
County Road 875 East
11.1 mi
12m
County Road 925 East
10 mi
14m
I 57
6.1 mi
6m
United States Route 45
5.7 mi
8m
N 2000 East Road
5.4 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
Interstate 70
— 28.6 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Springfield, IL and Louisville, 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
0.3 mi·23 sec·North Kennedy Boulevard
21
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward I-70 East: Effingham
22
Merge onto I 70
29 mi·30 min·Interstate 70
23
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 57 South: Memphis
24
Merge onto I 57
6.1 mi·6 min·I 57
25
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward Mason, Watson
26
Turn left onto IL 37
0.5 mi·58 sec·IL 37
27
Turn right onto East 550th Avenue
1.3 mi·5 min·East 550th Avenue
28
Continue on North 1350th Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North 1350th Street
29
Turn slight left onto East 500th Avenue
0.5 mi·2 min·East 500th Avenue
30
Turn right onto US 45
5.7 mi·8 min·United States Route 45
31
Continue on US 45
10.0 mi·14 min·County Road 925 East
32
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
0.3 mi·46 sec·Chestnut Street
33
Arrive at destination
Chestnut Street
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of under 3 hours, this route offers a lot of flexibility. You could easily depart mid-morning and still arrive well before dinner. Plan for one stop to break up the drive, perhaps a little over an hour into your trip. Keep an eye on your fuel; the estimated cost is $20, but it's always wise to top up before leaving Springfield. Since the drive is manageable, you can adjust your timing based on how you feel on the day of departure.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 64.2 miles from Springfield, IL, or about 1h 29m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.6 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 28 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 64.2 miles or 1h 29m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Louisville, 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 128.4 miles and 2h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 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 Interstate 70 for about 28.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Final third
4.4 mi from route
~11 min detour
$20 to $30
Effingham, Illinois
Hours: 6–10 am
+12175407716
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 108.7 — 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.
4
3.1 mi into trip|~6m in|IL 29
Turn left onto IL 29
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
108.7 mi into trip|~2h 19m in
Take the exit toward Mason, Watson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Mason, Watson
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.07 one way
$40.15 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg45 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$22.04
$44.08
premium
$4.89
$24.71
$49.42
diesel
$5.61
$28.35
$56.70
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 44.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
38.5
0
$13.48
$6.16
Efficient EV
32.1
0
$11.24
$5.14
EV Truck/SUV
51.4
0
$17.98
$8.22
Gas CO2
45 kg
EV CO2
15 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.
Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026
Origin
Springfield, IL
Late night
in Springfield on Tuesday
Local time
5:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
38°F
Mostly Clear then Patchy Frost
W 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 10:25PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 10:23PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Destination
Louisville, IL
Late night
in Louisville on Tuesday
Local time
5:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Vandalia, IL
64 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
15 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 55m 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.
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 route is about 55% highway, meaning you'll spend a good portion of the drive on faster roads. The longest continuous stretch on Interstate 70 covers 28.6 miles. You'll transition from the Interstate to surface roads like IL 29 and 300 East Road, so be prepared for a change in speed and exit density. The profile is mixed highway and surface, offering a blend of efficient travel and more local driving.
55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
33 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.6 mi on Interstate 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Washington Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 128.4 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: 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Springfield, IL and Louisville, IL, road signs point toward Mason and Watson.
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 2h 55m. Total distance: 128.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). 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 28.6 miles on Interstate 70. 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 Louisville, IL 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: 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Louisville, IL before heading back.
