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Trip from Springfield, IL to Saint Elmo, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 58m

Distance

88.1 mi

142 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
1h 50m ★
6 AM
1h 59m
8 AM
2h 16m
10 AM
2h 5m
12 PM
2h 3m
3 PM
2h 5m
5 PM
2h 15m
8 PM
1h 53m

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

Best Time
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capital city of Illinois and county seat of Sangamon County

Springfield, IL

Wikimedia Commons

city in Fayette County, Illinois

Saint Elmo, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Springfield, IL to Saint Elmo, IL covers 88.1 miles and takes about 1h 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on IL 29, 300 East Road, Interstate 70 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.5 miles on IL 29. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.66 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.

Midpoint

44.1 miles from Springfield, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 5m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
IL 29 23.5 mi 31m
300 East Road 15.1 mi 17m
Interstate 70 12.7 mi 13m
County Road 875 East 11.1 mi 12m
N 2000 East Road 5.4 mi 7m
West Park Street 5.3 mi 7m
State Route 29 5.1 mi 7m
County Road 2400 E 2 mi 2m
Longest stretch: IL 29 — 23.5 mi, about 31m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Springfield, IL and Saint Elmo, 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

13 mi · 13 min · Interstate 70
23

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 32 sec
Exit 76 Toward St Elmo
24

Turn left onto Interstate Drive

0.8 mi · 1 min · Interstate Drive
25

At end of road, turn right onto US 40

0.5 mi · 55 sec · East Cumberland Road
26

Turn left onto South Main Street

0.2 mi · 57 sec · South Main Street
27

Turn right onto East 4th Street

145 ft · 6 sec · East 4th Street
28

Arrive at destination

East 4th Street

Trip Plan

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 44.1 miles from Springfield, IL, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 23.5 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 29m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 44.1 miles or 1h 5m 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 42m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint Elmo, 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 88.1 miles and 1h 58m.

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 IL 29 for about 23.5 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

town in Christian County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Pana, IL

44 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

Edinburg, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Pana, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 44.1 miles from Springfield, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 88.1 — 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
86.2 mi into trip | ~1h 54m in

Take the exit toward St Elmo

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 76 Toward St Elmo
5
88.1 mi into trip | ~1h 58m in | East 4th Street

Turn right onto East 4th Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.66 one way

$27.32 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 31 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.32 $14.98 $29.95
premium $4.93 $17.09 $34.19
diesel $5.60 $19.42 $38.84

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: 30.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 26.4 0 $9.25 $4.23
Efficient EV 22 0 $7.71 $3.52
EV Truck/SUV 35.2 0 $12.33 $5.64

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 Sep 1, 2026

Origin

Springfield, IL

Afternoon in Springfield on Friday

Local time

2:28 PM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Clear

SSW 9 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued August 31 at 2:29PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued August 31 at 2:29PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Destination

Saint Elmo, IL

Afternoon in Saint Elmo on Friday

Local time

2:28 PM

CDT

Current temp

75°F

Clear

SW 7 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued August 31 at 2:29PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued August 31 at 2:29PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

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

2 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 58m 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

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...

0 mi from route Free
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

88.1 mi in 1h 58m — 48% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: IL 29.

48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.5 mi on IL 29.

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 14 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 Effort 5/10

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 88.1 miles you will encounter 14 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

704 ft 486 ft

Total Climb

292 ft

Total Descent

273 ft

Highest Point

704 ft

~44.1 mi in

Elevation Range

218 ft

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

Arriving in Saint Elmo, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1871

Top landmarks

  • • President — historic American steamboat

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 1h 58m. Total distance: 88.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (48%). 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 23.5 miles on IL 29. 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 (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 Saint Elmo, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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