Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Springfield, IL to Petersburg, IL

Pin this trip

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

36m

Distance

22.6 mi

36 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 34m ★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
capital city of Illinois and county seat of Sangamon County

Springfield, IL

Wikimedia Commons

city in Menard County, Illinois, United States

Petersburg, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This short 22.6-mile drive from Springfield, IL to Petersburg, IL takes about 36 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on IL 97, with segments of East Jefferson Street and North 9th Street within Springfield. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $4, this highway-focused journey is efficient and straightforward. Since it’s a quick trip within the Midwest region, you won't need an overnight stay; you can easily complete this route and return on the same day. It's a practical option for a brief excursion.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
IL 97 14.4 mi 22m
East Jefferson Street 8.1 mi 14m
North 9th Street <0.1 mi <1m
East Washington Street <0.1 mi <1m
South 6th Street — —

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: IL 97 — 14.4 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Springfield, IL and Petersburg, IL.

1

Start on East Washington Street

35 ft · 6 sec · East Washington Street
2

Turn left onto I 55 Business

407 ft · 19 sec · North 9th Street
3

Turn left onto IL 97

8.1 mi · 14 min · East Jefferson Street
Use the left lane.
4

Continue on IL 97

12 mi · 17 min · IL 97
5

Continue on IL 97; IL 123

2.8 mi · 4 min · IL 97; IL 123
6

Arrive at destination

IL 97; IL 123

Heads-up: tricky spots

2 of 2

2 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 0.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | I 55 Business / North 9th Street

Turn left onto I 55 Business / North 9th Street

Navigation decision point

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | IL 97 / East Jefferson Street

Turn left onto IL 97 / East Jefferson Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.53 one way

$7.07 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $3.88 $7.76
premium $4.89 $4.35 $8.70
diesel $5.61 $4.99 $9.98

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.8 0 $2.37 $1.08
Efficient EV 5.7 0 $1.98 $0.90
EV Truck/SUV 9 0 $3.16 $1.45

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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 17, 2026

Origin

Springfield, IL

Late night in Springfield on Tuesday

Local time

3:11 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely then Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 14 to 17 mph 98% chance Live forecast

Tornado Warning

Tornado Warning issued April 17 at 6:48PM CDT until April 17 at 7:30PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 17 at 6:47PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Destination

Petersburg, IL

Late night in Petersburg on Tuesday

Local time

3:11 AM

CDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

22 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

36m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this journey, with 64% of the route utilizing higher-speed roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 14.4 miles on IL 97, offering a consistent pace. This route is designed for efficient travel rather than winding scenic byways. You’ll experience a predictable drive with minimal complex transitions, allowing for a straightforward experience behind the wheel as you transition from urban streets to the main highway.

64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
6 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.4 mi on IL 97.

How Hard Is This Drive?

1/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on IL 97 and East Jefferson Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near I 55 Business / North 9th Street.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Springfield, IL to Petersburg, IL is easy. At 36m with 64% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (I 55 Business / North 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (IL 97 / East Jefferson Street): Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Springfield, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1840

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

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 36m. Total distance: 22.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

36m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (64%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 14.4 miles on IL 97. 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: near the start (I 55 Business / North 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (IL 97 / East Jefferson Street): 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 Petersburg, IL before heading back.

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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Petersburg, IL

Evanston, IL 216.3 mi · 4h 22m Des Plaines, IL 207.4 mi · 4h 5m Naperville, IL 182.4 mi · 3h 37m Bloomington, IL 69.7 mi · 1h 29m

More from Springfield, IL

Louisville, KY 321.6 mi · 5h 55m Richmond, IL 238.7 mi · 4h 33m Guilford, IL 237 mi · 4h 56m Fox Lake, IL 230.5 mi · 4h 26m Venetian Village, IL 229.2 mi · 4h 33m Coral, IL 217.7 mi · 4h

More trips to Petersburg, IL

Elgin, IL 211.4 mi
Escape planner: Springfield, IL Scenic drives in IL

Explore more options from Springfield, IL or browse trips ending in Petersburg, IL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.